Jason didn’t answer that, said instead, “James, you confound me. You, out of all of us, have a certain unique finesse in handling women—at least, you always did in the past. Where’s it gone to?”

James leaned back in his chair and took a long swill of his brandy before answering, “Easy to handle women when you aren’t emotionally involved with them, quite another thing when you love one to distraction. I’ve used every means I can think of to get George to at least discuss what’s bothering her, but George is, well, George, and she won’t budge until she’s bloody well ready to. It’s got nothing to do with Tony or Jack. I’ve at least narrowed that down. She merely used them as a convenient excuse to explode—at me. I’m the problem, but since I haven’t done a single thing out of the ordinary that might have set her temper off, I’m bloody well in the complete dark.”

“It sounds like she just hasn’t figured out yet how to approach the matter with you, whatever it is. That could be part of the problem, her own frustration in being unable to express it,” Jason suggested.

“George? Having trouble expressing herself?” James all but rolled his eyes.

“Not ordinarily,” Jason agreed. “But this doesn’t sound like an ordinary problem, or it would be out in the open already, wouldn’t it?”

“Possibly,” James allowed thoughtfully, then, “Bloody hell. I’m done with trying to figure out what’s wrong. Everything I make a guess at just points out more clearly that this makes no sense a’tall.”

Jason, staring at the glass in his hand, snorted. “Women make sense when they’re upset? When did they ever?”

James chuckled at that, since it reminded him of the realization he’d come to a few years ago, yet he’d never broached the subject with his brother. It also gave him his answer to why his brother might be in need of a fortifying brandy or two. In a word, women problems.

So he asked baldly, “How long have you been in love with Molly?”

Jason glanced up, but his expression didn’t show the surprise that question should have brought. “Since before Derek was born.”

James couldn’t quite conceal his own surprise at that answer and the obvious conclusion it brought. “Good God . . . well, damn it all, Jason, why the deuce have you never told any of us?”

“You think I didn’t want to? I’d shout it from the rooftops if it were my choice, but it’s not. Molly had valid reasons for wanting the truth about us kept secret, even from Derek—at least she managed to convince me those reasons were valid. I’m not so sure anymore, but that’s a moot point after all these years of secrecy.”