Page 29 of Enlightened

David frowned and glanced at Murdo, who was still staring at his father, his expression betraying nothing, though David could detect his suppressed anxiety.

David stayed silent, not responding to the marquess. But neither did he move away. He knew something was coming, something that Murdo didn’t want him to hear and that the marquess definitely did, and for the life of him he couldn’t walk away, despite knowing this was going to be painful.

“You see,” the marquess continued in a deceptively reasonable tone of voice, addressing himself to David this time, “I’ve been trying to prevail upon Murdo to come back to London for, oh, about six months now. To fulfil an obligation he undertook almost a year ago.”

Murdo glanced at David. “I was going to tell you,” he muttered. “I just needed to—” He broke off, and his gaze was bleak.

“Tell me what?” David asked weakly.

“About his engagement,” the marquess said. “Murdo has been engaged to Lady Louisa Hartley since last March. And it’s past time the wedding took place.”

Chapter Ten

Murdo was engaged to be married—and he’d never said a word about it to David.

All those letters from London…

David perched on the edge of one of the uncomfortable drawing room chairs and stared at his own hands. Out in the hall, the marquess was complaining at being escorted out of the house. No sooner had the marquess made his announcement—and David had murmured some vague words of congratulation—than Murdo had invented another pressing appointment he had to attend. The marquess didn’t believe a word of it, but Murdo had somehow herded him out of the room while David hung on to his dignity by a thread, a strained smile on his face.

Another rumble of voices. Murdo’s was low and certain, the marquess’s sharp and querulous. Then the front door closed, and the only sound was Murdo’s careful footsteps crossing the hall.

When David looked up, Murdo was standing in the doorway, an expression on his face that David found difficult to read—his mouth was tight and grim, as though he was angry, but his dark eyes were soft with regret. He stepped into the room and closed the door carefully behind him

For a long moment, they were both silent, then Murdo said, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I wanted to fix it before I told you.”

“Fix it?”

“Break it off.”

David gave a sharp, humourless laugh. “How can you break it off? You’reengaged. You’ve made a promise to this Lady Louisa.”

Murdo sighed and passed a weary hand over his face. “This is exactly why I didn’t tell you,” he said. “I knew you’d say that.”

David stood up so quickly, his knee felt like a knife had been stuck in it, and he had to grab the back of the chair to steady himself.

“How dare you!” he said. “Howfuckingdare you! You didn’t tell me you were engaged—and you knew very well how I’d feel about that.”

Murdo looked away, his expression part ashamed, part mutinous. “You think these things are written in stone, David, but the reality is, engagements are quietly terminated all the time.”

“Therealityis, it’s a legally binding arrangement, and she’s entitled to hold you to it.”

“For God’s sake,Lady Louisa Hartleywill not cause a scandal by suing me for breach of promise! That would benefit no one—least of all her. She’d be a laughingstock!” Murdo stepped forward, closing the gap between them. “David, please—I just need a little time to negotiate my way out of this. I’ll meet with her father, agree on an appropriate form of compensation, and let him make whatever announcement he wants to ensure Louisa saves face—”

“You think it will be that easy?” David retorted hotly. “With your own father determined that the marriage should proceed?”

Murdo’s jaw tightened. “Forget my father. I can deal with him.”

David’s anger drained away, to be replaced with anxiety. “You’re talking about a man who threatened to have you committed to an asylum when you spoke of defying him once before. He knows what you are, and he’s shown you he’s prepared to use that knowledge against you.”

“So I shouldn’t try to extricate myself, is that what you’re saying? You think I should marry her?” Murdo’s expression was grim.

“Christ, I don’t know!” David exclaimed. He turned away, running a hand over the back of his neck. “I only learned about this ten minutes ago. What do you want me to say?”

“Honestly?” Murdo snapped. “I rather hoped you might actually want me to give her up.”