Page 20 of Wedded to the Duke of Seduction (Dukes of Passion #3)

CHAPTER 20

“ Y ou chased William all the way to Vienna, only to discover he’d left for Prague the day before?” Dorian leaned forward in his leather armchair.

“William was always very good at avoiding his tutors and governesses. It seems he still possesses the ability to slip out of trouble.”

Leo swirled the brandy in his glass and watched the amber liquid catch the late afternoon light streaming through the windows of Dorian’s study.

“The landlady claimed they departed in a hurry. Apparently, William had seen someone in the market he recognized, and they packed their belongings and left in less than an hour. They also owed her a week’s rent.”

“I wonder if they spotted another one of Felicity’s many admirers,” Gerard suggested from his position by the fireplace. “That woman collected broken hearts like porcelain figurines.”

The three men had gathered in Dorian’s study. Maps lined one wall, alongside exotic artifacts and ceremonial weapons collected from around the world.

Their friendship flourished there. It was a refuge where titles and duties were forgotten in favor of honesty and companionship.

“Do you remember that time William convinced us all to sneak out to a tavern in the village?” Dorian asked, a nostalgic smile on his lips. “He must have been what, sixteen?”

“Fifteen,” Leo corrected. A reluctant smile tugged at his mouth. “And he was already too charming for his own good. He talked the barmaid into serving us and only charging for one stein.”

Gerard laughed. “And then your father’s steward caught us stumbling home at dawn. I thought the Duke would murder us all.”

“He nearly did,” Leo said.

A comfortable silence fell over the three men, broken only by the occasional crackle of the fire. These men supported Leo through thick and thin, and their loyalty was one of the few constants in his life.

“Your search has taken you across half of Europe,” Dorian observed, refilling their glasses. “Naples, Vienna, Brussels… you must have quite the collection of stories.”

Leo nodded and took another sip. “I once tracked them to a small village in the Alps, only to discover they’d fled two weeks before I arrived. The innkeeper’s wife took pity on me and insisted I stay for dinner. She served some local dish, I forget the name, but it contained so much garlic, I feared no one would come near me for a week.”

His friends chuckled, and Leo continued. “Another time, in a coastal town in Spain, I received word that William had been gambling at a small gambling hell. When I arrived, I found not my brother but an American sailor who apparently bore a striking resemblance to him. The poor man thought I was a creditor and nearly threw himself into the harbor to escape.”

“The lengths you’ve gone to.” Gerard shook his head. “Most men would have given up years ago.”

“Most men aren’t responsible for their brother’s fall from grace,” Leo replied, his tone darkening.

Dorian exchanged a glance with Gerard. “You can’t still blame yourself for William’s choices, Leo. He was a grown man when he left with Felicity.”

“Barely.” Leo stood and moved to the window that overlooked Dorian’s garden. “He was young and impressionable. I think that my father’s favoritism did him more harm than good. He was the perfect target for a woman like Felicity.”

“A woman you had already rejected,” Gerard pointed out gently. “William knew what he was doing when he took her side against your family.”

Leo turned back to face his friends. “Did he? Or was he simply trying to prove himself in the only way he knew how?”

By taking the one thing he believed Leo valued.

Neither man had an immediate answer to this, and Leo returned to his seat with a sigh. “Anyway, it seems my search has hit another dead end. Matthews sent word last week that he’s lost their trail completely after Brussels.”

“Perhaps it’s time to consider a different approach,” Dorian suggested carefully. “You’ve been searching alone for years with limited success. Gerard and I have connections throughout Europe. Let us help.”

“Ashthorne’s right,” Gerard agreed. “Between the three of us, we could cast a wider net. I have business contacts in Prussia and Russia who could be alerted to watch for them.”

Leo was touched by the offer though not surprised. These men had made the same suggestion repeatedly over the years, only to be met with his stubborn refusal.

“I appreciate the thought, truly, but this is my burden to bear.”

“Stubborn as ever,” Dorian muttered though his tone was affectionate. “Marriage hasn’t softened you in the slightest.”

At the mention of his marriage, Leo felt a now familiar tension creep up his spine.

It had been two weeks since his confrontation with Marina after the opera. Two weeks of careful politeness and maintained distance.

They took meals together when social obligations required it, exchanged pleasantries about household matters, and otherwise occupied separate spheres within the townhouse. It was exactly the arrangement they had agreed upon, yet Leo found himself increasingly dissatisfied with it.

