The Langley Sisters Trilogy Boxed Set (58 page)

      “I believe I said it would be a success from the start.”

      Finn made his way up the small back steps and through the door after he had heard Alex’s voice.

      “Would someone like to tell me what the hell is going on?”
      Three faces looked up at him from around the table. Alex and Phoebe looked shocked, Miss Wooller confused.

      “You followed me.” Alex’s words were quietly spoken yet Finn heard the anger in them; it matched his own.

      “Yes.” There was little point in denying the accusation as it was obvious what he had done.

      “Why?”

      “I was worried you were going to gamble.”
 

      Phoebe stood so quickly her chair fell backwards. Her hands fluttered in front of her before she clutched them together.
 

      “Alex has not been gambling, Finn. He has been here with Hannah and me.”

He passed his eyes over her briefly before returning to his brother; as usual, her beauty hit him straight in the stomach.
 

“I asked him to join us here, in this venture, Finn, so if there is any blame to be laid I would have you place it on me.”

      “No he won’t!” Alex stood and moved to her side. “We all went into this with our eyes open and it was my choice to join you; in fact, I demanded you let me invest in Madame Alexander’s.

      “A fashion boutique? This is what you have invested in, yet you lead me to believe you were gambling?”

      “You would not have understood had I told you,” his brother said. “You were so busy trying to get me into that locomotive consortium that you would not have listened.”

      Finn didn’t want to feel guilt over Alex’s words. He had simply done what he believed was right by trying to get him to invest in a sound consortium.
 

      “You should have told me about this, Alex. For weeks, I have imagined you in the clutches of some ruthless bastard, intent on fleecing you of every cent you own, and all the time you were knee deep in silk and bloody lace!”

      He hadn’t meant to yell, but he was angry and hurt. Hurt that Alex had not believed he could talk with him about this business.
 

      “Please stop.” Phoebe moved around the table to stand before Finn. “There is no need for this, I assure you, Finn. He will not lose his money; in fact, he stands to make a great deal.

      Finn looked at her, raking his eyes over her features as he felt the familiar tug of need inside him. Last night he had learned the taste of her skin, the feel of her as she arched against him, but he pushed those thoughts aside as he felt anger rush into his body, filling every corner and robbing him of sanity. She knew, too, and had not told him. Phoebe, the woman he wanted to marry, the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
 

      
God, that hurt.
 

      “You could have told me.” His voice was thick with emotion.

      She flinched as if he had struck her, but Finn felt nothing, only pain that she and Alex had conspired against him.

      “It was not my secret to tell you.” He steeled himself against the plea for understanding in her words.
 

      Finn felt as if he was unraveling, his body slowly shutting down as he looked from Phoebe to Alex, who now stood at her side. These two people who he cared about had kept this from him and it hurt. He needed to leave her before he made a fool of himself and did or said something he would regret for the rest of his life. Turning, he headed for the door.

      “Finn, wait.”

      It was Phoebe who reached him, she who placed a hand on his arm, but he shrugged her off, unable to even look into her beautiful face, before he left the building.
 

      Phoebe couldn’t breathe, her chest was so tight. She moved to the table and braced both her hands on the surface. Lowering her head, she then sucked in a deep gulp of air.

      “Phoebe?” She felt Hannah rub her back in slow circles. “Sit, love, take a sip of your tea.”

      “I’ve never seen him look that way before.” Alex fell into the seat beside Phoebe and put his head in his hands. “It was as if he was in pain, as if we had hurt him by not telling him.”

      Standing once again, Phoebe moved to his side where she placed her arms around his shoulders and held him tight.
 

      “He will forgive you, Alex. He is your brother and a good man, and you know this.”

      He leaned into her with a sigh.

      “Promise me that you will mend this with him, Alex.”

      “I promise, Phoebe. But I think it is not just me that hurt him. He loves you.”

      Phoebe’s laugh was harsh.

      “No he does not love me, Alex. I am just someone he cannot control and he has great difficulty with that.”

      “What a mess,” Hannah said, moving to Alex’s other side where she placed a hand on his shoulder. “Phoebe, you are so pale I fear you are about the faint.”

      Phoebe forced a smile onto her face. She was good at pretending, even when her heart ached so bad she feared it would never stop. She knew what she needed to do then.

      “I have to leave London briefly. I will be gone no longer than two weeks, possibly three. I have plenty of designs drawn and you are both capable of running everything until I return.”

      “What!” Hannah and Alex looked up at her as she moved away from them.

      “Will’s next shipment will have arrived by then and we will be even busier. I must do this,” she said, pulling on her gloves. Bella has to return to Twoaks and needs someone to accompany her and that someone, unfortunately, is me.” It was a lie, of course, and she wasn’t proud of herself for using her little sister’s name, but it had to be done; she needed to escape, if only for a while.

      “If you must,” Hannah said, looking doubtful.
 

      “I was going to tell you when I first arrived but I forgot in the excitement.” Grabbing her reticule, Phoebe hurried to kiss her partners.
 

      “I will be in Twoaks if you need to contact me, but I know you will cope admirably.” Reaching the door, she turned one last time. “Promise me you will make peace with Finn, Alex. He needs you.”

      “You love my brother, Phoebe, and he loves you.”

