Page 93 of Impassioned
Lucien’s jaw dropped in mock horror. “Such language! What are you going to do about it? About her?”
“I’m going home to my wife.”
“An excellent plan.” Lucien clapped him on the shoulder. “Let me know if I can be of any further help.”
“You should stop with that,” Constantine said. “It’s one thing to help and another to meddle.”
His eyes darkening, Lucien nodded. “Understood. I—we, Evie and I—overstepped here and I truly am sorry. I just need you to know that I only wanted your happiness.”
“I know that, and I appreciate it.” Constantine realized his brother and father weren’t all that different in their motivation. Both wanted to ensure his happiness. Though in his father’s case, he’d sought to do so by protecting Constantine’s heart. The irony was that in trying to keep Constantine from misery, the duke had actually delivered him straight into the heart of it.
The true gift was that they’d pushed Constantine to acknowledge his true self—not a dutiful automaton who only wanted to please his father and not an emotionless dullard with a stick up his arse. He knew who he was, and he was desperate to tell the one person who needed to see him most of all: his wife.
“Lu, do I need to formally accept the Phoenix Club invitation, or can I just show up to the assembly tonight?”
Lucien grinned. “Aw, you called me Lu. Come on, we’ll go together. On the way, you can tell me what Father said after I left.”
“Actually, no, I can’t. And please don’t ask me to.” There would probably come a time when Constantine would feel the need to break his father’s confidence, but for now, he would keep the man’s secrets.
As they made their way to the Phoenix Club, Constantine’s chest threatened to burst with emotion. Unfortunately, when they arrived, it was to learn that Lady Aldington had already returned home.
“Go,” Lucien said. “I look forward to when we can spend time together here at the club, but tonight is not that night.”
“No, it is not.” Constantine caught a hack and when they arrived on Curzon Street, he practically jumped from the vehicle. As they neared the house, he saw an unfamiliar gig outside.
Constantine bounded into the house where Haddock met him with a pinched expression.
“What’s the matter?” Constantine demanded, his blood running inexplicably cold at the worry in Haddock’s eyes. “Whose gig is that outside?”
“Her ladyship sent for a physician. He is upstairs with her now.”
The world tilted sideways. Constantine couldn’t breathe. He rushed upstairs, raced to their sitting room, and came face to face with her maid. “Where is Lady Aldington?” he demanded.
Charity paled as she pointed toward the closed door to her bedchamber. “She’s in there with Dr. Montbourne.”
Oh God, what if he was too late to stop whatever treatment the man had probably forced upon her? Who was this Dr. Montbourne anyway? Constantine didn’t know him, had never heard of him. And holy hell,why was his wife seeing a bloody doctor?
Constantine stormed into the room to find Sabrina perched on her bed and the charlatan Dr. Montbourne standing beside her. The man was too handsome to have serious medical credentials and certainly didn’t look old enough to have the requisite experience. Except none of that was regulated, which was why they needed the damn apothecaries bill.
“Back away from my wife,” Constantine shouted. “Don’t you dare touch her.”
Chapter 22
Sabrina almost didn’t recognize the wild-eyed gentleman who’d burst into her chamber. Constantine looked like some sort of beast, his teeth bared, his hands fisted at his sides as if he were going to launch himself at Dr. Montbourne and pummel him to bits.
“Er, good evening, Lord Aldington. I am Dr. Xavier Montbourne.” Holding out his hand with an engaging smile, he stepped toward Constantine.
Glaring at the physician, Constantine moved around him and put himself between the man and Sabrina. “Get out.”
“Constantine, stop. Please.” Sabrina reached for his hand, but he jerked away from her.
“I said get out. Now.” He advanced on the physician with a terrifying menace.
Sabrina jumped up from the bed and inserted herself in front of Dr. Montbourne. “Stop this nonsense right now. Dr. Montbourne was just leaving anyway. Even so, there’s no call to be rude.”
“Why is he here? What did he do to you?” The bleak distress in his gaze at last prompted her understanding. Finding her with a doctor would be upsetting to him.
Sabrina moved closer and took his hand again, squeezing it tightly so he wouldn’t let her go. This time, he did not. “Dr. Montbourne merely performed a simple examination. I experienced a few odd pains earlier, and I was hoping he would allay my concerns.”
