lock of her fallen hair behind her ear. “It’s of little consequence now, what is of consequence is: you were correct. You’ve been—and will always be—the only one I’ve taken to bed.” He leaned her back until her back hit the counterpane. “Being intimate with you is the most pleasurable thing imaginable. You—” he kissed her lips— “are the most perfect lover.”
And then, without another word, he proceeded to prove his words.
27
To Simon’s way of thinking, everything was going perfectly and absolutely nothing could spoil it.
Including a set of parents wearing serious expressions and asking to talk to him.
No, not even whatever they had to say could ruin his good humor.
After he’d made love to Rae, he’d gone downstairs to gather a few things from the library and had almost made a clean escape and retreated back to his room where his naked wife was sleeping softly between his sheets.
Unfortunately, his parents had discovered him just as his bare foot made contact with the first wooden stair.
“Can we talk to you a minute, son?” Though Father worded it as a question, Simon knew his voice well enough to know it was anything but.
“It’s about Giles,” Mother added softly.
Simon stared at her. Was there truly anything more for him to know about Giles? “Yes?”
“Can we sit in the drawing room?” she asked, gesturing to the open door
Obediently, he followed his mother and father into the drawing room. This chat had the potential to take longer than he’d like or they wouldn’t have suggested they all go sit in the drawing room. He set down the stack of books he’d collected from the library on a nearby table and then took a seat. “Yes?”
His parents exchanged a look, both fidgeting in their chairs.
“Is this about his parentage?” Simon asked, slightly surprised at how smoothly that had rolled off of his tongue.
“H-how did you…” Mother coughed. “Whatever do you mean?” The feigned shock in her voice almost made him laugh. Almost.
“I do have eyes,” he said.
“You’ll be respectful to your mother,” Father reminded him.
“My apologies,” Simon murmured. He ran his hand over his chin. He hadn’t shaved in about two days and it was starting to make him feel itchy. “What was it you wanted to tell me, Mother?”
Mother’s petite hands gripped the armrests of her chair. “I-I don’t know.” She looked at Father. “I suppose that depends on what you think you already know.”
“That Giles looks like a younger version of Father and a slightly older version of me,” Simon said without hesitation.
Mother paled, which made his chest ache as that wasn’t his intent.
Simon sighed. “Father?”
Father reached out and patted Mother’s hand. “You’re correct. I loved your mother from the moment we met.” A wistful smile came over his face then a moment later it was gone. “But she was married by proxy to Lord Norcourt. I tried in vain to steal her away—after all, they were only married on paper, the two had never so much as clapped eyes on each other.” He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “It was not meant to be.”
“And?” Simon prompted when it was clear neither Father nor Mother were on the verge of telling the remainder of the story.
Mother looked down at where she was using the toe of her slipper to trace the pattern of the wood on the floor. “We…er…”
“We spent some time together before his return,” Father said. “Alone.”
Simon nodded. He had already assumed as much. “And Lord Norcourt? Did he know?”
Mother and Father exchanged a look. “I’m not certain.” Tears filled Mother’s voice. “If you think that’s why Giles was sent to Ireland, the answer is no.”
Father opened his mouth, likely with the intent to offer a better explanation, but Mother stopped him with a single shake of her head.
“Giles was sent away because he was…” She wiped her hands down the front of her skirt— “simple.” Mother took a deep breath. “The old baron was advanced in years and he’d have accepted Giles as his heir, had he no other choice. But, he desperately wanted another.” She clicked her fingernails. “The older Giles got, the more infuriated Lord Norcourt became that Giles was his heir and did nothing to disguise his disdain. When I could bear his treatment of Giles no longer, I prevailed upon your father…” She swiped at the tears coursing down her cheeks. “I had no idea that my actions would result in Giles being sent away.” She wiped away a few more tears. “Not long