Page 85 of The Beastly Duke's Christmas Bride
His brow furrowed as he came to stand before her. Something about him seemed taller. Was he wearing heels? She glanced down but couldn’t be certain.
Setting that aside, she gave her brother a shake of her head. “I don’t want flattery. I never have, Thomas. I want honesty. I can have that with you, can’t I?”
Several blinks and then a nod. “Of course.”
“I mean it,” Isabel insisted, feeling his answer was too simple to be truthful. “Someone I can trust. That’s what I need right now. To say what is right no matter how it hurts me or what it could mean. Absolute honesty.”
“Very well. What can I do to prove myself to you?” he asked.
“I… I don’t know.” Her shoulders slumped. “Am I fool?”
He took the crumpled handkerchief from her before neatly removing a stray tear from her cheek she hadn’t even noticed. Inclined to throw her arms around him in gratitude, she settled for a wan smile instead. He had never been one for embraces even in their youth.
Thomas seemed to choose his words carefully as he took a minute to think. “You have a very big heart, Isabel. You merely need to direct yourself on the right path. This wasn’t a marriage that started for any reason but to avoid a scandal. A scandal that is now forgotten. Now, you can enjoy your life as you see fit.”
Frowning, Isabel slowly shook her head. “What do you mean?”
“The marriage cannot be annulled, from what I understand, but you don’t have to stay with him,” he pointed out to her.
That wasn’t something that had really occurred to Isabel. Not of late, at least, not since they had married and immediately took off for Eastwynd. She bit her lip.
Her brother had a point. While her husband might be able to have command over her in a court of law, she couldn’t imagine he would care to stay with her now. And she certainly wouldn’t have it.
No, she wouldn’t allow that to happen. There wasn’t a chance in the world she was going to spend another night under the same roof as Sebastian after what she had just seen. Enough had happened. She knew the truth and she wanted to be as far away from him as possible.
“I… But where would I go?” Isabel whispered.
“The world is your toy now,” her brother reassured her brightly.
Perhaps it was. She could leave the house, leave London, even leave the kingdom should she see fit. What a strange notion that was. Isabel stepped backward, considering the room. Where might she go if she had the chance and the money?
“I… But it’s…” Isabel rarely felt overwhelmed. Something about tonight was making her feel like she’d been tossed upside down.Trying to calm her wildly beating heart, she gave a shake of her head and considered where she might go.
But do I wish to leave? What would I do anywhere else?
“We could go to India,” Thomas suggested. “Egypt, if you like. I heard Albania is beautiful. We can skirt the war, of course, and have ourselves some fun. I hear there is even beauty in Russia to be explored. Can you imagine?”
“I don’t want to go to Russia,” she said after a moment.
He shook his head. “Then we won’t go to Russia. There is so much of the world to explore! We can do anything we like anywhere in the world for as long as we like. The two of us together again.”
“Together again?” Isabel met his gaze, wondering what that was supposed to mean. They had rarely enjoyed activities together in their youth. Sometimes she felt he thought she was only a nuisance to ignore. But maybe they could change everything now. Besides, who else was she supposed to cling to after all that had just happened?
“Of course! I’m here for you, Isabel. I’m your brother, aren’t I? Someday I’ll be an Earl,” he reminded her like that was still an option. “I am going to do what I never did before. I’ll protect you and properly this time. Please let me,” he added hastily, softly, when she opened her mouth to protest. “Let me do this for you. I owe you. I have failed you before and I cannot do that to you again. I won’t let you suffer. I want to protect you.”
Isabel listened to her brother’s fervent promise.
She didn’t know if she could believe everything just yet. There was still so much space between them that needed to heal first. But he was here when no one else was, and that mattered to her a great deal. This was what she needed right now. And he could be there for her.
Nodding, she gave him a teary smile. “Thank you, Thomas. I don’t know what I would be doing without you right now.”
“Don’t think such things, because it will never happen again,” he vowed. “We’ll take you home right away. Unless you wish to stay?”
Isabel didn’t think she could feel more hurt and humiliated. She wished she hadn’t felt so broken after seeing her husband with another woman. It hurt her pride and she wished to think of better things.
For now, that meant leaving.
“I want to go home, please,” she told Thomas in agreement.
