Page 70 of Wickedly Yours
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Arabella jerkedawake as a thud sounded outside the study door. She blinked the sleep from her eyes, wincing at the stiffness of her neck. She’d spent the night asleep at Rowan’s desk, the ledger still on her lap. Gray light filtered through the curtains heralding the dawn. Birds began to chirp in the gardens as morning slowly stole over London. Her candle was barely more than a stub and the fire had gone out.
Another thud sounded and the study door was flung open.
“I should have known I’d find you here. Fixing my books, are you?” Rowan strode into the study, followed by the smell of stale cigar smoke and alcohol. His clothes were rumpled and there was a tear in the shoulder of his coat. The ends of his hair stuck up at odd angles and his eyes were shadowed and bloodshot. He shut the doors to the study behind him with an exaggerated flourish.
He smells as if he’s spent the night in a brothel.
Arabella clenched her fists. She was angry and worried and now jealously seeped into her thoughts. “Good morning, my lord.” The words came out in a hiss even though she tried to contain her temper.
“Good Morning, my dear,deceitfulwife.” Loathing and disgust dripped from every word, his features frozen into an icy mask.
Arabella stayed wisely behind the desk as the thing which she’d most feared finally took shape. She grabbed the bits of her earlier anger around her using it as a shield against her rising panic. “Where have you been? You smell as if you’ve spent the night—”
“At a brothel? Would that I had but you’ve ruined such a thing for me. Have I been drinking? Most assuredly. Unfortunately, no amount of alcohol can wash away the truth. But then, you probably wouldn’t understand. Truth being aforeignconcept to you.” An ugly sound erupted from him. “You areunbelievable.”
A terrible swirling black mass threatened to drown her. “How dare you speak to me in such a way.” She tried to stand, and her legs failed her. She was going to be violently ill.
He knows. He knows. Somehow, he knows.
Rowan approached the desk, his legs unsteady. The smell of alcohol grew stronger. Gazing coldly at her, he settled onto the couch. “Lying bitch.”
The words slapped at her, shattering her into a million small pieces. Her palms flattened across the desk. “Rowan—”
“You wereneverkidnapped.” His voice grew low and dark.Never taken.” He laughed, a horrible choked sound. “Neverin danger. I merely interrupted a lover’s quarrel, didn’t I? How convenient I showed up at just the right time. I wonder if you would have stabbed him anyway?”
Arabella shook her head. “No. Please let me explain.”
“Don’t you want to know how I found out?” Reaching into his pocket he threw something small across the space that separated them, hitting her smack in the chest. A sapphire earring.Hersapphire earring.
“I suppose I should be glad you didn’t give him your wedding ring, though I believe sapphires may be worth slightly more than a ruby. I didn’t believe him at first until I visited the pawn shop. You actuallyagreedto marry Corbett.” He stood and slunk to the sidebar and poured himself a full glass of scotch.
“How did you find out?” she whispered. But she knew of course. Barker.
“Apparently you missed a payment,my love.”
The sarcasm and hatred in his tone sliced into her like a blade. She was trembling and quickly she pulled her hands into her lap, clasping them firmly. “I was so very angry and Corbett…manipulatedme. I know that is not an excuse but—”
“Barker came to me requesting money or he’d turn over his suspicions about you to Constable McLauren. I heard the entire sordid tale. Apparently, Corbett confided in Barker. A marriage ofrevenge. Punish all of us in one fell swoop. No matter it would have destroyed your brother. Jemma. Your aunt. Good God, youarehorrible.”
“I am not that girl anymore.” Her voice cracked with emotion. “You know I’m not.” Arabella felt as if she were drowning in her own darkness and regret.
“Well, Barker,” he poured himself another glass, “is convinced you meant to kill Corbett. I’m inclined to believe him. I find murder to be completely within your character. You also enjoy deceit, kidnapping, and blackmail. It’s a wonder you haven’t ended up in Newgate. No wonder Nick sent you to Wales.”
Arabella shook her head. “Corbett fell out the window.”
Rowan snorted. “Yes, conveniently for you. I’m sure you would have pushed him if he hadn’t slipped. What a bloody relief his death must have been. And there I was, riding in like some fucking hero to save you from yourself. You must have cheered your good luck imagining all the ways you could use me. I’m sure you didn’t think your brother would force us to marry. No wonder you kept trying to run off to the Continent.”
“No.” She shook her head violently. “I lied about Corbett but nothing else.Nothingelse.” Despite her best efforts, Rowan had found out. And hehatedher, just as she knew he would. The pain and betrayal etched on his face was like a knife to her heart.
“I am no longer willing to play your fool.” His lip curled in revulsion. “Christ, I defended you to my family.”
“I did a horrible,terriblething in accepting his proposal. But I could not have gone through with marrying him. Things were different then.Iwas different then. Please, listen to me.” She was cold all over, her mistakes of the past taking away from her the one thing she wanted.
“You’ll never change.” He snorted. “Always scheming. Lying.Betraying. I wish to God I’d never touched you.”
Her heart cracked open as her very soul bled out. A tear ran down her cheek and she wiped it away. “I love you.”
