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This struck Catherine as an excellent idea She followed Poppy frolare at each other

"I’ to marry her," Leo said

Harry’s face went blank "You despise each other"

"We’ve co"

"Has she accepted you?"

"Not yet She wants to discuss it with you first"

"Thank God Because I’ll tell her that it’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard"

Leo arched a brow "You doubt I could protect her?"

"I doubt you could keep fro each other! I doubt she could ever be happy in such volatile circu all " Harry’s eyes were ice-cold "The answer is no, Ramsay I’ll do what is necessary to take care of Cat You can return to Haet rid of me," Leo said "Perhaps you didn’t notice that I haven’t asked for your pers have happened that can’t be undone Do you understand?"

He saw froile constraints stood between him and certain death

"You seduced her deliberately," Harry ed to say

"Would you be happier if I clai that would ht you with rocks and toss you into the Thaine what it would be like to face a man who’s compromised your sister, how difficult it would be to keep fro hihtfully on his chin "I can io"

Harry’s eyes narrowed "That wasn’t the sain when I lance "When I compromise a woman, I do it properly"

"That does it," Harryfor his throat

They crashed to the floor, rolling and grappling Although Harry ed to slam Leo’s head on the floor, the thick carpet absorbed ht a chokehold, but Leo ducked his chin and wrenched free They rolled twice, exchanging blows, ai for the throat, the kidneys, the solar plexus, in the kind of fight that usually took place in East End slue," Leo panted as they broke apart and lurched to their feet "I’ed a hard right and took a jab of his own "I’ve foughthell and tavern in London--" He faked a jab with his left and folloith a swift right hook,impact with Harry’s jaw "And aside from all that, I live with Merripen, who has a left uppercut like a kick fro?" Harry threw a counterpunch and stepped back before Leo could retaliate

"It’s called coht to try it souard and stood there undefended "Especially with your sister Have you ever bothered to listen to her? Da for some kind of brotherly counsel or consolation, and the first thing you do is send her from the roolare, but when he spoke, his voice was heavy with self-condemnation "I’ve failed her for years Do you think I’m unaware of all that I could have done for her but didn’t? I’ll do anything possible to atone But da she needed in this situation was for her innocence to be taken when she couldn’t defend herself"

"It’s exactly what she needed"

Harry shook his head in disbelief "Daave a peculiar strangled laugh "I hate arguing with a Hathaway You all say soical Is it too early for brandy?"

"Not at all I’ far too sober for this conversation"

Harry went to a sideboard and pulled out two glasses "While I pour," he said, "you can explain why being deflowered by you was so bloody beneficial toout of his coat, Leo draped it over the back of his chair and sat "Marks has been isolated and alone forwith the Hathaways"

"Even so, she’s stayed at the edges of the faainst the , like some Dickensian orphan A false name, drab clothes, dyed hair … she’s concealed her identity for so long that she hardly knoho she is But the real Catherine euards We speak the sa into the glowing swirl of his brandy "Marks is a contradictory woman, and yet the more I know her, thein the shadows No matter how she tries to convince herself otherwise, she wants to belong somewhere, with someone And yes, she wants athe brandy that Harry handed to him, Leo tossed back a s "She’ll thrive with me Not because I’m a stellar example of virtuous ht for her I’ue, and she can’t outmaneuver me And she knows it"

Harry sat nearby and drank his own brandy He watched Leo pensively, on one level trying to assess his sincerity, on another judging his veracity "What would you get froement?" he asked quietly "As I understand, you need to marry and sire a child rather soon If Cat doesn’t succeeded in bearing a son, the Hathaill lose Ras far worse than losing a bloody house I’llthe waters," Harry said, his face expressionless "Trying to determine if she’s fertile before you marry her"

Instantly offended, Leo forced hiitiive a damn if she’s fertile or not," he said evenly "If it will settle your concerns, we’ll wait however long it will take to ardless"

"And what about what Cat wants?"

"That’s up to her As for dealing with Latiainst him I’ll use it if he starts to make trouble But the best protection I can offer her ishis brandy, Leo set the erando The aunt, Althea Hutchins, runs the place now I sent my assistant Valentine to take inventory of the situation, and he returned looking somewhat sickened Apparently in a bid to revive business, Mrs Hutchins turned it into a whipping brothel, where any number of depravities are catered to The unfortunate women ork there are usually too orn to be employed at other brothels" Harry finished his brandy "It see, most likely from some untreated bawdy-house disease"

Leo looked at him alertly "Have you told Marks?"

"No, she’s never asked I don’t believe she wants to know"

"She’s afraid," Leo said quietly

"Of what?"

"Of what nearly becas Althea said to her"

"Such as?"

Leo shook his head "She told me in confidence" He smiled faintly at Harry’s obvious annoyance "You’ve known her for years, Rutledge--what in God’s naether? Taxes? The weather?" He stood and picked up his coat "If you’ll excuse e for a room"

Harry frowned "Here?"

"Yes, where else?"

"What about the terrace you usually lease?"