Free Secret Pleasures by Cheryl Howe

talked myself into believing the first note was a joke, but somewhere I always knew better . Then the second letter arrived . I will not rest until I find out what exactly happened to Philip.”
    “Who do you think wrote the note? ”
    “I have an idea , but I think the person in question is in hiding . Philip was not alone at the hunting lodge that night.”
    “What ? Then why did he not speak up?”
    “Philip was not hunting,” he said heavily . “He was with someone . I don’t know exactly what took place , or who was involved , but I have my suspicions . I do not want to accuse anyone of anything without actually knowing the details first.”
    “Since when?”
    “Since it could hurt someone Philip loved. ” He lowered his gaze . “My father knows the truth and I want it . Will you help me, Ivy?”
    “What can I do?”
    “You have a level head about these things . Westhaven has not hunted on the estate since Philip’s death . He cannot be so removed from feeling to be unaffected by the experience . It is my best chance to discover what happened to Philip . I won’t have peace until I find the truth , and neither will the person who wrote this letter.”
    “I have other obligations. ” She needed to whisk Melody out of the country on the off chance that the earl knew of his child . News of Diana’s death would be public fodder sooner than later . Speculation might jog someone’s memory about a child and Ivy intended no connection would be made to Melody . It was the least she could do for her friend.
    “That’s where I was, Ivy. ” Darien shoved his hands in his pockets . He glanced at his boots . “I did not desert you . Westhaven had summoned me to tell me of Philip’s death and that I must break our engagement so I could marry Maddox’s daughter . I was in shock and of course I refused.”
    “And he cut you off financially unless you complied. ” Ivy folded her hands over her chest, steeling herself for whatever confession Darien might make, remembering her loyalty to Diana above Darien . Darien was a man in line to be an earl . He could have what other men dreamed of, power, wealth, title . Women like Ivy, Melody and Diana were left to the whims of men like him . They did not have the luxury of wild adventures or missteps , and most definitely not forgiveness and understanding, even for a wee babe who had never done a thing wrong in her life.
    “That was after I got back from trying to find out who sent the note . I had suspicions but no real proof . When I returned, I received your letter bowing out of our engagement and heard you had become my father’s mistress.”
    “That’s not true.”
    “I know that now, but then … I was enraged at the world and I saw no way to set things right . Why did you not wait for me before you made such a rash choice?”
    “Your father would have ruined us . My father had his gambling debts . You knew that . You paid enough of them.”
    “And then Marcus paid them.”
    “I was alone and he was there . I will not apologize for that.”
    “Well, I’m here now.”
    “Are you, Darien?”
    “Yes . I do not want us to be at odds for another ten years . You have that child now, Ivy, wherever she came from and … I need to find out what happened to Philip . Come with me to Westhaven.”
    “Don’t be daft. ” Lord, but she would be playing right into Westhaven’s hands . “I plan to take Melody to Italy . I have a villa there . You have made me even more the center of speculation , and I don’t want Melody caught up in it.”
    “How will you get there ? You cannot travel through France . It’s too dangerous . The king is imprisoned and civil unrest is raging.”
    “Samuel will accompany me, of course.”
    “Does Samuel know how to shoot ? I doubt it . Come with me to Westhaven. The baby is in no condition for a long journey . I have friends who can help nurse her back to health . Everything thrives there . Come with me, Ivy, and I will get you and