Page 47 of The Virgin and the Viscount

Sullivan dared a glance at his wife and found Tilly staring at him with wide eyes. He wanted to ask her what she thought. If she agreed with this assessment, if she was proud of his efforts. He had become a complete fool for this woman.

Thomas slammed his drink back, and then demanded a refill, which he swallowed in one loud gulp.

Sullivan looked at their mother, her eyes locked on Thomas. He knew this would be difficult for her. She loved all of her boys, but she lived with Thomas because, as she explained it, he needed her more than the rest of her sons.

Thomas stood abruptly, the heavy wooden chair falling backward behind him. A footman scurried over to right it. Thomas ambled over to Sullivan. “You have taken everything I have ever wanted. You might as well take my wife.”

Their mother gasped.

“Thomas,” Melanie hissed.

But Thomas had left the room, stormed out and into some other area of the house.

“Tilly, why would you try to come between these two brothers?” her mother asked. It was the first time the woman had spoken the entire meal.

“Begging your pardon,” Sullivan said, “this has nothing to do with Tilly. She has done nothing wrong. Unlike that brother of mine.”

“Sullivan, please,” his mother said, squeezing her eyes shut. “It has been so difficult for your brother that they have been unable to have a child.”

Melanie tossed her napkin onto the table and stood. “Thomas would not be happy if I had given him a dozen heirs.” She left the room as well. Her mother glared once at Tilly, then followed Melanie out of the room.

His own mother wiped her mouth then gently placed her napkin over the plate. “Thank you for the lovely meal, Sullivan.” She gave Tilly a sweet smile. “Matilda.”

Sullivan downed the rest of his wine, then took another bite of the roasted pheasant. He took two additional bites before Tilly abandoned him in the dining room.

He didn’t regret what he’d done tonight. Perhaps there might’ve been a better way to handle it, but removing the power from Thomas had been a necessity. Sullivan had spent several days poring over the family ledgers and still couldn’t make sense of the finances. Whatever Thomas had been spending the money on, it hadn’t been any of their estates.

That dinner party had been a disaster. Tilly sighed and made her way to the library. She wasn’t particularly tired. She and Sullivan were not sharing a bed, nor bedroom activities, so she might as well find something to read.

The library wasn’t an overly large room, but thus far it was her favorite in all of the townhome. It had a wall of windows on one side, then the remaining three were covered—floor to ceiling—with bookshelves. And the shelves themselves were stuffed with volumes. Books were stacked in front of already full rows of books. The first day she’d discovered this room, she’d decided on a systematic way to peruse so she would not lose her place. So she made her way over to the farthest wall and began at the bottom.

She’d barely made it to the third shelf up from the floor when footsteps sounded behind her. Turning, she found Thomas standing there, a glass of amber-colored liquid hanging loosely from his right hand. He gave her a smile that perhaps, once upon a time, would have made her heart flutter. Now it seemed to make her entire body shimmer with awareness. Not the tingly kind of awareness Sullivan made her feel. No, this was as if her body had gone on full alert, warning her against a potential threat. She knew enough, from her training with the Ladies of Virtue, to trust her instincts.

“Ah, my lovely Tilly.” He fully entered the room but stayed near the doorway.

She plucked a book from the shelf and held it against her chest, creating some kind of barrier between them.

“How did you enjoy our family’s seaside estate?”

“It was beautiful.” She tried to maneuver herself in a way that she could escape the room, fully intending to make her excuses to retire to bed, but he blocked her path.

“Your coloring is perfect. It would seem the fresh air and sunshine agreed with you.” He took a step toward her. “Or perhaps it is my brother’s attentions that have you looking so well.”

“Yes, well, we are very happy. Very much in love.” She hugged the book to her chest. “In fact, I suspect he’ll be looking for me soon.”

Thomas clicked his tongue, stepped even closer to her. “Oh, you were doing so well. But now you’ve gone and lied to me. Truly unnecessary, Tilly. You must be honest with me.”

She swallowed the sizable lump that had formed in her throat. Panic, that’s what it was, a knot of panic. “I am.”

He shook his head, then took another step toward her. “There should be no pretending between us, not when there could be so much more.”

She inhaled slowly to try to calm herself. She needed to have her wits about her. “I have no notion to what you’re referring.”

“Allow me to speak plainly then. Now that we’re in the same family in every way possible, we are free to explore this thing between us,” he said. He grinned at her and she shuddered.

“There is nothing between us.”

He kept his momentum, moving toward her until she was backed against the window. The cold glass pressed into her, instantly chilling her through her dress.

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