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"Do you, really?" He stared hard at the wavy pane of glass "Because I don’t think I ever truly did, until today It wasn’t until today that I realized … Yorke was the closest thing to a father I ever had"

Shenoise and reached for his hand

He pulled it away, folding his arms over his chest Of course, now she would coenerous affection nohen he was down and plainly hurting and as wretched as soe of pity to offer hi passion that he was denied

"You’ll have everything you wanted now," he told her "I’ll be the MP You’ll be Lady Aldridge, the influential MP’s wife This house is yours, to host as s and social functions as you please Turn it into a hos, if you wish I really don’t care I’ll be in Surrey for the foreseeable future"

"You’re … you’re just leaving ht be, he wanted to hurt her To inflict just a fraction of the pain she’d caused him

"Did you have so to the doorway "Forgive me, but I really , and I promised my mother--"

"Oh, your poor mother" Suddenly she flew across the carpet to stand before hi one hand over his arm "Toby, let me come with you"

"To Surrey?"

"Well, I meant to the town house" Her brorinkled "I mean, I do have the deone out I must be here in Town for that, I couldn’t possibly cancel it now"

"No, of course," he said bitterly "You couldn’t possibly I understand you perfectly, Isabel You’re under no obligation to coave her what he hoped was a cold, unfeeling look "I’h" He turned to leave

She dodged around hi the door "Toby, please I can see how you’re hurting I want to help Let o with you"

"No"

She winced "But--"

"No," he repeated fir past her to exit the room "You’re not welcome This is a family matter, not a charity event"

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Toby had been an infant when his father died He had no memory of the man, nor any recollection of hisWhen she referred to Sir Jae she did so in respectful, dispassionate tones--and always in past tense By all appearances, the dowager Lady Aldridge maintained a cordial relationship with her late husband’s memory

"Cordial" had never described her relationship with Mr Yorke The two had argued over one thing or another--and yet another--for as long as Toby could re remarks to one another’s faces and said worse behind each other’s backs By all appearances, they were equally matched in only one respect--mutual dislike

And never, until this day, had Toby realized the obvious

They had been in love

How had heof women, but as it turned out, he had a blind spot of mother-sized proportions But then, she’d never been "a woman" to him, because she was his mother and he’d never looked for her vulnerabilities He hadn’t wanted to see them She was his only parent, the rock of their faest person he knew

But not today Today, she was a pale, teary shambles

"Mother, why did you never tellone of her hands while she pressed a handkerchief to her eyes with the other The two of them were tucked away in the corner of Mr Yorke’s parlor The room was filled with visitors, come to pay their respects before his body was taken to Surrey People caly at a loss as to where to direct their condolences, considering the deceased’s lack of immediate family His mother wiped her eyes and whispered, "Should I have told you about my lover? Really, Toby, I knoe are close But there are some conversations a mother does not wish to have with her son"

She had a point there "How long had you been …"

"A very long time"

"Years, then?"

"Decades"

Decades Toby frowned at the carpet, trying to decide whether he wished to kno hts "I was never unfaithful to your father"

"I’ve no lanced up, toward the bedchamber above-stairs where Yorke’s body lay "All my memories are of him"

"He loved you, Toby He told me he would have left his estate to you, were it not entailed I know he thought of you as the son he never had"

"Why not the son he did have? Why did the two of you never marry?"