Fiona brushed Maddy's hair back from her forehead. "Aye, but a slew of doctors all agree you'll be able to have more."
She'd known she'd miscarried, but still, hearing the news made sadness sweep over her, sharp and heavy. "But Ethan's not...well?"
"He does no' look it, but he's no' in ill health. I doona think he's slept in a week." She raised her brows as she said, "He loves you quite, well,fiercely . I'm just happy you'll be able to be together and start anew."
Maddy's eyes began to grow heavy again. "Lady Fiona, I don't know what you've been told - "
"Lass, I know everything. But understand, he's changed. Speaking no' as his mother but one woman to another...when a man like Ethan finally learns to love, it's forever."
"Bloody hell!"
He'd nicked himself again. His hands were shaking so badly, yet Fiona expected him to shave and clean up? Said he'd frightened his own wife with his appearance.
He probably had as he'd battled the nigh overwhelming urge to squeeze her in his arms. Maddy's eyes had been wide in her pale face as she stared up at him.
It had been everything he could do to force himself to leave that room - but earlier his mother had suggested she speak with Maddy alone once she woke. Fiona had told him there was a small chance Maddy might not even have known about the baby.
He clung to that.
When he nicked himself again, he threw the razor down. He rested his hands on the basin and hung his head.Please, doona let her have known. With Bea's death and his betrayal and Corrine's disappearance, he didn't know how much more his lass could take....
How long did his mother want with Maddy?
Ethan couldn't stay away any longer. He hastily dressed, then returned. As he strode in, Maddy's eyes were heavy-lidded, as if she was struggling to stay awake.
When he hurried to sit beside her, she weakly lifted her hand to graze her fingertips over a nick on his jaw. He took her small hand in his, kissing her palm, but she'd already closed her eyes. Just as he felt a surge of panic, Fiona said, "She's just sleeping now, Ethan."
"Did she know about the babe?"Say no....
"Aye, she did. But she's a strong one, I can tell. She'll heal from all this if you help her."
Maddy might not want his help - or want anything to do with him. "Did she say anythin' about me?" he asked, sounding as desperate as he was. "About what I did?"
"She broached it. But she's in love with you, son. I can tell. You will be able to win her back."
Never again would he feel anger toward Fiona for what she'd said and done in the hours after his father's death.If Maddy had... He shuddered and squeezed his eyes closed. "I need you tae leave."
Without a word, she hastened from the room.
Just before he lost all control of his emotions.
Chapter Forty-six
Over the last five nights, Ethan had silently crept into her room to sleep with her, easing away each morning. Her fierce Highlander craving to sleep with her made her heart soften, but then she grew exasperated.
Every time she'd tried to talk to him about what had happened, he'd shied away, clearly thinking she was not strong enough to handle his confessions after only six days of recovery. But she was healing rapidly now that she'd turned the corner. Today, she'd been able to sit up for a good part of the afternoon to play cards with Lady Fiona, who was scheduled to return to Scotland the next day.
She truly liked Fiona, enjoying that she still scolded Ethan. He grumbled, but Maddy sensed that whatever conflict between them had finally been resolved.
Maddy needed to get something resolved with him as well, settled for good or ill, just so she could begin to make sense of all that had transpired.
That night, she made herself stay awake, waiting for him to steal into the room. He came directly after midnight and quietly undressed. When he slowly pulled back the cover, about to ease in and join her, she said, "Ethan, don't you think it's time we discussed what happened?"
He exhaled. "Aye, I suppose it is." He slung on his trousers without energy, then turned up the bedroom lamp. After placing pillows behind her and helping her sit up in bed, he pulled a chair beside her. "How did you find out?"
"I'd written the land agent at Iveley about visiting the property because I'd wanted you to see where I grew up. But apparently, you had not only been to Iveley Hall - you'd owned it for years. Since my father died."
"Aye. I'd bought up his debts. Including the one against Iveley."
"So you did plot revenge against my family. Care to tell me what it was over?"
"You dinna draw a conclusion?"
"I think...I think my father discovered you and my mother in bed together. I think you were the man with her that night at Iveley."
"Inever touched her!" Ethan said vehemently. "I did go to meet her, but I had misgivings and tried to leave."
Maddy quirked a brow. "Do you make it a habit to go to assignations and then not keep them? Like with the barmaids?"
"I had a strong feeling that I should no' touch Sylvie. I had a realization with the others. Everything's led me to you."
"What happened that night, Ethan?"
He ran a hand over his drawn face. "If I try to acquit myself, I only impugn your parents."
"I have to hear this," she insisted. "I have to finally know what happened."
His brows drew together, and the pain in his eyes staggered her. "Then I'll tell you, though I doona relish it." In his low tone, he described a night of lies and weakness and unimaginable malice.
When he revealed that her mother had accused him of rape, Maddy was rocked. When he told her Brymer had cut him, Maddy's tears began to fall unchecked.
Ethan had been falsely accused, beaten, and then disfigured - while Maddy had been sleeping soundly not far away.
Her father had allowed it, Brymer had enjoyed it, and her mother had sat back and done nothing, even when she'd known a young man was being tortured in their stables.
"Oh, God," Maddy whispered as the full weight of his revelation sank in. "Ethan, I am so sorry for what they did to you."
"Doona dare apologize for them! This has nothing to do with you. Thinking otherwise was my mistake. And doona pity me - I had my retribution, as you well know. I bought up your father's loans and called them earlier than they would've been," Ethan said, his voice harsh. "And called them at the same time. I'm responsible for your losing your home."
Wait, called themearlier ? "Would it have happened eventually, or was it all you?" When Ethan clenched his jaw, refusing to answer, and she just stopped herself from sucking in a breath.
Oh, this must be a jest.She'd known there'd been debts, money struggles. She remembered her parents' fights, her mother always wanting more. Maddy probably would have ended up in La Marais without Ethan's interference.
"And your revenge on Brymer? Did you kill him?"
"Aye."
She nodded, glad to hear it. The image of that man stringing up Ethan and eagerly taking a knife to him...Maddy shuddered.
"And Tully?" she asked nervously. She remembered he'd always been kind to her.
"I spared him."
She exhaled a relieved breath, and not just for Tully - she was relieved to know Ethan could show mercy when it was warranted. "But what about me? You returned for me only to hurt me further."
"I tried to tell myself it was for revenge but realized early on that there was no way I could willfully hurt you. Take pleasure in knowing that my sinister plan for revenge came right back tae bite me on the arse." He leaned forward, elbows to his knees. "Maddy, I was fallin' for you from the beginning."
"Are we even truly married?"
He raised his brows as if shocked she had doubts about that. "Bloody hell, we are!"
"Was the night of the masquerade part of your plan?"
He shook his head. "I dinna know who you were until the next morning."
A thought struck her, and she narrowed her eyes. "What about Le Daex? Did you have something to do with that?"
Ethan hesitated, then said, "Aye. I dinna want you getting engaged before I could return for you."
"Yet another lie? Any others I should know about? More secrets?"
"There are more secrets. Ten years' worth of bad things I've done. I will no' burden you with the details unless you insist, but know that I ultimately acted toward a greater good. And sometimes...sometimes I even did things you might have been proud of."