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“Henry wanted us to be together”

“Edward, even before I knew about Ruth Parris and the loan money, I had already decided—”

“You must overlook her,” he interrupted desperately, “just as I will overlook any indiscretions on your part It can all be forgotten I’ll perform any penance you ask, but ill put this behind us I’ll have the boy sent abroad and raised there We’ll never see him He’ll be better off that way, and so e”

“No, Edward No one would be better off You’re not thinking clearly”

“Neither are you,” he retorted

Perhaps he was right: thoughts were colliding in her head She didn’t knohether to believe him about Henry She had known Henry so well, his sweetness and forbearing, his concern for others But he had also been a h and loith a full understanding of the consequences should the order of things be disrupted Had Henry really given his blessing to a future union between his cousin and wife, in full knowledge of poor Ruth Parris and her chance-born child?

Then, alically, the tur became clear

She had loved and respected her husband and had always heeded his opinions But fro The sin was not love, but the lack of it The thing to fear was not scandal, but the betrayal of one’s own morality

“You are I are not going toa bit sorry for hi ruinous choices for hi days, including a tangle of legal n the executorship of the will, and step aside as trustee of the estate—and I beg you not to make the process difficult For noould like you to leave”

He seeainst what Henry wanted I will take no action until you’ve calmed down”

“I’ to seek the counsel of solicitors” She softened as she sa distraught he was “I’ll always be fond of you, Edward Nothing will erase all the kindness you’ve shown al association between us terminated”

“I can’t lose you,” he said desperately “My God, what is happening? Why can’t you see reason?” He stared at her as if she were a stranger “Were you intimate with Ravenel? Did he seduce you? Force you?”

Phoebe let out a short sigh of exasperation and left the settee, striding rapidly to the threshold “Please leave, Edward”

“So has happened to you You’re not yourself”

“Do you think so?” she asked “Then you’ve never known me at all I am wholly myself—and I will never marry a man ould want me to be any less than I am”

Chapter 32

“Good God, Ravenel,” Toe and took the seat opposite hiroomed whorehouse rats”

West responded with a surly glance In the week since he’d left the Clare Estate, prih priority He had shaved recently—a day or two ago—maybe three—and he was ood quality even if they hadn’t been pressed or starched His shoes could use so, and yes, his breath was a bit rank, as one would expect after days of drinking tootoo little Admittedly, he wasn’t a fashion plate

West had been staying at the terrace apart taken up residence in Hah he could have made use of Ravenel House, the family’s London home, he’d always preferred to maintain his privacy A cookmaid came once or twice a week to clean She had been there yesterday, wrinkling her nose as she’d gone frolasses She’d refused to leave until West had eaten part of a sandwich and some pickled carrot slices in front of her, and she had scohen he’d insisted on washing it doith some fettled porter

“You’ve a thirsty soul, Mr Ravenel,” she’d said darkly He could have sworn she’d poured out the rest of the porter before she’d left—surely he couldn’t have downed all of it in one afternoon Butin his gut, this endless poisonous craving that nothing would satisfy As if he could drown in a lake of gin and still want more

He’d been in reasonably good condition, thathe’d left the Clare Estate He’d breakfasted with Phoebe and the children, s bits of fried bacon andbuttered toast into shapeless wads Justin had asked more than once when he would return, and West had found hi the way he’d always hated in childhood when adults would say, “Soht” Which everyone, even a child, knew meant “No”