Page 63 of Miss Vincent’s Vow

“Well, I’ll say this for you, sister. You’ve got yourself a fine house here, with a superb view of the sea. Not a bad-looking building, and a corner plot, too. Wasn’t even built when I was last in Weymouth.”

She was glad he approved of something about Jethro, even if it was only his house.

He patted the trunk sitting in the hall. “I see the carrier beat us here. Be a darling and have your man take it up to my room. I have a desperate need for fresh clothes and a drink. A tankard or two of ale would be welcome—unless that husband of yours has a bottle of burgundy in his cellar, just begging to be opened.”

Cassandra pursed her lips. “Jethro must decide that, but as he’s not here, ale will have to suffice.”

Xander grunted. “Keeps a tight lock on his wine store, does he?”

She ignored the jibe and asked Young to take the trunk upstairs, following with her brother, so she could show him his bedchamber.

A brimming tankard was waiting for him when Xander joined Cassandra in the drawing room half an hour later.

He nodded his appreciation. “Nice room.”

“Nice? Is that the best you can do? I spent weeks redecorating it and replacing the furnishings.”

“So, Hunt has money to spend on such things, does he? Is that why you married him? Why didn’t you stay with Eugenia as we had planned?”

Was Xander serious? “You expected us to depend on Eugenia after the way she behaved toward you?”

“Why not? It’s only a temporary misunderstanding—one that I’m sure will soon be resolved. There was no need for Julia to take a post as a schoolmistress or for you to get married. Her situation can be remedied, but yours—”

Her heart sank. Xander didn’t know about Eugenia’s marriage. How was that possible? She had supposed the wretched woman would have had the decency to tell him of her approaching nuptials when she wrote to break off their engagement. Apparently not.

Hadn’t Cassandra mentioned the marriage when she’d written to inform him of their father’s death? No. She had been too consumed with grief and she’d left that task to Julia. After that, they had agreed not to refer to Eugenia again when they communicated with their brother, not wishing to keep stirring up Xander’s disappointment. Now, it appeared, he hadn’t received Julia’s letter telling him that all hope of a reconciliation was at an end.

Cassandra needed to break it to him. Straightaway. “Xander—”

He downed the tankard of ale, jumped up from his seat, and grabbed her by the hand. “Come on, Cassy. Let’s go for the walk I deprived you of earlier, and without your grumpy husband.”

She let him pull her to her feet. If he was going to talk like that, the less conversation they had inside the house, the better. She had no wish for a servant to overhear her brother talking in such a disrespectful way about Jethro.

Besides, it might be preferable if she delivered the news outdoors. She couldn’t imagine Xander taking it quietly.

Cassandra let her brother chatter away as they walked along the seafront together. She wanted to wait until they were past Gloucester Lodge, where the houses and people were fewer, before broaching the subject she dreaded.

“I still think you’d have been better off with Eugenia than rushing into marriage with someone you hardly knew.”

“Jethro is a man of excellent character, and I would ask you to show him some respect, seeing as he has welcomed you into his house.”

“But he’s a cold sort of fellow, isn’t he? I didn’t detect much warmth between you when he left. Not even a peck on the cheek for his wife?”

The heat rushed to Cassandra’s face. “Please, do not criticise my husband. I won’t listen. Jethro is a good man, and he stepped up to look after me when you weren’t here.”

“And I told you, your marriage was unnecessary. Why didn’t you go to Eugenia?”

“Because I never liked the woman, and after she jilted you, she was the very last person on earth I wanted to rely on.”

Xander dropped her arm abruptly. “Don’t talk about Eugenia like that. I’ll straighten things out with her.”

Cassandra shook her head in disbelief. “Didn’t she tell you?”

“Tell me what? I’ve not heard from her since she broke off our engagement. Not that it bothered me overly much. I figured it would be better to sort it out in person. I plan to call at her house later.”

“She won’t be there.”

“Then I’ll leave my card. Trust me, it will all be resolved soon.”