The Solemn Bell(44)
He shook his head. “This entire situation is a nightmare. What am I going to do if she rejects me?”
“Would she reject you?”
“No, probably not—but only because she might need a father for her baby. She’s a survivor, Markie. She’ll do what it takes.”
He shrugged. “You’ve both got yourself into this pickle. She cannot afford to say no, and you don’t have it in you to toss a pregnant woman out on her ear. At worst, you stay together out of duty and necessity. At best, you’re both madly in love, and it all works out in the end.”
“Do you like Angelica?”
“Very much. I think she’s good for you. Your recovery has been remarkable, and if it’s all because of her, then she has my gratitude,” his brother said. “On top of that, I think she’s brave for coming here and facing us all. You need someone to fight on your side. I think Miss Grey is just that sort of girl.”
“I thought you were on my side.”
“You know I am. But my hands are tied.”
Brody reached over and clapped his elder brother on the shoulder. He was a good man, and didn’t deserve to be put in the middle of everyone’s spats. Most of all, he didn’t deserve to be Father’s slavey, but Brody understood his need to make the old man proud. “Thanks again for not telling the others the truth about my time in hospital. They’d never understand.”
“As far as I’m concerned, they are the ones who put you there.”
The two men locked up the garage and walked back toward the house. Most of the lights were out now. Mother was in her room, and Father in his. The Neills had only come together to celebrate Mary Rose’s birthday. When the festivities ended, their father would be absent once again.
Marcus and Brody did not know all the details—and they didn’t care to—but their parents’ marital issues had always made life difficult for the two boys. Then, the war, Marcus’ injuries, and Brody’s mental break had only furthered the wedge between the family.
They’d never taken his illness seriously. If Marcus could come home to laugh, drink, and work again, then Brody had no excuse. But Marcus had spent most of the war recovering in a cushy officer’s hospital run by a pretty duchess. Captain Broderick Neill served the full four years in the trenches.
Brody had every right to be bitter, and to hate his parents for every army doctor, psychiatrist, and convalescent home they shipped him off to. For essentially getting him addicted to morphine, and being shocked when the miracle-cure blew up in their faces. He had only accepted the treatment to keep Mother happy, and to make Father proud.
He had never asked to love the needle, but perhaps his spiral into addiction was simply inevitable. It was certainly easier to heap his troubles on everyone else, rather than take the blame for his own shortcomings.
Father didn’t favor Marcus because of the war medals. He favored Marcus because he was the better son. Angelica hadn’t slept with another man because she had not trusted him. She slept with another man because she had trusted him, and Brody hadn’t been honest with her.
If he had told her he was leaving to get better, she would have waited. But he had been too afraid that he would fail—that he would not be strong enough or worthy enough—to tell her the truth. Now, if Brody did not confess how he truly felt before things got too far out of hand, he really would only have himself to blame.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
“Golly!” Mary Rose practically crowed with glee. “That was unfortunate!”
As soon as the song ended, Captain Neill had stormed from the room, with his brother following as best he could. They’d left Angelica alone with Mary Rose.
She fought back tears. This night had been a disaster. She’d felt so certain that Captain Neill had feelings for her—flirting over dinner, the way he held her in his arms as they’d waltzed—yet at the first sign of affection, he’d dashed away. Perhaps she had embarrassed him in front of his siblings…
“I hope you aren’t infatuated with my brother,” the young woman continued, “because that would not end well for you.”
Angelica took the bait. “Why not?”
“Well, for one, my parents would not approve. Secondly, Brody isn’t exactly known for making wise decisions—his life has essentially been one bad decision after another—and you’d be the baddest of them all. He needs someone to look after him, support him. He’d never be able to take care of you…”
“I can take care of myself,” Angelica sniffled.
“You can’t even find your bedroom without someone to guide you. What are you going to do when Brody doesn’t come home for three days, and there’s no money for servants, and you can’t pop down to the market because you’ll never find your way home?”
She swallowed. It wouldn’t be like that. He was better now—he’d given up his injections. How ever he’d behaved in the past to make his sister think him an unreliable wastrel, Captain Neill had changed.
“Oh, Miss Grey. I feel sorry for you, I do! But remember what happened earlier. The moment you bared your heart to him, he bolted. Never show a man your true feelings. The instant they suspect you’re after more than a good time, off they go.”