Page 89 of A Duchess Disciplined

After she left, there was nothing but silence. William lowered himself into his chair and stared at the door through which she had just disappeared. Catherine was leaving him. She would not be gone forever, but still for longer than he wanted. William sighed deeply and sank into his chair. What would he do if Catherine left and refused to come back?

No, she would not do that. Would she?

William clasped the arms of the chair, as though his life depended on him clinging to the polished rosewood. “Catherine, what have you done to me?” he murmured. “You are the most vexing woman I have ever met in my life.”

If she would not come back, he would make her return to him. It was as simple as that.

CHAPTER30

As she had planned her trip, Catherine had decided to journey to her family’s London townhouse, rather than their country estate. Her siblings would be in the country, and although Catherine wanted nothing more than to see Dorothy, Elias, and Bridget, she found that she did not wish to tell them of her marital woes.

They would want to be angry and indignant on her behalf, and Catherine did not want anyone else to be angry on her behalf. Instead, she had gone to her family’s London townhouse, assuming that the place would be abandoned save for the staff. And the staff would be easily persuaded to keep her presence a secret.

There was just one problem with her plan, and Catherine realized that problem the moment she was escorted into Elias’s study, and her brother was there, swirling a glass of Tokay and reading a book of poetry. “Catherine!” he exclaimed, leaping to his feet.

He cast the book aside and abandoned his wineglass on the nearest table. Catherine forced a smile. She thought she might be able to keep her feelings from spilling over, and she might have succeeded, except that he pulled her into a tight embrace. She sniffed and hugged him tightly.

The tears broke free, and she sobbed into his shoulder. Her breath caught, and she pressed her forehead into his shoulder.

“Oh, my sweet sister,” he murmured, pulling her close. “Has someone hurt you, kitty cat?”

She dug her fingers into the back of his jacket and clung to him as though her life depended on it. Her brother’s familiar cologne, the scent of lavender and orange blossoms, filled her senses. Catherine sobbed. He was so familiar, and she felt so safe in his arms.

“Oh, poor cat,” he murmured, stroking her hair.

A small laugh bubbled from her. “You are g—going to ruin my hair!” she cried.

“Do not worry about that,” he replied. “We are the only ones here, and I do not care if your hair is ruined.”

He held her for a long time, as she sobbed into his shoulder. Elias murmured soft words of comfort into her ear and stroked her hair until all her tears were gone. Then, she lifted her head. Her brother gazed softly at her.

“Have a drink with me,” he said gently. “I know that you have always enjoyed sweet wines.”

Elias smiled gently and stepped away. He produced another glass and filled it with the wine. Catherine sank trembling into a nearby chair. She rubbed her eyes, and Elias chivalrously produced a handkerchief. Catherine took it and gently dabbed at her eyes. Once she was finished, her brother returned the handkerchief to her pocket and offered her the glass. The wine was the color of sunlight.

Elias seated himself beside her and leaned back. He grinned rakishly at her, and Catherine felt herself warm beneath his affectionate gaze. “I missed you,” she said. “So much.”

“I know,” he replied. “I have missed you, too.”

They drank for a few moments in companionable silence, and Catherine’s nerves slowly settled. She no longer felt as though she would break apart if her brother touched her.

After some time, Elias sighed. “What has upset you, kitty cat?” he asked. “You know that you can tell me anything.”

Of course, she could. But beingableto talk to her brother and beingreadyto were two entirely different things.

“I do not want to talk about it,” she said. “It hurts too much.”

Elias leaned forward, his glass held loosely in one hand. “Is it the Duke of Sarsen? Has he done something to harm you?”

She sniffed, and Elias’s expression hardened. “N—no,” Catherine said. “No, it is only that I…I am tired from my journey, and because I have traveled so far, my nerves are shattered.”

Elias shook his head. “Catherine,” he said warningly. “I know that is not true. You have nerves as strong as any man. I know that something is troubling you, and given your hesitancy, I suspect that it involves your husband. What has he done? Has he hurt you?”

Catherine shook her head. “No, no…it is only a small marital dispute. I needed some time away from His Grace to think about our marriage. That is all.”

“I have a difficult time believing that is all,” Elias said. “If it was only a small dispute, you would not be nearly this upset about it.”

Catherine took a sip of her wine, favoring the sweet taste of it. She had always delighted in Tokay, ever since taking her first sip. Her brother’s gaze remained on her. He intently watched her face, as if determined to craft meaning from even the smallest expression. Catherine felt a jolt of wry concern, for her brother knew her better than anyone. She could not even hope to lie to him.

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