Free Unveiling Love by Vanessa Riley

made his skin crawl. The rest, only a jury could decide. Where would his wife's story fall?
    Her arms went about his neck. She squeezed so tight. Maybe she thought he'd disappear.  
    Part of him wanted to. He didn't know her anymore. All these years he believed her faithful. To show her his gratefulness, he'd accepted her mania about his schedule, learned to sleep with candles burning, sent notes of his whereabouts. He'd accepted the leech because he thought she was all his. Lies.
    "I wanted to tell you every day, but I didn't know how. I was to protect our love. It's my fault. You have every right to hate me because of this."  
    Whom had she sought comfort from and became his prey? "Amora, wh—?"
    She wove her hands beneath his waistcoat. Her small palms found every muscle tired from stooping over ledgers. "Let me know I haven't ruined things. You hate deception."
    "Why tell me now? Not five years ago, when I returned from war?"
    "I thought you wouldn't take me as your wife, if you knew. And I needed you to take away the fear. I couldn't lose you. Mama said I would."
    What of her overprotective mother? Why hadn't she watched over Amora?  
    His nerves jittered like the night before a big trial. Blast it. It was a trial of his manhood and his compassion. She needed him to make everything better. "No more creases under your violet eyes."
    With his thumb, he smoothed a tear from her face. Her quiet sobs ripped at what was left of his soul. He'd rather be beat, pummeled, than witness them.
    "You've told me, Amora. Now everything will be fine." Did his voice sound even? A thousand questions filled his head but he couldn't be a barrister right now. Just a husband. One desperate to comfort his wife. "All will be well."
    "Will it? Things weren't fine before."
    True. But maybe his debt of her miscarriage canceled hers over this omission. He needed logic. Nothing in his head felt ordered. Everything swirled out of control pressing him with doubt and grief. Who did it? The faces of every man who ever commented on her beauty flashed into the witness box in his mind. Who abused her?  
    And did she fancy the rake, even for a moment?  
    Her robe slipped, exposing the creamy silk of her shoulder. Someone else had seen this loveliness. Someone else had possessed her.  
    Tracing the curve of her neck, Barrington sought the feel of her to fix the disappointment filling him. "You've told me. This is done. You needn't think of it again tonight."
    "Can't think past it anymore."  
    He whipped off his spectacles, tossing them to the table by the bed. Amora would be able to look into his eyes and see the flames torching his innards over someone hurting her. Or worse, his newly formed doubts about her, about their marriage.  
    He tucked her head beneath his chin and held her. Maybe the Lord would smother the fire lighting his bones. Probably wouldn't since he and God hadn't communicated since the miscarriage. It was up to Barrington alone to make things better.  
    Minutes, maybe an hour passed. Her cries died down. She lifted from his embrace. "Well, I've said it. I've finally told you." She moved a couple inches away and put a foot on the floor. "You can go work now."
    He wasn't going to be dismissed and leave this thing, the omission, and the other man, to remain a gulf between them. Wrenching out of his waistcoat, he wrapped his arms about her, kissing that spot along her throat until she released a raspy giggle.
    She curled her fingers about his cravat. "Barr, you forgive me?"  
    He nodded quickly. He didn't know what to say when he wanted to break bricks. Some fiend took advantage of her. His girl. His betrothed. Why couldn't the war have ended sooner so he could've protected her? Maybe he shouldn't have enlisted at all. Grandfather would have been disappointed, but he could have stayed at her side.
    "You still want me? Mama was wrong?"
    A tremor set in his jaw at the fear in her voice. His blasted pharaoh want-to-be mother-in-law. The