Misleading The Marquis

22 - Gina Marie

"You never mentioned having a brother," Gina accused softly, watching as Bane paced the room slowly, perhaps without realizing what he was doing. He looked up at her words, sheepish not angry, and came to join her on the opposite end of her sofa.

"Neither did you, George," he answered just as quietly - stunning her into silence, her mind racing.

"How did you -" she stuttered the words, feeling the blood rush to her face as it heated her cheeks.

"I found record of him in the Tesla archives an hour ago," Bane explained with a shrug, "I didn't know you were... well, you... before now, so I'd never looked up your side of the family tree, only your cousin's."

"And mine is much uglier, as you have now discovered," Gina admitted sadly, searching Bane's expression for disdain or pity, but she couldn't read him, "How did you know to look?" she asked, she'd never mentioned Ben.

"Last night, after you were given the antivenom - you hallucinated, called out for him," Bane answered her, his face suddenly full of concern, "The way you grieved him... I assumed he was a great of love of yours."

"He is," Gina answered quietly, one single tear slipping past her defenses to fall on her cheek. She swiped at it quickly, "He's my brother."

"Twin brother," Bane added quietly, observing her from his spot less than three feet from her. Funny how the sofa had felt much larger when she'd first been seated. Bane had a way of doing that, filling up all the spaces he occupied.

"Then you know what happened to him?" Gina prompted, her lips going together in a firm line as if she could keep herself from admitting the truth and save some pain.

"The records read as if you did everything you could for him, George... the grief of your parents' death was just too much," Bane said, brow furrowed as he considered her.

"He went mad, Bane," she bit out harshly, "Just say he went mad and tried to burn our house to the ground."

"This is why you didn't tell me?" he asked, one eyebrow raised. Gina squirmed uncomfortably, shifting her gaze away. She rarely admitted to herself what scared her so much about Ben's condition, and for some reason did not feel like sharing it with Bane now.

"Who is Cora?" she blurted, using the only defesnse she could get a hold of in her mind at the moment. This seemed to do the trick. Bane leaned away from her, clamped his mouth closed and let a curtain fall over his expression so that he was deadpan scowling, much as he had been when they rode through the carriage on their first night of marriage.

"You've been listening to Malcolm's stories, I see," he commented darkly, rising from the sofa and turning away from her.

"And you've been reading public records on me," she shot back, just as defensive. For some reason it hurt that he hadn't told her, that he didn't seem to want to discuss Cora at all. Though why should he? They would be married for exactly six more weeks, and then she would be gone... why should it matter who he loved? Who clearly still owned his very soul?

"I'm trying to understand you, George," he growled low in his throat as he poured himself a drink from the crystal decanter that rested on his desk in a matching set of tumblers. The glass clinked against each other and Gina felt herself squirm again. If only she could get up and storm out. Or perhaps command Bane to leave as she had the other two. But something told her Bane would never cow so easily.

"I married a rich man to escape my family, what else is there to understand?" she bit out sourly, crossing her arms protectively over herself and focusing on a particular spot in the stone floor beneath their feet.

"Is that all?" Bane murmured, turning again to face her, leaning against his desk as if he were carefree and conducting some kind of constabularies interview now. Gina glanced up at him in surprise, her brain trying to decipher his meaning. But there he was glowering over the rim of his glass at her.

"I suppose I could just ask Malcolm to tell me," she said, switching tactics in a last effort, "He did seem eager to let me in on his side of the story."

There was a pregnant pause as the two stared at one another in the silence of the room. Gina wished he would tell her the truth. She wished he would hold her again. But she was just as equally outraged and miffed and lonesome with all of the secrecy he seemed more married to than anyone.

"I could help you find your brother," Bane said at last - changing the subject entirely to distract her from her quarry. But Gina didn't care. Find Ben? It was all she'd wanted from the beginning.

"How?" she asked quickly, not wanting to get her hopes up even as her heart soared in her chest.

"I am Lord Brisbane, George, other people do listen to what I say," he said pointedly and she gave the tiniest hint of a smile.

"You would find him for me?" she repeated stupidly, watching his every move as he began to pace the room again.

"I would," Bane answered easily, "But will you leave as soon as you find him?" he asked, clearly displeased by the possibility. That fact alone made butterflies dance in Gina's stomach. Did he want her to stay?

"That is what I intended..." she admitted, dipping her chin, "I've been holing away money for years, I wanted to get him out... buy a small cottage... I think he would do better now."

"He tried to kill you, George," Bane nearly whispered it, stopping his pacing to stare at her with pity in his face. Gina shrugged just as quickly. It didn't matter. She knew Ben. She knew she could fix him. He was her twin for Saint's sake. She could get through the madness that had overtaken him, she was certain of it.