“I love when you use pet names, darling.”
That elicited another bout of laughter, so that they were more heaving against each other than kissing.
“Marena! I thought that was you—”
Her sister’s voice made Marena jump back as if she’d been scalded. She frantically looked at Arlo as she righted the collar of her dress. Her face was hot with mortification.
This was a disaster. Her sister had caught her kissing Arlo. Kissing Delfine’s brother. Kissing the duke who was Delfine’s brother.
“Sweetheart,” Arlo whispered, reaching for her, but she stepped out of the way before he could touch her.
“No, please,” she begged, not able to meet his gaze. She took a deep breath, her eyes closed. Tremors coursed up and down her body from embarrassment. Right under it was the regret of knowing her time with Arlo had come to such an abrupt ending. It cut to the bone. She’d lied to herself over and over about being able to walk away, but before she’d even started, she’d known it would hurt. And she’d been right.
When she faced Lluvia and Delfine, she found matching expressions, which were a mix of open curiosity and embarrassment. But there was something else more devastating—a glint of hope. Over the years, Lluvia had made it her mission to let Marena know she needed to let her guard down, that she should find someone who would make her shed her aloofness, and Marena has always told her she was not interested. She knew what her sister was thinking. That maybe someone had finally broken through Marena’s defenses. Unfortunately, it didn’t matter how effectively Arlo had done just that—he was not a man she could have.
“Lluvia,” she said, tears suddenly brimming in her eyes. She embraced her older sister, who was as different from her in temperament as she was in appearance. Where Marena was curves and voluptuousness, Lluvia was tall and slim, planes and angles, with straight black hair that fell flat down her back when she let it down. It had only been a few months since Lluvia had been in London. She’d come back three or four times in the year since she’d moved to Paris with Delfine. But seeing her now shook Marena to her core, as if in the last twenty-four hours she’d drifted out of the world she belonged in and seeing her sister had jolted her back.
“I’ve missed you, Mare.” Then, in a stage whisper, Lluvia added, “and I have many questions, but those can be reserved for later.”
Marena shook her head helplessly. Lluvia could always make her smile, even in the direst of circumstances. Then she noticed Delfine and Arlo standing a few feet away, staring at each other with open curiosity.
“Delfi,” she said, pulling out of Lluvia’s arms to embrace the other woman, also a sister by the ties of friendship and family. “Are you ready?” She didn’t have say for what. The man who had brought them together was patiently waiting his turn.
Delfine nodded, a shaky breath escaping her full lips, which Marena noticed bore a keen resemblance to the ones she’d become so fond of in the past few days. That thought was ruthlessly smothered and stored where everything else about Arlo Kenworthy would go. She turned to him and saw too much emotion in those stormy blue eyes. He'd found his sister after so many months searching.
“Your Grace,” she said with formality, as if everyone in the room was not aware she’d let the man bite her neck only minutes ago. “This is Delfine Boncouer, and my sister Lluvia Baine-Torres.” She turned to her friend, whose face was crumpling from the emotion of the moment. “Delfine, this is the Duke of Linley.” To her mortification, she had to choke down tears. “Your brother.”
Delfine was petite, but she cut a stalwart figure. Her arms and back had been made strong from delivering children into the world. Her skin was a deep brown, a contrast to Arlo’s fairness, but their faces gave them away as family. They bore the same proud forehead and stubborn chin, and puzzlingly, identical eyebrows.
“Sister.” Arlo’s voice wobbled, and Delfine’s throat convulsed as if she were trying to speak. After a moment, she gave up and threw her arms around his shoulders.
It was almost too intimate a moment to witness. A whirlwind of conflicting emotions raged through Marena. Longing, yearning, regret. But in the midst of that was gladness. She felt a hand reach for hers and looked up to find Lluvia gazing at the love of her life embracing her brother, a beatific expression on her face. Like she could physically feel Delfine’s joy coursing through her. For the first time in her life Marena yearned to have what Lluvia and Delfine shared.
After a moment, Delfine stepped back from her brother’s embrace and glanced up at him with a bright smile. “Arlo, my brother.”
“I am so glad to have found you.” Arlo smiled widely and nodded, then turned to Marena. “I’m grateful for Marena’s kindness in agreeing to bring me to you, sister.” Their eyes locked, and the naked affection in them made her look away.
Lluvia who had always been the boldest of their trio, stepped forward. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace.” She gave a little curtsey, a bright smile on her lips. “I’m Lluvia.”
“My sister’s companion. It’s my pleasure to meet you.” Marena’s heart thumped in her chest at the revelation that Arlo had known all along the nature of Lluvia and Delfine’s relationship and didn’t think anything of it.
Lluvia and Delfine exchanged a look. After fifteen years of being in love, in a world that repudiated their devotion to each other, they’d learned to have entire conversations without saying a word. And since Marena had been there for a lot of it, she immediately understood they wanted to continue this discussion, and wherever it might lead, in private.
“Your Grace—”
“Arlo, Marena, please.”
She dipped her head in concession as she avoided looking at Lluvia and Delfine. “Arlo, it may be best to move to the study. I can ask Colette to prepare some tea for us? Did you have time to eat?” It was highly inappropriate to give directions to Arlo’s staff, but she desperately needed a moment to compose herself.
“I can always eat.” Lluvia said enthusiastically, to which Arlo responded with an appreciative grunt.
“I very much approve of the Baine-Torres women’s voraciousness.” Their gazes met as he spoke, which only flustered Marena further. She looked down, afraid that if she kept her eyes on him a second longer she would give herself away. She needed to get herself under control, and for the second time and two days she escaped before her feelings for the Duke of Linley finally got the best of her.
Chapter Thirteen
“It’s settled, then.” Arlo’s voice already held genuine affection for Delfine. Marena smiled as she watched them. They’d spent a few hours getting to know each other, sharing details of their lives. In the end it seemed Arlo would fulfill his promises. Delfine, if she wanted it, would be a very wealthy woman.
Lluvia and Marena had not been excluded from the conversation, and Arlo had turned to them for opinions and thoughts on how to handle the return to London, which seemed imminent. Apparently, in the few days she’d been preparing for the trip here, Arlo had retained the best law firm in London to resolve the misunderstanding.
Delfine, not fully convinced the legal issue that had kept her away from home for over a year could be taken care of in such a short time, looked at her brother incredulously. “And you’re sure we can go back without risking me going to gaol?”