Wicked Deception Read Online Free

wished to
answer.
    Gabriel would never forgive the
indiscretion. Nicholas refused to tell him, fearing he would keep
Giles from her. They maintained the child was adopted. All
suspected she was one of Nicholas’s bastards and Catherine didn’t
know. What they all thought was better than the truth. Even
Catherine had trouble conceiving how it was possible she bore two
children by two different men. None would believe it, but it was
true. Certainly Lord Iverleigh would hold it against them
now.
    Gabriel had come around much the last
months in allowing her unlimited time with their son. That could
change in an instant, she knew. She had no rights to Giles, only
those he gave her.
    It pained her to know the world
believed her sister Lilly gave birth to him. Gabriel refused to
bastardize his son even if the truth came out during his wife’s
trial. He was stubborn Giles would remain his heir and wouldn’t
listen to reason.
    Catherine went below to seek out her
husband. She was told by the butler Hennessey he was locked in his
study. She glared as she approached the door, knocking sharp upon
it.
    She stared in shock as he flung open
the door, quailing from the stench of liquor and cigars emanating
from the room. She looked up into the angry, red-rimmed eyes of her
husband and stalked past him.
    “ We need to talk, Nicholas.
This has gone on long enough,” she informed him in a firm voice,
meeting his gaze and seeing his pain. He stood against the door
frame, lips twisted into a bitter smile. He shut the door behind
her. She saw the empty bottles on his desk and the letters flung
upon the floor. She took a seat at the desk, eyeing him in reproach
as he took a seat across from her. “I know you’re involved in
something you won’t speak of. I will ask you again to trust me to
tell me all or I’m taking the children and going to Dunleavy Hall.
I won’t live like this any longer.”
    “ You’re leaving me?” His
blue eyes narrowed. He cursed and flung her a look of
resentment.
    “ I won’t live in a house
without trust,” she told him and leaned forward, her face flushed
in anger. “I won’t live with a man who stays out all evening and
drinks himself into a stupor each night. If this is the way it is
to be then I won’t watch you destroy yourself.”
    “ Well said, wife, what
happened to the ‘for better or for worse’ in your vows?” he asked
mockingly, his face taut. “You go nowhere, Catherine. I won’t allow
you to leave me.”
    “ I didn’t ask you,
Nicholas!” she snapped. “And just so you know; when things got
better, you made them worse with your nightly carousing! Don’t
blame me if I refuse to put up with it any longer! You’re free to
do whatever you wish, and needn’t lie to anyone
anymore!”
    Nicholas longed to explain his actions.
She had no reason to worry. The thought of her horror stayed his
tongue. No, he couldn’t tell her. The horrors of his early life
weren’t fit for her ears. Despite knowing what she thought of his
late-night activities, he preferred for her to think the worst.
That was better than the truth.
    Catherine saw his hesitation as he
remained silent and tears filled her eyes. She rose from his desk,
glaring down at him. “When you decide you want to play husband
again; I will be at Dunleavy Hall,” she whispered in fury and
stalked from the room, slamming the door behind her.
    He flinched from the sound. His
shoulders sagged as he realized how far he’d pushed her. She meant
what she said. Even as close to having their child as she was, she
would leave him and take the children.
    Nicholas buried his face in his hands.
He knew if he didn’t do something he would lose his wife. In the
end, in his fear; he let her go.
    He watched the following week as the
wagons were loaded to take his extended family to The Orion.
Tulley, the ship’s cook and his long-time friend, sailed in his
stead. He wouldn’t allow her to make the crossing into Ireland
without Tulley and his