“And I meant to take it back! I kissed her, and I couldn’t go through with it. But I was careless, and the door locked when I closed it. Either way, I trapped her.”
“The door locked behind you?” Caroline frowned. “What type of lock was it?”
“A lever lock.” Matthew’s shoulders slumped. “Slid right into place when I closed the door.”
“How did you get out?” Caroline asked.
Matthew cringed. “Lord Dorchester opened the door.”
Caroline’s eyes went as wide as saucers.
“I cannotbelieveyou,” Cassandra hissed. “After what you did to Seth, and how you treated me whenIwas compromised—your actions aresomuch worse. And with Jasmine! How dare you take away her choices?”
Caroline opened her mouth and closed it. After a moment, she lifted her finger. “How didJasmineget into the wine cellar?”
“Caroline, it doesn’tmatter,” Matthew said. “Now—”
“Now, you come clean with Jasmine,” Cassandra said firmly. “She needs to know thisbeforethe wedding. You’ll tell her, or I will.”
The blood drained from Matthew’s face. “Sister, youcannottell her.”
“You cannot trust me with this secret, Matthew!”
“I’ll tell her,” he promised. “Beforethe wedding. I’ll have fiveweeks.”
Minimum.
“Why did you do it?” Cassandra demanded. “You hadpermission—”
“No, I didn’t! My name wasn’t on the list, Cassandra!” Matthew cried out. His sisters’ eyes widened, and he lowered his voice. “I wasn’t on it.”
Cassandra dropped her guard, and her face fell. “That can’t be true. The Sinclairs love you.”
“I saw it for myself. Aunt Valentine wascoldto me tonight.” Tears that threatened to fall all night poured, and he ground the palms of his hands into his eyes. “Once Jasmine knows who I am and what I’vedone, she won’t choose me on her own. I couldn’t risk losing her again. I’ve never wanted anyone else.” As he said the words, they sounded cheap. His voice cracked.“I’ve never loved anyone else.”
Knowing exactly what to do, Cassandra placed her arms around his shoulders. On the other side of him, Caroline hugged him around his middle. A knot the size of a fist formed in Matthew’s throat, and he choked on bitter, all-consuming sobs. In a huddle on the sofa, his sisters held him while he fractured. After what felt like hours, his breathing calmed and his shaking subsided.
“I don’t know what to do,” Matthew admitted.
“We take it one day at a time, like we always do.” Caroline held onto his hands and gave him a rare smile. “As afamily.”
“Startingtomorrow,” Cassandra said. “There’s nothing that can be done tonight. I say we all get some rest. We’ll face this problem tomorrow, and we’ll all do the best we can.”
“To what?” Matthew asked.
Cassandra’s eyes met his softly. “To get her to fall in love with you.”
Chapter Twelve
Pacing her room, Jasmine nervously bit her lip. Of everyone in the entire house, ithadto be herfatherwho caught them! Not how she wanted it, but she got what she wanted—a fast way out of this house!
And poor Matthew.
She could only imagine what he was going through in her father’s study.
She took a jagged breath. All she could taste was wine and Matthew’s mouth.From her nightstand, Jasmine lifted a porcelain pitcher and poured water into a small glass. She took a sip, then dabbed the moisture from her lips with her fingertip.
‘I want you.’