Page 47 of Sweet Siren
Killian's dark eyes widened with understanding. "He cares forher?"
"God help him, he does. Always has. I blame myself for this crisis. After she was indifferent to Lily and me when my father died, I wanted someone to be in contact with her regularly. I wanted her to know that someone cared about her. She wouldn't see me or Lily. But I always worried about her after she married Carbury. Now I worry Carbury may take revenge onPhillip."
"If he loves her as you say he does, he may not take heed to your warning," Killiansaid.
"Yes. I know. He's always been hopelessly in love with her. I should not have presumed upon him to do this work. I should have known that if Phillip saw her often, he'd hurt himself as well as incite Carbury's jealousy. The two of them love her toomuch."
Killian winced and turned away from Julian to glance out thewindow.
Was he reflecting on how his son Pierce also found Elanna fascinating? Liv had witnessed how devoted Pierce was to that young woman. And yet she saw no characteristics in that lady which merited such enchantment. Indeed, the countess seemed spoiled, self-centered, irrational to the point of compulsion. Nor did she seem interested inchanging.
"I don't know how she manages it," Julian said, shaking his head and crossing hisarms.
"What's that?" Killianasked.
"She draws men to her. Many men. I can't say she lures them on purpose. She'd not ruthless. Yet she's never found any one man she favors. And that was part of her problem in the two Seasons she was out. She said she never met a man she cared for enough to marry. Then we had no means for her to carry on another Season and she married Carbury. Bad enough we have her acting like a Bedlamite, now we have Carburytoo."
Rejecting her newborn child was not the action of a rational person. Instinct alone would drive a mother to hold her baby, cuddle him, nurse him and coo to him. But according to all who told tales of life at Carbury Manor—a dairy maid who came to deliver cream to Willowreach, the doctor, and the earl himself—Elanna had not relented. She ignored her child. The same way she ignored her husband. And by that act, tormentedhim.
Liv understood that behavior all too well. "Does she know anyone who did thesame?"
The two men turned to her with surprise on theirfaces.
She felt the heat rise to her cheeks. "Forgive me. I should not haveasked."
Julian stared at her. "Don't apologize. Yes, of course, she has a model for heractions."
A dark moment of silence passed in thecoach.
But Julian sighed and looked from one to the other. "My parents. Our parents. Yes, did exactly that. Not quite in the same way. Both took delight in torturing the other with affairs or rumors of them. I don't recall my mother totally abandoning my care or Elanna's. But she might as well have done. She might be the model upon which Elanna takes hercues."
"So many take out their failures on others who should bear no suffering," she said. "I know. We had a member of our family who did that."My father. Poor man."Hated himself and ridiculed all in his path for their foibles and faults.Bedeviled."
"I cannot allow Phillip to suffer," Julian said on the thread of sound. "Or be hurt by Carbury. Elanna must take responsibility for her own actions. Become responsible.Sensible."
She may not be able to dothat.
Liv pushed the hideous thought away. Leaning forward to catch a glimpse of the shops and parks, she noted that they passed the Bank of England in the financial district. The Seton family solicitor, Phillip Leland, would have his officesnearby.
The coach idled. The footman pulled open the door and Julianalighted.
"After your meeting, will you come stay in Piccadilly, Julian?" Killian asked. "Pleasedo."
"Thank you. I think I will. I'll need good company when I'm donehere."
They said their farewells and the coach resumed its way winding west acrosstown.
Killian's gaze was warm and probing. "Who was it that was so outlandish in yourfamily?"
She shifted and wished she'd not opened this topic. "My father. Later, my mother, too. A pity for them, since they had a good marriage, and we were a sound and happyfamily..."
"Until?"
She took in his sympathy. But she could notanswer.
He moved to her side of the coach and took her hand. "Happy untilwhat?"
"Catastrophe struck. And he could notrecover."
