Never Less Than A Lady | Herophine

Chapter Nineteen

Josephine

As soon as Beaton left them alone in the spacious bedchamber, Josephine turned into Hero's arms, burying her face against his shoulder. Her slim body felt fragile. He enfolded her, wishing he could have spared her that horrific scene.

"I'm sorry you were subjected to that," she said dully.

"You are not the one who should be offering apologies," Hero said acerbically. He took the bonnet from her numbed fingers and tossed it on the bed. "Was your father always this bad?"

She considered. "I'm not sure. As a girl, I was too well behaved to be the target of his wrath. I seldom saw him, and when I did, he was always very stern and formal. I usually thought of him as 'the duke,' not as my father. I don't think he likes females much." A shiver went through her. "Then I went to him after Xander's death, and he... he was vile. I hadn't known he was capable of such Viciousness."

"I understand better now why you ran away from your life." Hero curbed a powerful desire to go after Stephen and beat him senseless. A man really shouldn't do that to his father-in-law, no matter how much it was deserved. Instead, he pulled the pins from Josephine's hair and combed it loose over her shoulders with his fingers. "It's a tribute to your strength that you didn't walk into the sea in truth."

"I was tempted. Very tempted." She gave a little choke of laughter. "But I was too stubborn to surrender. I'm not sure that's the same as strength."

"Close enough." He began massaging her scalp with his fingertips and was rewarded by the easing of her tight features.

"I knew my father would be outraged when I returned from the dead, but I assumed he'd learn some other way," she said ruefully. "Unexpectedly seeing me alive brought out the worst of his nature. I suspect that much of his fury was because I'd deceived him by not killing myself."

"At least the worst is over now." Hero ran a warm palm soothingly down her spine. "I doubt that even Damien could upset you as much ."

"True."

Since she was calmer, he asked, "Do you want me to leave?"

"Not this time." She tightened her arms around his waist as if she feared someone would try to pry her away from him. Hero found it most gratifying.

"Since you don't want to send me away, I'd say you and I are making progress." He scooped Josephine up and settled onto the small sofa with her on his lap. She made a small, endearing squeak before relaxing against him, her head against his shoulder. "Stephen, Damien, Xander. Have all the men in your life been so difficult? What about your brother?"

"Christopher? I don't know how he'll react to knowing I'm alive. We were close as children, but I haven't seen him in so long. He was sent off to Eton as soon as he was old enough, and he was only fourteen when I married and left home." She bit her lip. "I haven't wanted to think about Christopher. He was a darling little brother, but after so many years of being Marquess of Stoneleigh, he might be as insufferable as my father."

"What a depressing thought. I imagine you'll find out soon." Hero frowned. "Until now, I haven't thought much about how you'll deal with your family when we arrive in London. Since Stoneleigh is your closest relative, you might want to write him directly rather than let him find out from your father."

She winced. "You're right. I'll send a letter to Christopher in the morning mail, though it might not reach him before he receives word from the duke. I should write to my grandmother as well. I need to let her know that I'll be calling very soon and that she can now reveal to people that I'm alive."