be true, but you are in my home now,” he said. “If there is anything I can actually claim as mine, it is Hollingswood.”
“And your wife, apparently,” Byron said, finally taking a seat across from Edmund and steepling his fingers together.
“And my wife,” Edmund acquiesced, though the truth was he was actually in total agreement regarding Hannah. He didn’t, however, wish to talk about her any longer with his brother. “What are you doing here, Byron?”
Byron snorted. “That is quite the welcome.”
Edmund leaned forward in his seat. “You have only been through the doors of Hollingswood once before. Why now? Clearly you are after something.”
“Well, since I’m here, I did have a favor to ask,” Byron said, and Edmund looked up to the ceiling in supplication, though whether he was hoping God or his great-uncle could help, he had no idea.
“Which is…” he asked warily.
“Well, I know your pretty little bride came with a lovely dowry. I know because it was supposed to be mine,” Byron said, looking cross. “Since you stole my bride, I believe the least you could do is to provide me with a bit of a… gift, we shall call it, hmm?”
The ire began simmering deep within Edmund’s belly, before growing through his chest and then spreading out to his limbs. He set his jaw as he stared at his brother.
“Let me get this right,” he said, pointing a finger toward him. “You were betrothed to Hannah, but then you were caught with your pants around your ankles with another woman. When you were forced to marry and give up Hannah, I did what you couldn’t. Now you want to take advantage of the money that accompanied her into this marriage?”
Byron cocked his head, and smiled what Edmund was sure was supposed to be a charming smile.
“Just a bit of it,” Byron said with a shrug. “As it happens, Edmund, you two actually seem quite happy together. I could hardly believe what I was seeing, first outside and then at dinner. I thought for sure that you would be miserable. There is no question that I was certain she would be back to London already. Have you placed some kind of spell over her to hold her here?”
Edmund snorted. “It must be my good looks and charm.”
Byron eyed him with so much contempt that Edmund was taken aback.
“I was always jealous of you, you know.”
“Of me?” Edmund’s head reeled. His brother had never said such a thing before.
“You never had any of the expectations placed upon you that I did. And still, you were good looking, silent, but with this mysterious air about you that the women seemed to enjoy, though why, I shall never know. Then when you signed up, oh, you were a soldier on top of it all! Father was so proud of you. He would often lament the fact that I was the one who would inherit.”
Edmund could only stare at Byron in shock. “I never knew that.”
“No, he made sure you never did. Wouldn’t want to show too much pride in us, you know. He had no qualms in sharing his thoughts with me, however.”
Edmund rubbed his forehead. He pitied his brother, but he didn’t see how any of this was his fault.
“Look, Byron—”
“And then you came back from war.” Byron’s eyes took on a mysterious gleam. “You were a war hero, sure, but you were no longer a glorious, good-looking war hero. You were injured. Damaged. So scarred that people could hardly look upon you. And you hid away, here at Hollingswood, and suddenly I was favored again. I was betrothed to a woman with a dowry enough to pay off our family’s debts and fund my own lifestyle. All was finally going well for me. Then our parents insist you attend my betrothal party, and suddenly she’s yours, as is her dowry. To do what with? Update this decrepit estate?”
Edmund stared in disbelief. “You have no one to blame but yourself.” He rose, unable to stomach his brother’s inane accusations any longer. “Go home, Byron. You have a wedding of your own to prepare for, and there is no reason for you to extend your stay here.”
“So that’s it, then?” Byron stood himself and turned around. “You’re not going to help me?”
“There’s nothing I can do for you any longer,” Edmund said, shaking his head. “Not until you learn to help yourself. Go get married, settle down, have yourself a couple of children. Leave Hannah and me alone.”