Page 97 of An Unexpected Earl

Twenty-seven

Amelia said nothing as Pearce led her inside the Armory, silently letting herself take it all in, this place that had become a second home to him and to his former brothers-in-arms. He’d described the building when he’d taken her home after leaving the tunnel, explained what the men of the Armory’s plans were, waited for her to bathe herself and dress, and insisted that she eat something although she had no appetite. And not leaving her side the entire time.

She knew what to expect now that they were here, yet she couldn’t stop a shudder when the outer iron door banged and screeched as it opened. Or the tremble of unease as they passed beneath the twin portcullis that guarded a second inner doorway. But Pearce was at her side, and with him, she could bear anything.

Even facing down her brother.

He glanced at her fingers as they tightened on his arm. “Are you all right?”

She gave a single determined nod. “I will be.”

He squeezed her hand and escorted her into the building.

The central octagonal room opened before them, its imposing size and shape taking her breath away. But so did the three men who were waiting inside, all of them on their feet and facing the door as she and Pearce entered—the Duke of Hampton, Merritt Rivers…and Frederick.

Straightening her spine, Amelia slipped her hand away from Pearce’s arm. He stopped at the edge of the room and let her walk on alone.

“Amelia!” Frederick started forward. He held out his arms to embrace her. “Thank God you’re all—”

She slapped him. Her hand cracked across his face so hard that the sting of the blow pulsed up her arm and the sound echoed off the stone walls.

He glared at her, rubbing at the red mark already forming on his left cheek. “What the hell—”

She slapped him again, this time with her left hand to the opposite cheek. Even harder than before. So hard that she staggered sideways from the exertion of the blow.

The duke and Merritt both stiffened. Merritt started forward a single step before stopping and shooting Pearce a look questioning whether he should intercede.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Pearce faintly shake his head, to let her confront her brother on her own.

“I know what you did,” she rasped out, the feeling of betrayal in her so intense and raw that she shook.

“Damnation, Amelia!” Frederick hissed. “Control yourself. You are in the presence of a duke.”

She didn’t care. She’d spent too much of her life cowering in front of the Howard men.No more.“I know what you did.”

“Of course you know.” He slid a grim glance between the duke and Merritt. Apparently, they knew, too, having put him through an interrogation after freeing him from the New Prison. Most likely they were simply waiting for her and Pearce to help them decide what to do with him. “You heard the charges that Charles Varnham leveled against me when Bow Street arrested me. I told you about them when the blackmail—”

“My marriage.”

The accusation hit him so forcefully that his mouth fell open, and his eyes flared wide. Shock radiated from him.

The duke and Merritt turned to leave the room. But she held up a hand and stopped them.

“No, stay,” she ordered softly. “Please.”

The men awkwardly exchanged glances but did as she asked and remained.

“I’ve had enough of secrets. I’m living my life out in the open now for all to witness. Starting immediately.” She took a step forward to close the distance between her and her brother. For the first time, he wasn’t at all intimidating. Up close like this, cornered by his own devices, he was simply weak and self-serving. Pathetic. “I know what you did. I know how you schemed to steal my money, the lengths you went to, all the lies and humiliations.” Her voice choked, and she forced out in a rasping whisper, “Damn you…damn you to hell for what you put me through!”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he countered, far too calmly. “Aaron Northam fooled me as much as he did you.”

“Stop the lies!” Consumed by anger, she didn’t step away or back down. “You hired Aaron to pretend to marry me so you could have both my money and your revenge on me for inheriting Papa’s fortune. You couldn’t stand that he passed you over for his daughter.”

“That’s absurd! For you to make those accusations, when I’ve done nothing but help you—” Self-righteous indignation hardened his face. “You know everything I did to pursue Northam. I hired accountants, lawyers, investigators—how I worked to keep your elopement secret so you wouldn’t be ruined socially as well as financially. For God’s sake, Amelia! I took care of you. I did everything I could to make you happy.”

“You mean like the letters I wrote to Pearce, the ones you made certain never reached him? Did they even leave the house, or did you simply burn them in the fireplace the moment my back was turned?” Her words emerged so softly that she barely heard them herself. But if she spoke any louder, she would have screamed. “Is that what you mean bytaking careof me?”

“Pearce was nothing then! You deserved better, Amelia. I will not apologize for keeping you from throwing your life away on an army officer.”