The Skilled Seduction (21 page)

“What in bloody hell has happened to this conversation?” Tristan gaped at his brother, attempting to understand Colin’s logic.

“I want you to be happy, but not at Victoria’s expense.”

Tristan tensed in an attempt to suppress the rage twisting like a vine through his veins. He had hoped that his brother would help him but Colin had disappointed him once again.

“Tori deserves better than to begin a marriage like this,” Colin continued.

Though Tristan silently agreed with his brother, the knowledge failed to calm him. Instead, desperation gripped his chest. He couldn’t lose her.
 

He wouldn’t.

“Must I remind you what I endured at the hands of our father, or at least the man you considered to be your father at the time?” Tristan was determined to make his brother see reason. “Without so much as a warning, you abandoned me and Gwen, leaving me to protect our sister from a diabolical monster, to sacrifice everything for Gwen’s safety and happiness.”
 

What he endured by the hands of his father for the sake of Gwen …

Tristan shook his head, willing himself to banish such memories. No good ever came from reminiscing yet Tristan knew he had to confront his brother. “I have never asked you for anything, Colin. Not once. Instead I endured the pain in silence. Until tonight, because I need Victoria to marry me, because I don’t think I can survive a single day without her and I am willing to do anything, including groveling in front of a brother that cared not a damn about the abuse I suffered under the hands of the man who raised you let alone how much I require his help now.”

“God, Tristan, why can’t you let Lachlan go? He’s haunting you from beyond the grave, abusing you in the form of your anger, fear and inability to admit the love that you so clearly feel for Victoria.”

Genuine concern was etched in deep lines around Colin’s eyes and across his forehead.

“Talk to me,” Colin begged. “Talk to someone. You can’t keep whatever else is buried inside forever. Secrets have a way of torturing you until they are revealed. Trust me, I speak from experience. The more you try to hide them, the more intent they become on revealing themselves. It is a losing battle.”

Tristan squeezed his glass tight, until he thought it might shatter. Some secrets were meant to be concealed. He would make certain his remained unearthed.

As for the situation at hand, Tristan now realized that he was on his own and that he must resort to any lengths necessary to get what he wanted. He stood, dismissing his brother with an offhanded, “Thanks for the chat, Colin,” before striding out of the room and down the corridor, his boots pounding against the marble floor, his resolve strengthening with every step.

He would take Victoria away from here, to a place where she would see reason. Yes, that’s what he’d do.
 

He tried playing nice, to no avail.

Now it was time to play for keeps.

Chapter 9

Tori sat with Molly, her rambunctious collie, on the chaise next to the window with an open book on her lap. She had been attempting to read the same page for the past twenty minutes, failing to focus on the fictional story as she was far too enthralled with her brother and his wife.

Gwen, who was regaining her strength with every waking hour, lay on a sofa near the fire, nestled against an abundance of fluffy pillows and layers of heavy blankets.

“Stop fussing, I’m fine,” a trace of laughter was hidden in her voice.

Sebastian fluffed another pillow. “Yes, you are and I intend to keep you that way.”

“Tori, please assist me,” Gwen pleaded. “Your brother is driving me insane.”

Smiling, Tori continued to gently pet her sleeping collie’s soft fur. “I would never interfere with my brother’s mission.”

“Mission?” Gwen and Sebastian asked in unison.

“Yes, he wants you to hibernate for the winter.”

Sebastian tossed the pillow he’d just been fluffing at his sister, which she caught right before it hit her in the chest. Gwen’s whimsical laughter rang through the air.

“Pardon!” Tori admonished before glancing at Molly, whose sleepy expression conveyed that she had been awakened by the incoming object.

Victoria scratched the sweet canine behind her ears, “It’s all right, Molly. My big, bad brother won’t dare awaken you again.”

Molly yawned then placed her chin atop her paws with an audible sigh, eyes closed, again attempting slumber when another pillow hit Tori in the head.

Turning towards her brother, Tori shot him a warning glare. “You do realize that the more you throw at me, the more ammunition I have for my retaliation?”

“My sister has a strategy,” Sebastian said as he crossed the room. When he reached Victoria, he bent down and kissed her forehead.
   

The gesture, so kind and so … Sebastian was almost too much for her to endure. Tori blinked back the tears that stung the backs of her eyes. Like most times in her life, Sebastian knew she was upset.

“Don’t cry, my darling,” he said, brushing a stray tear from her cheek. “Gwen is recuperating. Everything is as it should be.”

Oh, how she wished it to be true. But Victoria had gotten herself into an ugly mess and worst of all, she couldn’t tell either of her closest confidants – Sebastian and Gwen.

“I’m fine,” she lied, “just a little emotional. I apologize.”

She was sorry for so much. For disgracing herself in her beloved brother’s home and for the mess she’d made of her life.

“Please forgive me for sending you away the night Gwen was ill,” Sebastian placed his hand on her back. “I know you haven’t been the same since and I am truly sorry, Tori. I never meant to alienate you.”

Her brother was apologizing to her?
 

No, this Victoria could not abide.

“You owe me no apologies,” she patted his arm. “You have been nothing but wonderful to me and I don’t deserve you, Sebastian.”

“What is wrong then?” he asked, his strong features awash with concern. “You know you can confide in me, Tori.”

But she couldn’t. Not yet. Not until she knew if she required the funds her mother had Sebastian set aside for her.

This marked the second time in her life that she had kept something crucial from Sebastian. The first time had been at her mother’s insistence.
 

Mama.
 

Victoria missed her always, though never more so than at this very moment.

Victoria blinked back more tears, realizing she owed her brother an answer. “There’s nothing to discuss.”