      She laughed at Alex’s words, but it came out like a high-pitched trill.

“Don’t be silly. Now I must leave.” Picking up her skirts, she ran down the steps. He was not in the alley so she hurried along it, and from there she made her way down Plimley Lane. Women were walking up and down; some waved to her and Phoebe hoped she smiled and waved back. In all honesty, she had no idea what she did, as her mind was filled with the vision of Finn looking stricken.

      
You could have told me.
 

      
She should have insisted Alex tell him. He had a right to know, especially after he believed Alex was gambling.
 

Hailing a hackney, she gave directions to Will’s townhouse and hurried inside. Pressing both fists to her eyes, she then let the first tears fall.
 

She’d never seen him like that before, almost as if he was in a trance. They had hurt him badly and now she was hurting, too. It was all such a mess. How could she love a man who believed her so lacking? Phoebe let the tears fall and then twenty minutes later when she walked into Will’s office, she was once again composed.
 

      “Well are you a success?”

      “I am. There were carriages lined up and down the street when I arrived. We have orders that will take weeks to fill. Madame Alexander’s is a success.
 

      “Oh, Phoebe.” Livvy, who had just entered the room, rushed to give her a hug.

      “However, I need to tell you both something before Lord Levermarch does.”

      Phoebe had thought this over and believed honesty was the best way to move forward from here. She just had to keep her emotions hidden and stay calm.

      “What has Finn to do with this?”
      “Alex is the silent business partner in Madame Alexander’s and Finn has found out about this.”

      Stay calm, she counseled herself. Just mentioning his name hurt. Like there was a large block of wood in her chest where once there had been her heart.
 

      Will rocked back in his chair, groaning.

      “Was he very angry?” Livvy looked worried.

      “Angry, yes, but more hurt.”

      “Good on Alex. It’s a brilliant move on his part.”

      Phoebe looked at her brother-in-law and wondered why all men were not cut from the same cloth as he. She was sure there were things about him that drove Livvy to the point of madness; however, there was so much to like, too.
 

      Taking a breath, she tried to steady her heartbeat. Now for the hardest part of her performance.

      “I want to return to Twoaks for a few weeks if that would be alright with everyone.”

      Livvy moved to Will’s side and they both looked at Phoebe.

      “Why?”

      “I-I want to see Freddy and Jenny and I just feel in need of a break from London.”

      “Now?
 
In the middle of the season and just as your business is about to take off?”

      Will gave her that steady look she knew so well and she crumpled. Falling into the chair before his desk, she lowered her head onto it and cried. She felt one large hand cup her head and then her sisters rubbing her shoulders. When she had finally eased to pathetic sniffles, she lifted her head.
 

      “Pl-please let me go home.”

      “Will you tell us why?”

      Phoebe shook her head. She would not be responsible for harming Finn and Will’s friendship. “My reasons are my own, and before you threaten to pummel someone, know that I will not tell them to you.”

      “Has anyone hurt you?”
      
Someone broke my heart!
she wanted to cry but instead she shook her head.

      “Please just let me go.” The plea in her words reached them.
 

      “It’s my belief that there is a viscount involved here; however, I know you will not tell me. If you want to leave, I will not stop you. However, you will take Luke and Moses and two maids. You will spend one night at the home of Lord and Lady Lucas, and then on the second day you should reach Twoaks. I shall send a note to them stating you will arrive tomorrow.”

      Phoebe nodded but said nothing further. She was so tired and wanted only the quiet that her room offered.

      “The return trip will be in two weeks from this day and I will inform Lord and Lady Lucas to expect you then also.”

      “Oh but—”

      “You have a business and responsibilities now, Phoebe. Two weeks is long enough to be gone.”

      “Of course. Yes, you are right.”

      It had all seemed so simple, Phoebe thought the following morning as Will’s carriage carried her out of London. So easy to run away from Finn and his anger. She wasn’t a coward; she just needed time to collect herself because she knew now that she loved him deeply, with everything that she had at her disposal. She also knew that she would always love him. However, this time away from him would make her stronger, build her defenses so that when she returned she could face him one more, perhaps even dance at his wedding.
 

      “Are you alright, Miss Langley?”

      Phoebe nodded to Sally and wiped the tears aside with her hand. She would weep for him and then she would stop. When she returned to London, she would once again be the outspoken Phoebe Langley. No one would know that inside she was broken.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Finn locked himself in his office and drank steadily all day and night. He woke the following morning face first on the carpet in front of the now cold fire. Lifting his head, he looked at the two bottles beside him and groaned. Rolling onto his back, he looked up at the ceiling and wondered if was going to live or if the small orchestra tuning their instruments inside his head would see him into his grave.

      “Finn!”

      Wincing as Alex’s roar reached him through the wood paneling, he rolled onto his side and took a deep breath. Then making it to all fours, he pushed himself up to his feet.

      “Mother of God,” he moaned as his skull tightened. Waiting until he felt steady, he made his way across the room. He saw his coat and necktie, his boots and several books lying spine up which made him flinch.

      “Bloody hell, Finn, open this door!” This time it was Ben’s voice.

      “Shut up,” Finn whispered, which of course no one heard, but he could speak no louder as it hurt too much. Stumbling to the door, he unlocked it and stepped back as his brothers came barreling in.