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“If Lydia and I had depended on you to survive, he would have been dead by now, or worse, taken into prison because we could not pay our debts!”

“But you look well-fed, and you are wearing a dress of rich fabric. Did Uncle step up to help? Or was it the Langley’s?”

“If you wanted to know, you would have written a letter to us. To tell us where you fled to, and when you would return. You claim you went to look for help, what sort of help were you in search of that stopped you from writing to your sisters?”

All Penny wanted was for Patrick to admit he was in the wrong and apologize, but he kept trying to defend himself, and it was starting to irritate her.

“I am sorry. I should have written back. I should have stayed and fought for our father. I am back now, and I promise to have Rhysand’s head on a spike!”

“You shall do no such thing!”

Patrick took a step back. Penny sounded a little too defensive about the man who put them in this situation.

“What? Do you know who Rhysand is? He is the Duke of Huxton, the man who locked our father behind bars over false records.”

“I know very well who the Duke of Huxton is, for I am married to him, you fool!”

Patrick stilled, then he released a dark chuckle and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Penny. I forgot how funny you could be at times; I have missed it greatly.”

“I am not telling a joke,” She scoffed and raised her left hand that housed her wedding ring. At the same time, Randolph appeared.

“Your Grace, you are here. I planned to send word to Thornbury House to inform you of Mr. Hislop’s arrival.”

“Thank you, Randolph,” she passed him a quick smile and returned her attention to her brother.

“Your Grace?” He muttered under his breath. That bastard Rhysand. So this had been his plan all along?

Patrick did not think of it as anything all those years ago when he would catch Rhysand staring at Penny whenever he came over. He knew Rhysand was a duke, and there was no way he would marry a girl like Penny. Worst, his father had been against his friendship with the duke, and would sure be against a union with his daughter. So how?

“Are you out of your mind? How did you dare to agree to a marriage with the man that ruined your family?”

“Hesavedour family afteryouabandoned us. Tell me, brother. Did Rhysand force you to flee the country?” Patrick stayed quiet. “When I went to see Father in prison and told him you had fled, do you know what he said to me? He said you did a good job. When I asked him how Lydia and I were supposed to survive without you, do you know what he said? Women have their ways of survival.”

Penny recalled the hurtful words. Those words had been the driving force that sent her to Thornbury Hall that afternoon.

“You left me no choice, brother. Had you been here, you would have witnessed Lydia step into society. Rhysand has done that for her, he stood as her father and brother, defended her, and introduced her to a very respectable man. So you do not have the right to be angry at the choices I made that were influenced by your actions!”

Penny had not the faintest idea that all her words did was fuel her brother’s anger.

“If that is so, then I should really put a bullet through his skull!”

“What? Wait–”

Patrick pushed Penny out of the way, stormed outside, and mounted his horse, and in a split second, he breezed past her.

“Patrick, stop!”

Penny ran to the carriage immediately.

“Follow him as fast as you can!” The footman sensing the urgency of the matter did as she said, while Penny prayed in her heart that Rhysand had not returned home yet.

Chapter29

“Patrick!” Penelope called out immediately as she stepped into the drawing room. She could already hear voices shouting loudly from the entrance.

“Where is he? Where is the Duke of Huxton?” Patrick yelled, his hands on his waist with his chest rising and falling frantically.

“Patrick, stop it!” Penny stood in front of Patrick, but he stood several inches over her. Her presence before him did nothing to stop him. She was no threat.