“Am I unwelcome?” Veronica countered. “This was once father’s home, you know. I lived here.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Justin drawled.

Veronica sighed. “Sebastian and I are no longer going to the Hazeltons’ ball together,” Veronica admitted. “As soon as the storm passes, I’ll return to Edgefield Hall.”

Justin’s lips formed a tight, thin line. “So that’s it then? You still don’t forgive him? Even after I brought Miss Wilson to explain.” He shook his head and made a disgusted noise under his breath. Veronica was fairly certain he’d cursed.

“It’s not that simple, Justin,” she began.

“Isn’t it?” Justin said, eyeing the liquid in his glass, his jaw tight. “Look, Veronica, I’ve held my tongue. For two long years I’ve held my tongue because I knew you were angry, and I didn’t want to make things worse. But I refuse to hold my tongue any longer.”

He took a deep breath and downed the rest of his brandy before discarding his glass on the table next to him and standing to pace in front of the frosty windows. “The truth is that you don’t want happiness. In fact, I’d say you’ve been actively pushing it away.”

Veronica remained frozen in her seat. She didn’t move or say a word, just listened as her brother’s harsh words bounded through the room.

“Life is about choices, Veronica. You could have chosen to trust your husband. You could choose to believe Miss Wilson and trust Sebastian even now, instead you choose to hold on to your petty little insults and nurse your old, misbegotten assumptions. I happen to know your husband has been telling the truth this entire time. Ask yourself, why would Melissa lie now? What does she possibly have to gain from it?”

“Sebastian’s mother once told me he would cheat. She told me he was exactly like his father, who was never faithful,” Veronica said in a small voice. Her brother was right, of course, but still she felt the need to defend herself, if only a little.

Justin continued his angry pacing, occasionally punctuating his words with a hand in the air. “That woman never had a kind word to say about Sebastian or his father, yet clearly you choose to listen to her too. You want to know why I never took your ‘side,’ Veronica. Because you were wrong. You’ve always been wrong. Sebastian isn’t a cheater. The fact is that you’ve been so worried you married the wrong man that you didn’t even notice you married the right one.”

Veronica gasped, but Justin kept going. “And I want it to be quite clear to you as you live the rest of your life alone and unhappy and childless in that vast estate in the countryside, it’s because you chose that, Veronica. That is your choice.”

Justin scooped up his glass from the side table, stomped to the sideboard, and splashed more brandy into the glass.

“Are you quite through?” Veronica said in a calm, even tone.