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who knows even less about it than I do.
Poppy, Harry said, his gaze fastened on Leo as if he were contemplating murder. You and Cat need to
leave the room.
Why must I leave when I m the subject of discussion? Catherine demanded. I m not a child.
Come, Catherine, Poppy said quietly, heading to the door. Let them bluster and brawl in their manly
fashion. You and I will go somewhere to discuss your future sensibly.
This struck Catherine as an excellent idea. She followed Poppy from the room, while Harry and Leo
continued to glare at each other.
I m going to marry her, Leo said.
Harry s face went blank. You despise each other.
We ve come to an understanding.
Has she accepted you?
Not yet. She wants to discuss it with you first.
Thank God. Because I ll tell her that it s the worst idea I ve ever heard.
Leo arched a brow. You doubt I could protect her?
I doubt you could keep from murdering each other! I doubt she could ever be happy in such volatile
circumstances. I doubt & no, I won t bother listing all my concerns, it would take too bloody long.
Harry s eyes were ice-cold. The answer is no, Ramsay. I ll do what is necessary to take care of Cat. You
can return to Hampshire.
I m afraid it won t be that easy to get rid of me, Leo said. Perhaps you didn t notice that I haven t
asked for your permission. There is no choice. Certain things have happened that can t be undone. Do
you understand?
He saw from Harry s expression that only a few fragile constraints stood between him and certain death.
You seduced her deliberately, Harry managed to say.
Would you be happier if I claimed it was an accident?
The only thing that would make me happy is to weight you with rocks and toss you into the Thames.
I understand. I even sympathize. I can t imagine what it would be like to face a man who s
compromised your sister, how difficult it would be to keep from murdering him on the spot. Oh, but
wait& Leo tapped a forefinger thoughtfully on his chin. I can imagine. Because I went through it two
bloody months ago.
Harry s eyes narrowed. That wasn t the same. Your sister was still a virgin when I married her.
Leo gave him an unrepentant glance. When I compromise a woman, I do it properly.
That does it, Harry muttered, leaping for his throat.
They crashed to the floor, rolling and grappling. Although Harry managed to slam Leo s head on the
floor, the thick carpet absorbed most of the impact. Harry sought a chokehold, but Leo ducked his chin
and wrenched free. They rolled twice, exchanging blows, aiming for the throat, the kidneys, the solar
plexus, in the kind of fight that usually took place in East End slum alleys.
You won t win this one, Rutledge, Leo panted as they broke apart and lurched to their feet. I m not
one of your prick-me-dainty fencing partners. He dodged a hard right and took a jab of his own. I ve
fought my way in and out of every gaming hell and tavern in London He faked a jab with his left and
followed with a swift right hook, making a satisfying impact with Harry s jaw. And aside from all that, I
live with Merripen, who has a left uppercut like a kick from a mule
Do you ever stop talking? Harry threw a counterpunch and stepped back before Leo could retaliate.
It s called communication. You ought to try it sometime. Exasperated, Leo dropped his guard and
stood there undefended. Especially with your sister. Have you ever bothered to listen to her? Damn it,
man, she came to London hoping for some kind of brotherly counsel or consolation, and the first thing
you do is send her from the room.
Harry s fists lowered. He pinned Leo with a damning glare, but when he spoke, his voice was heavy with
self-condemnation. I ve failed her for years. Do you think I m unaware of all that I could have done for
her but didn t? I ll do anything possible to atone. But damn you, Ramsay & the last thing she needed in
this situation was for her innocence to be taken when she couldn t defend herself.
It s exactly what she needed.
Harry shook his head in disbelief. Damn you. He scrubbed a hand through his black hair, and gave a
peculiar strangled laugh. I hate arguing with a Hathaway. You all say something lunatic as if it s
perfectly logical. Is it too early for brandy?
Not at all. I m feeling far too sober for this conversation.
Harry went to a sideboard and pulled out two glasses. While I pour, he said, you can explain why
being deflowered by you was so bloody beneficial to my sister.
Shrugging out of his coat, Leo draped it over the back of his chair and sat. Marks has been isolated and
alone for much too long
She hasn t been alone, she s been living with the Hathaways.
Even so, she s stayed at the edges of the family with her nose pressed against the window, like some
Dickensian orphan. A false name, drab clothes, dyed hair & she s concealed her identity for so long that
she hardly knows who she is. But the real Catherine emerges when she s with me. We ve gotten
beneath each other s guards. We speak the same language, if you take my meaning. Leo paused,
staring into the glowing swirl of his brandy. Marks is a contradictory woman, and yet the more I know
her, the more the contradictions make sense. She s spent too long in the shadows. No matter how she
tries to convince herself otherwise, she wants to belong somewhere, with someone. And yes, she wants
a man in her bed. Me in particular. Taking the brandy that Harry handed to him, Leo tossed back a
swallow. She ll thrive with me. Not because I m a stellar example of virtuous manhood, nor have I ever
claimed to be. But I m right for her. I m not cowed by her sharp tongue, and she can t outmaneuver me.
And she knows it.
Harry sat nearby and drank his own brandy. He watched Leo pensively, on one level trying to assess his
sincerity, on another judging his veracity. What would you get from this arrangement? he asked
quietly. As I understand, you need to marry and sire a child rather soon. If Cat doesn t succeeded in
bearing a son, the Hathaways will lose Ramsay House.
We ve survived many things far worse than losing a bloody house. I ll marry Marks and take the risk.
Perhaps you re testing the waters, Harry said, his face expressionless. Trying to determine if she s
fertile before you marry her.
Instantly offended, Leo forced himself to remember that he was dealing with the legitimate concern of a
brother for a sister. I don t give a damn if she s fertile or not, he said evenly. If it will settle your
concerns, we ll wait however long it will take to make the copyhold clause irrelevant. I want her
regardless.
And what about what Cat wants?
That s up to her. As for dealing with Latimer I ve already made him aware that I have leverage against
him. I ll use it if he starts to make trouble. But the best protection I can offer her is my name. Finishing
his brandy, Leo set the empty snifter aside. What do you know of this grandmother and aunt?
The old crone died not long ago. The aunt, Althea Hutchins, runs the place now. I sent my assistant
Valentine to take inventory of the situation, and he returned looking somewhat sickened. Apparently in
a bid to revive business, Mrs. Hutchins turned it into a whipping brothel, where any number of
depravities are catered to. The unfortunate women who work there are usually too well worn to be
employed at other brothels. Harry finished his brandy. It seems the aunt is ailing, most likely from
some untreated bawdy-house disease.
Leo looked at him alertly. Have you told Marks?
No, she s never asked. I don t believe she wants to know.
She s afraid, Leo said quietly.
Of what?
Of what nearly became of her. Of things Althea said to her.
Such as?
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