Page 78 of The Haunted Duke

“A new business prospect,” he finally decided to say. “There is a partner that we simply must speak to in person. I promise you, though, I shall extend our honeymoon for each day I am gone.”

Helena’s smile appeared a little more genuine as she finally glanced up at him.

“That would be lovely,” she replied.

“My love, is something the matter?” Evander could not help but ask. “You look… upset.”

“Do you think there is something I should be upset about?”

Evander’s eyes narrowed as he studied her, wondering what could have changed her disposition so quickly. Then his eyes widened as he got down on his knees before her, apprehension moving down his spine.

“I was too rough earlier, wasn’t I?” he asked, gathering her hands from her lap. “Oh, love, did I hurt you? I know what we had planned for this evening, but perhaps I should draw you a bath and I could—”

“It is not that,” Helena quietly cut him off, her smaller hands clenching around his own. “It is about the letters. I know everything,” she went on, pinching the tip of the middle finger of his gloved hand.

Evander went still, unable to move as she slowly pulled the glove off and tossed it to the floor.

She knows? Have Adrian and Damien already spilled everything to their wives? No, that could not have happened so fast. Then how?

“You…” he rasped. “You found them?”

She nodded as she moved to his other hand and pulled that glove off in a similar fashion.

“Why did you not tell me?” she asked, lacing her fingers through his.

Evander shook his head, not sure what to say.

“You have been through so much. I did not want to add any more strain. I just… I just wanted to provide you with the comfortable life you deserve,” he began to ramble.

Her delicate brows creased as she tilted her head to the side, her green eyes shining with curiosity.

“Why would such a thing cause me strain?” she asked. “Do you have any idea how quickly I would have turned down Jeremy’s proposal if you had told me? It could have made everything so much easier.”

Confusion bloomed in Evander’s mind.

“You… You would have been happy?” he asked carefully.

Helena shook her head, looking at him as if he were ridiculous.

“Of course I would have been! You have no idea how often I thought of your letters! How long I yearned to know who you were, where you were, why you did not show up that day! I thought I had been in love with a man who never existed.”

Realization dawned on Evander then, and he could not help but expel a deep sigh of relief. She had not found the threats, he now understood. She had found the letters she had sent him long ago. He drew her hands to his lips and rained kisses down on her knuckles. It was not how he wanted her to find out, but at least it was out in the open now.

“I almost told you just yesterday,” he confessed. “Right before Alex threw that mud at me.”

“Tell me now,” she urged, her green eyes full of love and patience. “Why keep such a thing from me? Why did you never show up?”

Evander nodded, knowing it was time. He kissed her knuckles one last time, then stood up, helping her rise along with him.

“I want you to know that I did not abandon you on purpose,” he said, leading her to their bed. “I had been hesitant to show you who I was at first, yes, but when we decided to meet, I knew I was ready to reveal myself.”

He sat her down on the edge of the bed and walked to his wardrobe.

“The night before we were to meet, I had every intention of coming to you,” he began, his back still turned to her. “I had already purchased the necklace. I had flowers sent ahead of me. I meant to do this properly, as a gentleman ought, before joining Adrian and Damien for the evening. But I was delayed. I argued with several men that day over matters that seem laughably small to me now, and by the time I was finally free of them, the hour had grown late.”

He drew in a slow breath, his hand resting against the wardrobe.

“I never made it to your door. On my way, I was set upon by several men. I want you to know that I fought them. I did not go easily.” His jaw tightened, some old fury surfacing briefly before he mastered it again. “But there were too many of them, and they had planned for it well. I was taken aboard a ship before I fully understood what was happening to me.”