She tilted her head, clearly confused. “But I haven’t eaten yet…”
“I’ll swing ‘round and pinch something from the kitchens. Meet me out front in ten minutes.” He was already heading down the hallway when he turned on his heel and called back to her, “You look beautiful today.”
She smiled, and then he was out the door.
***
“What’s going on? Where are we going?” she asked between bites of toast.
Angelica sat bundled in his passenger seat with a napkin full of breakfast in her lap. She ate while he drove, but neither of them had any clue where they were headed. Brody wanted to drive until he reached the sea, and then keep going. But, damn, he needed a better plan than that.
His father was going to ruin everything. Brody had not considered that his family would oppose the marriage. He’d truly believed that Angelica would win them all over with her charm, cleverness, and sweet nature. That Father would be pleased she was so attractive, and that Mother would recognize good breeding. Angelica came from a respectable family, and while she hadn’t been spoiled like Mary Rose, there was no doubt that she’d been given the best of everything.
A man like Brody could not hope for a better wife.
He’d just have to make his father see the situation clearly. Marcus could have been more helpful. Father would have listened to the wiser, more responsible son. If blessed Marcus thought Angelica was a good catch, then the old man could be reasoned with. Instead, his brother had sat silent. God forbid Father cut off his allowance.
“Do I have to have a reason to take you away?” he asked, trying to be chipper. None of this was her fault, and he didn’t want her to even suspect something was wrong. “I thought we’d start our morning drive a little earlier, that’s all.”
“You’d tell me if—”
He reached over and put his arm around her shoulder, silencing her. “I’d tell you. There’ll be no secrets between us.”
She smiled, and leaned into his embrace. “You know, I woke up this morning certain that last night was a dream.”
“I’m sorry I had to sneak off while you were sleeping. I didn’t want either of us to be caught out.”
“Oh, I understand. Bessie might think herself worldly for dressing a fallen woman, but I’m sure she’d scream if she found us in bed together.”
Brody navigated a tight turn. “You like her, don’t you?”
“It’s nice to have someone my age to talk to. No offense, but your sister isn’t exactly good company.”
“Mary Rose has a lot of growing up to do,” he explained. “Wherever we end up, there will be ladies for you to make friends with. You can have them over for tea and spend all day gossiping.”
Angelica laughed. “I hope so.”
He slowed the car, finally working up the courage to ask something he’d been curious about for miles. “Did you really live all those years in your house without any money?”
“Yes. Mother took enough to buy a train ticket north, and the rest went to pay the servants’ wages. After that, I was on my own—well, besides the kindly old man who lived in the lodge. He’d bring me wood or coal, and other things I couldn’t get.”
“And he never told a soul about you? The world simply forgot about a blind girl in the manor house all alone?”
She bit off another piece of toast. “Out of sight, out of mind, I suppose.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
They were gone for two hours. When the Bentley finally turned onto the gravel drive, and pulled to a stop in front of the house, Marcus stood on the front steps waiting for them. Ignoring him, Brody walked around to help Angelica out of the car.
“We need to talk,” his brother said.
“Angelica is chilled. I don’t have time to talk.”
“Then take her upstairs and come back.”
Angelica might have wondered, but she never asked. Perhaps she thought whatever was wrong was an issue between the two brothers, and nothing to do with her. After seeing her safely to her room, Brody returned downstairs to meet Marcus on the steps.
“Now you have something to say,” he spat. “Where was your tongue earlier?”
“I’m sorry. I was mortified during breakfast. I couldn’t think of a way to make it any easier for you.”
Brody paced from one side of the steps to the other, hands jammed in his greatcoat pockets. It was a brisk morning, but he was sweating through his clothes. His blood was up, and this wasn’t helping. “I’ve got to make Father see that Angelica is a good match.”
“Father only cares about money, and you’ve been a drain on him for seven years…”
“Some of that wasn’t my fault!”
“I know,” Marcus said. “But you have to start thinking like Father—not a rational man.”
“You never told him about the ring?”
“No, that was none of my business.”
Brody’s eyes searched his brother’s. “But you’re not against it?”