Miss Winthorpe's Elopement (Belston & Friends #1)(64)

He felt a flood of relief. And then he saw her smile, which was sly and catlike, and knew that there was no chance in the world that he would escape so easily.

She continued. ‘Since your love for her is true, I assume that you have her heart as well. So she will stand by you, head held high, while I reveal the particulars of our relationship to the world. You detailed in writing what we had done, and what you wished to do. I could send the letters to your wife, as a belated wedding gift. Or shall I leave them for Timothy some morning, mixed up with the mail? Or I could take them to our friends in London, to read aloud. Everyone will find it most diverting, I am sure.’

The idea of it turned his stomach. There was so much shame to be had in his past behaviour. Heaps of disgrace for all concerned. Timothy would no longer be able to feign ignorance, and must be moved to act. He would meet his best friend at dawn with a weapon in his hand, and attempt to defend himself for an indefensible action.

Will would shake his head in pity, as he had at the news of the marriage, and at all the other stupid things Adam had done in his life. Perhaps Adam was destined to be an eternal source of disappointment, and a terrible example to his brother.

But Penny. If Penny found out, it would be worst of all. Would she be more hurt by a full revelation from Clare, or would the ton throw the information back in her face some night, when she least expected it? Either way, it did not seem likely that she would wish to make love to him in the library, once she knew all the sordid details of his affair. She might return to her study and never venture forth again.

And the worst of it was that the truth could leave him relatively untouched. What did it matter what people said of him? For no matter how shocked the world might be, he was Bellston until he died.

But it would wound the people most dear to his heart.

What were the alternatives? He could return to Clarissa, to buy her silence for a time, and hope that she would grow bored enough to let him go. It would hurt the same people just as much, if not more. For how could he claim that his infidelity was meant to lessen the damage? There was no easy answer. But the choice between right and wrong was clear. Better to bear the agony, lance the wound, and allow the poison to drain, than to leave things as they were, dying from within.

He opened his eyes and stared at Clarissa. ‘Do your worst, then. I should have expected no less from you, for you are wicked to the bone. Bring down the ruin upon my head. It is just as I have deserved, and I have known for a long time that there was no preventing it. What will happen will happen. But do not think that you can control me any longer with the fear of revelation. Whatever may occur, I am through with you, Clarissa.’

And he turned and left the room, feeling lighter than he had, despite the sense of impending doom.





Chapter Twenty




Penny sat in the library, watching the blur of sunlight through the leaded windows, as she cleaned her glasses with her handkerchief. Her husband had been right: the air was sweeter here, and the sunshine more bright than any place else on earth.

And then a shadow fell upon her table. Timothy Colton stood, blocking the light from the door.

She smiled and stood, reaching out for his hand. ‘Timothy. Whatever are you doing in Wales?’

He was leaning against the door frame, and as her vision cleared, she took note of his appearance. He was the worse for both drink and travel. His hair was wind-blown, his coat dirty, and he smelled of whisky, though it was not yet noon. ‘I live here, as does Clarissa. We are near enough to walk the distance on a clear day.’ He smiled mirthlessly. ‘Did your husband not tell you of the fact?’

She racked her brain, hoping that there had been a revelation, and that she had forgotten. ‘No.’

‘Now, why do you suppose he would forget to mention it?’

There had to be a reason. He had said that Tim was a childhood friend. And she knew that Clarissa had been there, the night of the fire. But had he told her they would be neighbours? He must have assumed she would know. ‘I am sure it was a harmless omission.’

‘Really. Then he did not tell you, this morning, that he has gone to my home, to be with my wife.’

‘He would not,’ she said.

‘I was there, and saw them together myself.’

‘You lie.’

‘When have I ever lied to you, Penelope, that you would distrust me now?’ His voice was colder than she’d ever heard it, but he did not avoid her gaze, as her husband had that morning at breakfast. ‘She left me in London several days ago. When I realised where she would go, I shut up the house and came after her. It is notso easy when you have children. You cannot simply hare off to Wales, and abandon them to be with your lover. Not that my wife would care.’

‘But Adam has not been with her, I would swear it.’

‘His horse is in my stables now. And as I approached the house, I could see them clearly through the windows of the sitting room.’

She shook her head. ‘I’m sure there is an innocent explanation for it.’

‘She was lying bare before him, Penny. There was nothing innocent about the scene I witnessed.’

‘Then I will ask Adam about it, when he returns.’ She would do nothing of the kind. She would do her best to pretend that it did not matter to her. Perhaps Adam had eyes only for her because she was the only one near enough to see. But she had convinced herself that there would be no worries in the future. It would always be just as it had been for the last month. Now Timothy meant to spoil it all.