Page 67 of A Countess Never Tells

At last, the earl nodded and sat back in his chair. “Ah, I see. It would need to be something so drastic she must refuse you of her own accord.”

“There you have it, my lord.”

“My lord.” A tall, slender footman came hurrying in. “The bottle I was sent to fetch.” He presented the bottle of cognac to Haxby, bowed and left.

Haxby pulled the cork, sniffed it, then grimaced, his lips curling. “It may be an inferior year, but that is not the issue, I fear.” He looked apologetically at Ash. “It’s been laced with laudanum.”

“Laudanum?” His fuzzy head, his vivid dreams in the night. His inability to recognize that Giselle was not Kitty. “How do you know that?”

“When my first wife was dying, the doctor prescribed laudanum in sugar water for her pain.” Haxby looked grim again. “I’ve never forgotten the sickening sweet smell of it.”

“But why would someone drug me?”

“Whoever did this—and I swear on the graves of my parents it was not me—wished you to be incapacitated so the whore could do her business without any protest from you.” Haxby shook his head. “Unfortunately, she was able to put on a show for Kitty, one I fear my sister will not soon forget.”

That was Ash’s greatest fear as well. “Can you or Judith beg her to come down, to allow me to explain what happened? Persuade her that it wasn’t my fault?”

Even as he said the words, he knew without a doubt Kitty could only ever blame him.

“But if it wasn’t me who set this nefarious plan in motion, who was it?”

“You know there is only one other person who wishes me this much harm.” Ash had been so focused on Haxby’s reasons for ruining the marriage, he’d neglected to consider who else would wish his life exploded, which it still might be if he couldn’t persuade Kitty he wasn’t to blame.

If she’d come upon him and Giselle, as the woman described it, in flagrante delicto, Kitty might not be able to forgive him or believe him innocent ever again.

Chapter 29

With growing reluctance, Kitty crept down the main staircase, her gaze darting around for the servants. She didn’t want anyone to see her swollen eyes and tear-stained cheeks. Even Jolly’s best remedies hadn’t helped repair the ravages of her constant crying ever since—

She couldn’t think about that horrible, devastating moment, seeing Ash in bed with that…that awful woman. If she did, she’d burst out crying again, and likely her eyes, which already felt like boiled onions, would simply explode. The house was silent, so she continued down the stairs. Why John had insisted she meet with him in his study, she had no idea. Perhaps he was going to gloat over her, pointing out that he had been correct about Ash’s bad behavior, and she’d been wrong. How could she have been such a ninny? A tear cascaded down her cheek.

Why had Ash been so cruel to her? If he’d decided he didn’t wish to marry her, why not simply tell her so? Why make her witness his infidelity in such a horrid way? She would never recover from his perfidy. Never in this lifetime.

Wiping her eyes with the soggy handkerchief she now carried constantly, Kitty knocked on the door of John’s study. It opened, and she went in, head hanging. “You wanted to see me, John?”

“Yes, Kitty. Have a seat.”

Hugging her arms around her body, the slim comfort she was afforded now, she shuffled to the big club chair and sat. “I suppose you’ve brought me here to lord it over me. To crow over the fact you were right and I was wrong about A…Ash.” It was painful just to say his name.

“No, my dear. It’s not that at all.” The kindness in his voice brought her head up, and she gasped. Standing behind John was Ash.

“How could you?” Kitty bounded up, tears flowing freely down her face. Her own brother had betrayed her. And she’d thought her life could get no more miserable. She reached the door and tried to pull it open, but John clamped his hands over hers.

“Wait, Kitty. You need to hear Ashwood out.”

“I don’t want to hear his voice ever again for as long as I live.” She pulled at the door, even though she knew it was useless.

“Let her go, Haxby.” She flinched at the sound of his voice, as though it had been a blow. “The engagement has ended, as Baltimore intended. And I am paid back handily for angering the baron last year.”

Kitty whirled around. “What do you mean ‘Baltimore intended?’ What does he have to do with your abhorrent behavior last night?” Her hand went to her mouth at the sight of Ash, his face sober, his eyes downcast. All the pain of last night’s betrayal surged through her, making her feel physically ill. “You are the one who wrote to me to come and witness your depravity with that…that…woman who asked me—” She glanced at John then at Ash then burst into tears, crying so hard she began to retch.

“Come, my dear, sit down.”

Hands over her face, Kitty couldn’t help but wail at the thought of Ash’s callous behavior. As though he cared nothing for her. He couldn’t care for her if he’d wanted her to witness such a thing.

There was a clink of glasses then John was beside her again. “Here.” He thrust a glass into her hand. “Drink that before you make yourself ill. It will steady you.”

The reek of strong spirits assailed her nose, but Kitty was past caring what happened to her. She put the glass to her lips and tossed the libation down. And choked as the strong brandy hit the back of her throat, burning like a flame all the way down into her stomach. Coughing, she managed to glare at John. “Now you’re trying to kill me.”