“Speaking of your marriage,” Gerard ventured, oblivious to Leo’s internal turmoil, “Seraphina mentioned the Duchess has joined their weekly literary circle. Apparently, she has quite remarkable insights about the latest publications.”

“Does she?” Leo replied, struggling to maintain a casual tone.

The thought of Marina discussing books with Gerard’s wife, sharing her thoughts and passions with others while remaining coolly distant with him, provoked an irrational flare of jealousy.

“Alice says she’s brilliant,” Dorian added. “Though she seems to believe you’re keeping her hidden away. We’ve scarcely seen either of you since the wedding.”

Leo snorted. “Hardly. Marina has her own engagements and pursuits. She’s perfectly free to come and go as she pleases.”

His friends exchanged another meaningful glance that Leo pretended not to notice.

“Well, when you find William,” Gerard said, changing the subject, “what then? It’s been a decade, Leo. The boy you knew is now a man—with ten years of experiences without you. He will not be the William you once knew.”

It was a question Leo had asked himself countless times. Yet, he still had no answers.

“I suppose I’ll drag him back to London, clear his name as best I can, and then break both his arms for all the trouble he’s caused.”

The comment, intended to lighten the mood, elicited chuckles from his friends, but Leo knew the reality would be far more complicated. Having disappeared with a sizeable chunk of the family fortune, William had abandoned his responsibilities. He had prioritized his love for Felicity over his family. Even if Leo found him, reconciliation and redemption weren’t guaranteed.

“And what about Felicity?” Dorian asked.

This was a question Leo had always avoided.

“What about her?” Leo’s voice sharpened.

“Surely, you cannot let her get away with what she’s done to your reputation and family.”

Leo frowned. For years, he had channeled his hurt and betrayal into bitter anger. Many times, he imagined the moment he would confront William and Felicity with their actions. With the benefit of hindsight and his own unforeseen marriage, the answer seemed less obvious.

“For so long, finding them has been the goal. I’ve given less thought to what comes after.”

“Perhaps because the search itself has become more important than the resolution,” Gerard suggested quietly. “The pursuit of something can become so central to who we are that we dread success more than defeat.”

Leo’s brows furrowed, uncomfortable with the insight that hit too close to home. “I’m not afraid of finding William.”

“No,” Dorian agreed. “But you might be afraid of what finding him would mean. Without that mission, who are you?”

The question hung in the air, unanswered because Leo had no answer to give.

For a decade, his life had been defined by his quest to find William, to clear his own name, to restore the family honor. The search had given him purpose, direction, a reason to keep moving when grief and scandal had threatened to destroy him.

Recognizing Leo’s discomfort, Gerard continued, “When you do find him, you know we’ll stand with you. Whatever you decide.”

“As we always have,” Dorian chimed in.

Leo nodded, moved by their unwavering support. “Thank you. Both of you.”

The conversation moved to lighter topics. The easy back-and-forth of longtime friends flowed effortlessly from weighty topics to absurd recollections. They discussed Dorian’s newborn daughter, Gerard’s latest investment in a promising cotton mill, and the upcoming social Season with its predictable parade of young ladies clamoring for a good match and their conniving mothers.

Yet throughout their talk, Leo found his thoughts drifting back to Gerard’s question.

What would he do if, after all these years, he finally found William? Would reconciliation even be possible after such betrayal?

How would Marina fit into this family drama she had unknowingly married into?

Marina. The thought of his wife brought a familiar surge of frustration and desire. Her accusation that his charm was merely a mask to keep everyone at a distance had struck too close to home. She had revealed an insight into his character that few had ever perceived. It was both unsettling and strangely compelling to be seen so clearly by a woman who had known him for such a short time.

As the afternoon light faded, Leo rose to leave. “I should return home. Henderson will have a fit if I’m late for dinner again.”

“Give our regards to your duchess,” Dorian said, clapping him on the shoulder. “And perhaps consider bringing her along next time. Our wives are quite taken with her, you know.”

“I’ll extend the invitation,” Leo promised although he wondered whether Marina would accept.

She had been remarkably self-sufficient in establishing her own social circle without his help. The thought brought another unwelcome pang of something that felt uncomfortably like loneliness.

On his way to Berkeley Square, Leo was forced to confront an unpleasant reality.

His long search for his brother might end, but a different, equally unsettling kind of absence now confronted him.

His wife, though physically present in his home, remained as elusive and distant as William had ever been.

And for the first time, Leo wondered which absence troubled him more.