Sebastian studied her, disbelief reflected in his gentle gaze.

“I’ve been thinking of Mama a great deal of late, but I am fine. I promise.” How many times had she concealed the truth since her night with Tristan? Victoria had committed a horrid sin that night – why not add a few lies and half-truths for good measure?

No longer able to withstand her brother’s intense scrutiny, Victoria lifted her canine friend’s head and rose to her feet. “Let’s leave these two alone, Molly,” she said, motioning for her to follow. The shaggy dog yawned before jumping onto the floor.

“Please stay, Victoria,” Gwen said as she shot Sebastian a troubled glance.

Tori smiled, feigning a happiness she no longer felt. “Please, don’t be worried about me.”

Based upon the expressions on their faces, neither Sebastian nor Gwen was convinced. Tori then tried a different approach, “Have I ever given you cause for concern?”

“No, you haven’t,” Sebastian said with an air of pride.

Her brother’s staunch belief in her made her present fall from grace even more deplorable. Victoria knew better. Or at least she should have, if she’d been less selfish and at least once considered the consequences of her actions and the effect such a scandal would wreak upon her family.

Tori realized that her brother and sister-in-law were still studying her. “Gwen’s recovery is imperative. Please don’t worry about me,” she glanced from her brother to Gwen. “We have so much to be thankful for. Let us concentrate on that.”

She turned and exited the morning room with one goal in mind, to retreat to her bedchamber. Molly knew the route, as she’d taken it with Tori several times in the past couple of days. During each instance, the canine with the adoring, round eyes offered her support by either nuzzling Victoria’s hand or sitting beside her.

Her plan was derailed when Colin called her name, his low baritone stopping Victoria in her tracks.

“I didn’t expect to see you today.” Though she took great pains to appear jovial, her voice sounded strained even to her own ears.

Colin walked towards her, his stride determined. “I need to speak with you privately.”

Sensing trouble, she bridged the distance between them. “What has happened?”

“I know, Tori,” Colin whispered once he had reached her.

“Know what?” she asked.
 

Her half-brother’s serious expression conveyed that he knew of her intimacy with Tristan. The realization caused her chest to tighten until she flinched in pain.

Shaken, she leaned against him for support. “How?”
 

“Tristan confided in me.”

The realization that Tristan had betrayed her caused Victoria’s body to sway in response.
 

What if he tells Sebastian? Or Gwen?

“Oh, my God.” Victoria placed her hand over her mouth.

A wave of nausea washed over her. She never expected Tristan to tell anyone, thought his threat to do so was empty.

“Come, let’s sit somewhere,” Colin’s usually smooth timbre was rough with concern. He led her to the conservatory then shut the door behind them as Molly settled in front of the warm fire ablaze in the grate. “Are you all right?” Colin asked as Tori sat on a velvet settee, a chill settling over her. Odd since the fire was raging, cinders crackling.

Colin knelt on the antique rug in front of her. “You are genuinely frightening me, Victoria. Please talk to me. I’m here to help.”

“Help?” she repeated. With the knowledge that Colin now knew she was a wanton, Victoria couldn’t face him. Instead, she chose to stare at the gilded leg of a music cabinet to her right. “I thought I could handle this on my own. I told Tristan I wouldn’t marry him, that I would have your protection, yours and Sebastian’s, if needed yet he still told you everything. I think my situation is far beyond your help, Colin.”

Victoria covered her eyes with her hands. “Dear God in heaven, Tristan could be telling Sebastian right now.” She started to shake at the mere thought.
 

Would Sebastian ever forgive her?

“I can assure you that he is not. I suspect that is why Tristan approached me – in the hopes that I would broker a union so that neither of you would ever have to admit the truth to Sebastian. I believe he is trying to protect you in that regard.”

Victoria found slight comfort in Colin’s statement. So much so, that she managed to recline back against the settee, meeting her half-brother’s fixed gaze at last.

Colin muttered something inaudible under his breath. Victoria sensed that he blamed Tristan for what transpired. Such an act of loyalty should have made Victoria feel better. To the contrary, it made her feel even more selfish. By hiding, she was acting like a foolish child. Tori must never forget that she had done this to herself.
 

It was time she took responsibility for her actions.
 

“Tristan and I are both equally culpable,” she paused, clearing her throat in an attempt to strengthen her shaky voice. “I pursued him and I should have known better.”

Guilt and shame overpowered her as she stood, wringing her hands while she paced a small portion of the room.

“Why did I ever think that he loved me or that I could convince him to do so?” Her anger towards herself was palpable. “Pursuing Tristan ranks as the most selfish, self-destructive thing I could have ever done. I have all but destroyed our family.”
 

Victoria didn’t know why she made such admissions to Colin. He was the brother she didn’t know existed until two years ago. Perhaps that made it easier for her to admit how flawed she really was?
 

Colin wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. “As you said, you are both culpable. And you needn’t marry him,” he squeezed her shoulders as if to emphasize his words. “You do have a choice. You were correct in your assertion. Sebastian and I will both protect you.”

She studied his pristine cornflower cravat. “Colin, I don’t believe you’re aware of the large sum of money my mother instructed Sebastian to place aside for me upon her death.”

It was as if her mother had predicted her daughter’s impending disgrace.
 

“It is enough to allow me to love comfortably on my own.” On her own or with her child – the rest remained unspoken.

“But I would need to tell Sebastian what I did, how I shamed him and his family.” Fear dug its sharp claws into her heart, ripping it to shreds. “Sebastian will be so disappointed in me. How can he ever forgive me for dishonoring him?”