Page 78 of What A Rogue Wants
“I suppose it can do no harm.”
Madelaine gave Helen a grateful smile as the woman put her arm around Madelaine and led her and Abby out the door. Helen’s carriage was already in front, her coachman waiting. He rushed past them and came out carrying the first of many bags.
Abby squeezed Madelaine’s hand before addressing Grey. “Might we have our moment now, my lord?”
“Certainly. I’ll just help with the bags.”
The notion was absurd, but Madelaine held her comment. Helen kissed Madelaine’s cheek. “I’ll see you soon, dear.”
Madelaine doubted that, unless Helen attended hangings or by some miracle, it didn’t come to that. “Thank you for your kindness,” she said, barely managing to hold in the sob threatening to escape.
“Nonsense. We ladies of the Court must stick together,” Helen said, before sweeping into her carriage and shutting the door.
Abby immediately grabbed Madelaine by the arms. “You must listen.”
Madelaine nodded.
“I know you think you were the wedge that drove your parents apart, but it’s not true.”
“Don’t try to make me feel better,” Madelaine said.
“I’m not.” Abby released her and unclamped the gold locket around her neck. She handed it to Madelaine. “Open it.”
Madelaine frowned but complied. A picture of her father was on one side of the locket beside a picture of Abby’s mother. “Oh, Abby. I’m sure he thought of you as a daughter as well.”
“No, Madelaine.” Abby’s voice was pained. “He didn’t, though he knew he was my father.”
“What?” She had to be misunderstanding.
“You didn’t drive a wedge between your parents. My mother did. And then I did. Your father and my mother had an affair, and I was the product, born three months before you.”
“I don’t believe you.” Madelaine’s stomach clenched.
“It’s true. Your mother didn’t hate you. I think she hated the life she was stuck in. Ma told me when your mother found out about their affair, your father promised her she could leave.” Abby snorted. “Men and their promises. He said they would live apart as if they were not married, but she could reap the benefits of his money and title. Then your mother found out she was pregnant, and he wouldn’t let her go until he was sure she wasn’t having a son.”
Bitterness filled Madelaine’s mouth like the tartest of candies. She sucked her cheeks in. She’d thought her father had adored her from the day she was born. He’d been the one person who’d loved her unconditionally, until her mother had died and he’d wanted her to change. She’d been wrong. He’d not loved her from her birth. He’d wanted a son. Hoped for a son. Was there nothing about her life that had been as she thought? “Why didn’t he leave after I was born?”
“Your father had left on a trip. He was gone for near a year, and Ma told me when he returned you were coming up to your first birthday. You were already reckless like a boy. He instantly loved you and refused to let you go. He told your mother to leave, but she stayed because she loved you too. She didn’t hateyou. She hatedhimand the fact that you loved him.”
Tears blurred Madelaine’s eyes. Her mother had stayed for her. Yet she’d taken her anger with Father out on her. Father had wanted a son, gotten a girl and did really love her. She’d been born an oddity, but Father had loved that. It suited him because he’d wanted a son. In a way it made sense. She dashed a shaking hand over her eyes. If only she’d known her mother had loved her a little, life would have been so much easier. If she’d known her mother had stayed for her, she would have done everything in her power to be the daughter she wanted. Behind her, footsteps clomped down the stairs.
“Time to go, miss,” the coachman said.
Abby gripped Madelaine in a fierce hug. “I love you,” she whispered in Madelaine’s ear. “Save yourself. Your father has lost his way, but he wouldn’t want you to go down with him.”
Madelaine watched the carriage drive away and take the only person she could really trust out of her life, probably for good. Her knees felt like cream, but she managed to stay upright. Grey stood silently beside her; close enough so she couldn’t run yet not so close they might accidentally brush against one another. Thoughts swirled in her head. She couldn’t save her father, but could she save herself?
Twenty-Eight
Madelaine bit her lip with uncertainty. Even if she could bring herself to abandon her father, would Grey let her escape? She harbored no illusions that she could get away from him unless he willingly let her go. If he had really loved her he might, but if he’d been using her, she didn’t stand a chance. How to ferret out which was the truth. Before she could decide, he faced her and stared for a long moment like he might stare at a snake set to strike.
“Come.” He took her hand and pulled her toward the door.
She didn’t resist. What was the point? His look of disgust said everything. He’d never let her escape. As they entered the house, angry voices drifted toward them. Grey paused midway down the hall as if trying to decide whether to take her with him or leave her here. Making up his mind, he tugged her down the hall and stopped in front of a door that led into what appeared to be the king’s audience room.
Madelaine gasped as she peered into the room. His Majesty’s hair stuck out in spiky patches from his head. He seemed nothing like the orderly king she was used to seeing. His clothing was a wrinkled mess and a shadow of stubble covered his normally rosy cheeks. And his eyes… She shivered at the sight of his wild eyes. He looked angry enough to kill someone. He struck out at one of his pages while the other one advanced toward the king.
“You deceived me,” the king said to the room full of men. His voice was barely above a whisper, but the dark, unyielding tone held the promise of retribution. The king’s sudden change of demeanor made the hairs at the back of her neck rise.
