Free Kresley Cole - [MacCarrick Brothers 02] by If You Desire Page A

him when he’d last voiced this nonsense. “It doesn’t matter anymore. He’s had a life of his own, and we hardly know each other anymore.”
    “Yes, he has had a life of his own, and in that time he’s earned enough money to take care of you. I know that you two used to get along. Can’t you charm him? Cajole him and win him over? It should be easy enough for you. Maybe you might try staying married?”
    “Why would I ever choose Hugh over Freddie?”
    “Because you never loved Freddie.”
    No, she didn’t, but she cared for him, and they had fun together. And since she hadn’t loved him, she’d known Freddie had no power to wound her. “Perhaps that’s so—but Freddie’s never hurt me.”
    “You don’t believe Hugh purposely hurt you? I think you’re forgetting all the times he took you riding, or the hours he spent helping you with your archery. He was patient with you, when I could scarcely be.”
    When she said nothing, recalling scenes from her childhood, her father said, “In the weeks to come, I want you to remember one thing. Remember that Hugh tries . He’s going to try to make you happy.”
    “You’re assuming I’m going to agree to this.”
    “Just think, Jane, he’ll likely take you out of England.”
    “Where? Far?” she quickly asked, then flushed at her father’s knowing expression. Transparent Jane, eager to travel. “To Carrickliffe?”
    “Yes, possibly among his clan. It’s up to him. But I do know that he’ll go north. And that he won’t travel more than a day’s ride from a telegraph. I’ll be able to contact you the minute you can return home. If at that time you still want an annulment, it will be done.”
    Self-preservation, Janey. What if you get attached to him again?
    When she was still shaking her head, he said, “Jane, this is not up for debate. You will leave London, and you’ll do it this morning.”
    She’d concluded that she didn’t recognize her father, but just when she determined that she didn’t care for this new stranger, his face and tone softened. “Ah, daughter, you’re so brave about everything, and yet you’re terrified of this, aren’t you?”
    “Well, if I am, it’s because Grey looked at me in such a disquieting—”
    “Not about Grey. You’re afraid of getting hurt again.”
    Her lips parted, but she couldn’t deny her apprehension. “Hugh left me once and never came back. And I know you invited him again and again.”
    “But, Jane, he came back when it counted.”

Eleven
    N ever! Never on your life….
    With Jane’s words running through his mind, Hugh rode for Grosvenor Square in a daze. There’d been too many developments this morning for him to digest. Simply seeing her kissing another man had nearly been his undoing.
    And then, after so many years of fighting to stay away from Jane, to be forced to be with her—no, to marry her. He was shocked at how badly part of him wanted Weyland to succeed in persuading her.
    Even as Hugh knew he couldn’t keep her.
    Did I truly just see Jane kissing another man?
    When he arrived at the square, Hugh strode inside the MacCarrick family’s mansion. They all called this place “the family’s,” though in truth it now belonged to Ethan. As the oldest son, Ethan had inherited all of the MacCarrick properties, as well as the Scottish earldom of Kavanagh—though he would likely pummel anyone who dared remind him he was a peer.
    In the entry hall, Hugh ignored, as usual, his mother’s messages to him, lying in the silver tray. He couldn’t say he hated the woman, but she’d blamed her sons for their father’s death, and that made it damned difficult to want anything to do with her. His brothers felt the same. All her messages to them were unopened as well.
    Ethan hadn’t banned her from the property, yet. By tacit agreement, she never stayed here when any of her sons were in London, though Hugh would bet she was still bribing the servants for information about them—everyone