Page 81 of The Duke and the Darkness

The duchess rested her tea cup on the saucer that had balanced on her knee this whole time, but her spine remained ramrod straight, her shoulders held just as imperiously as ever. “And Peyton knows all this?” she asked cautiously, unable to prevent a raw hitch from catching in her voice.

“Yes.” Devlin pushed himself away from the sofa and drew himself up to his full height. “She’s the one who insisted I tell you, once you were no longer in danger. She wants no more secrets.”

“She’s right,” Margaret said quietly, then set down her cup and pushed herself to her feet to pace behind the sofa. “Secrets like those are never good. Who else knows?”

That was just like Megs, to already begin assessing the damage and potential destruction. Their father had taught her that lesson well: don’t ever assume the best when the worst could always come. He answered, “Lucien Grenier.”

She nodded, taking it in. “And Malvern and Greysmere, too, I suppose.”

“Not Malvern.”

“Pardon?” She turned her good ear toward him. The small movement nearly undid him. The Raines family would live with the scars of their father’s deeds for the rest of their lives.

“Not Malvern,” he repeated, slightly more loudly. “Shay has his own burdens. There was no reason to share ours with him, too.”

With another nod, she began to pace again while his mother remained very still and kept her eyes focused on him, but he knew both women’s minds were spinning. Even though they knew what evils Dartmoor had been capable of inflicting, to hear of his cruelty to strangers was still a terrible surprise. Devlin had felt the exact same way all those years ago when he’d first learned about them. Their shock had been delayed, but it was no less overwhelming.

“So what do we do about it?”

The small voice from the doorway stole their attentions, and three sets of eyes darted to Theodora as she stood in the half-open door.Christ.How long had she been standing there, listening in?

With her hands folded demurely in front of her skirts, she stepped into the room and moved her gaze between the three of them before settling on Devlin. She waited patiently for an answer.

Devlin raked his fingers through his hair. “How much did you hear?”

“Everything.” No guilt showed on her face at that confession. “I’m more mature than you think, you know. I’m able to handle news like this, too, especially if it involves our family. And Peyton.”

Double Christ.“Yes, I think you are, too.”

Her tight nod confirmed it. Yet like a dog after a rabbit, she didn’t let her question go. “So what are we going to do about it?”

The women seemed to collectively hold their breaths as they waited for him to answer. Instead, he deflected, knowing this decision had to be made by all of them. “What do you think we should do, Teddy?”

“We should try to make restitution.” A serious line formed between her brows as she considered the options. “For those we know were harmed, and for their families. I think that would be a good start.”

“So do I,” Devlin agreed quietly. He’d never been more proud of his sister in his life.

“But…” Teddy continued thoughtfully, her gaze falling to the carpet at his feet. “I think we should also keep it private among ourselves. That is, us and Peyton and Crewe. Papa is dead, and there’s no reason anyone else needs to know what he did. It was years ago, after all, and what good could come from telling everyone now? Revealing it might even prevent us from helping those who were harmed.”

Yes, she was definitely wise beyond her years. “I think that’s a good plan.”

“And Peyton should be put in charge of it.”

His heart skipped. Perhaps that wasn’t such a good plan after all. As far as he knew, Peyton still planned on leaving as soon as she could. “She’s returning to France, Teddy. She won’t be here to help.”

“Have you asked her to stay?”

His mother raised a curious brow at Teddy’s question, and Margaret waited expectantly for his answer.

“She was clear about her intentions.” Even after they’d made love, even after that wonderful joining of bodies and souls—even after admitting to loving each other—she thought her future lay elsewhere. All that had changed was that the way to a new future had been opened for her, one without fear or revenge. One without him.

“Yes,” Margaret pressed. Then she repeated Teddy’s question, “But have youaskedher?”

“She thinks there’s nothing here for her.”

“We’re here for her! You have to tell her that.” Before he could argue, Margaret threw up her hands as if begging for help from heaven to cure them of the plague that was her brother. “You can be so daft at times, Devlin, you know that?”

His eyes narrowed. “Hold on. I think I’ve done—”