this, any of it. You could have waited until I returned from my honeymoon. Instead, you rushed into a marriage in secret without waiting for my blessing. You have been reckless in the past, Callie, but this, marrying a man you scarcely know—being blackmailed into marrying him—and now claiming you are happy…”
“Sin was doing his best to protect his mother,” Callie said softly. “She is ill and in need of a caretaker. He is a good man, Benny. I was wrong about him, and I know that now.”
“I would not say I am good, sweet,” Sin said, giving her a look packed with so much intensity, it stole her breath.
But he was good. He was so much more than the sum of his reputation. So much more than she ever could have comprehended. And he was her husband, and she wasn’t just falling in love with him.
She was in love with him.
Heaven help her.
The realization left her feeling giddy and lightheaded all at once, as if she would faint. How could she have fallen in love with him so quickly? So effortlessly?
And more importantly, what would she do about it now? Sin was hardly ready to accept her love or to trust her. The scars of his past had not yet healed, and she did not know if they ever would. What if he would never love her in return? What if their marriage was doomed to be one of convenience, and after he had his heir and spare, he would carry on with his life of excess and wickedness, without her in it?
“Bloody hell,” grumbled Benny, “none of this makes sense. Not one whit. The least you can do is allow my duchess and I a moment alone with Callie, Sinclair. I would like to speak with her in private.”
Callie expected her husband to object, but Sin inclined his head. “As you wish. Join us for dinner tonight as well, if you like. There will be no harm in two more place settings.”
Benny’s mouth was set in a harsh, unforgiving line. “Thank you for the invitation, Sinclair. However, only having just returned from our travels, we are tired. Nor would we wish to overstay our welcome.”
“The choice is yours, Westmorland.” Sin shrugged indolently, as if he did not have a care in the world. “I will leave the three of you to your familial tête-à-tête.”
With a perfunctory bow, he turned and sauntered from the study.
The moment the door closed at his back, Benny descended upon her.
“What the devil were you thinking, marrying a man like the Earl of Sinclair?” her brother asked, his voice vibrating with his fury.
“My love.” Isabella once more laid a staying hand on Benny’s arm. “You must not be so angry with Callie. She has done nothing wrong.”
“My wonderful wife is your champion, of course, because she has the patience of a saint,” Benny said, still frowning ferociously at Callie.
“Of course she does,” Callie could not resist teasing him. “She is married to you, after all, dearest brother.”
“And now you are married as well.” Benny pinched the bridge of his nose, as if he were attempting to stave off a dreadful case of the megrims. “Forgive me, Callie. I do not mean to shout, but surely you can appreciate my shock at returning after being gone a mere month to find you married. And not just to anyone, but to the Earl of Sinclair. My God, do you have any idea what sort of reputation the man has?”
Grim uncertainty stole over her, making her stomach churn. “Of course I know about his reputation. I helped to create it, if you will recall from my earlier admission.”
“I knew I should have been firmer with you.” Benny raked a hand through his golden hair. “You have been through so much, losing Lord Simon, then Alfred. I never should have allowed you to go to Paris with Aunt Fanchette. And I never should have left before she had arrived. By God, I hold her partially responsible for this farce.”
Callie bristled at her brother’s assertion that he ought to have been firmer with her. “Benny, I am my own woman. If you had been firmer with me, I would have thrown more surprise balls.”
Her joke was weak, a reference to his frustration with the many entertainments she had planned without his knowledge in the last year.
Benny did not find humor in it, but her sister-in-law smiled.
“I admire your daring, Callie. I always have.” Isabella’s smile turned sad. “Are you