Chapter Twenty-Six

 

Hope filled the air and the promise of better days guided Anna’s feet as she walked home. She had asked the driver to stop a mile away from the house. It would do her no good to have Thomas see her in the rented carriage when she was supposed to have been caring for Betty’s aunt all week. Her shoes sank in the mud, a sign that it had rained while she was away.

She and Colin remained for another wonderful day in London, with time spent exploring the city and visiting another tavern.

“I’m going to do all I can to see that we’re together,” he had told her.

And she believed him, despite the droplets of doubt that clung to her like moisture in the air. Although Colin spoke with assuredness, Anna detected notes of concern in his voice. Or were her own worries making her see what was not there? Regardless, she would remain positive until they met as planned beside the river tomorrow evening.

Her bundle clasped in her arms, Anna approached the house. Christian was on the roof, repairing another hole in the thatch. She had hoped to bring news that they could replace it, but that was not to be. Not yet.

Drawing in a deep breath, she silently repeated the story she would tell about the health of Betty’s aunt. The door opened, and Thomas exited the house. The scowl he wore spoke volumes, and she came to an abrupt stop. She had expected annoyance, but not rage.

“Where have you been?” he demanded. “And don’t lie to me!” He came to a stop in front of her, his face red and his fists clenched.

“I… that is…” She could not get the words to come. “Betty…”

“You disgust me,” Thomas growled. “Go on then. Tell me Betty lied when she said that you’ve spent the week in London with a Remington.”

Anna lowered her gaze. How could Betty have betrayed her? “I cannot,” she whispered. “I was with him.”

“Henry fell off the roof and broke his arm while you were gone. He cried, wanting to see you. So, like a dunderhead, I went to Betty’s house in search of you. You can imagine my surprise when I learned you had never arrived!”

Poor Henry. She regretted not being there for him.

“I’m sorry for lying,” she said. “If you’ll just allow me—”

“Be silent!” Thomas barked. “I haven’t finished. Not only did I not find you there, but I also found Betty’s mother and aunt there, both hearty and hale. When I asked her aunt if she was feeling better, she looked at me as if I were mad. I then went in search of Betty, and after a bit of coaxing, she told me that my sister was in London sharing her bed with a Remington!”

Anger bubbled in Anna. “How dare you make such an accusation! Do you truly believe I’m that brazen? I went to London to better our lives!”

“Hi, Anna,” Henry said from the doorway, his arm in a sling. “I missed you. Look, I broke my arm.”

“I see that.” Guilt tightened her throat. “Go back inside. I’ll come and see you in a moment.” Returning her attention to Thomas, she said, “I knew you’d never allow me to go. You never allow me to do anything except work.”

Thomas snorted. “You think I’m vile because I don’t want you to be alone with a man? Is that it? I wish to protect my sister’s virtue, and for that you despise me?”

“You protect it for your own gain, Thomas. Not for me. But don’t worry. Nothing happened, nor would it have. I may be desperate, but there are some things I’ll not give up.”

“If you weren’t going to his bed, why did you leave with him? What was so important that you felt the need to lie to me and leave your family alone?”

“I went to find our father!” Anna shouted. “I wanted to know the truth.” The wounds from that meeting resurfaced, and tears blurred her vision. But the time for lies was long past. “Lord Leedon is not our father.”

“Didn’t I tell you no gentleman will be willing to claim us? Yet, like with everything else, you don’t listen.”

Anna wiped at her eyes. “He admitted to knowing Mother. He said that she… that her work was… well, that she was a prostitute.”

Thomas’s lip curled. “Don’t you remember the times she went to London? You even went with her at least twice. Didn’t you find it odd that when she returned, there always seemed to be money?”

“I understand that now,” she said, her heart aching as the tears fell freely. “I would never have thought—”

“We’re bastards, Anna. Do you finally understand that? We’re bastards! And you know something? You taking off with that man reminded me of her.” He grabbed her arm, and she stifled a cry. “Now you know why I hated her so much! Because of what she did. For bringing us into the world as she did! Don’t make me hate you, too.”

Anna shook her head. “You can’t mean that. Mother loved all of us. You don’t truly hate her, do you?”

The laugh that erupted from Thomas was cruel. “Oh, but I do. I hate her more than you can ever know. But what does it matter anymore? She’s just dust, and we’re left here fending for ourselves.” He released her arm and drew in a deep breath. “I’ll write to Mr. Harrison tomorrow and inform him that you wish to return to work.”

“But you told me I had until September,” Anna said. “That means I still have two months! Besides, Colin is working on a plan so we can be together.” As soon as the words left her lips, she knew she should have kept silent.

Thomas roared with laughter. “Christian, did you hear that?” he asked of their brother, who had joined them. “The duke’s scheming to find a way for him and your sister to be together. I imagine he’s speaking to the King at this very moment. Perhaps the invitations to their wedding have already been sent. You’d best go and press your best trousers.”

Humiliation washed over Anna, and she clenched her fists in her skirts. “You don’t know what you’re saying. Colin is as good as his word.”

“I believe her,” Christian, who had been watching the argument with great interest, said. “Anna has no reason to lie, and she’s always been a good judge of character. If she says it’s so, I don’t doubt her.”

“Then you’re just as foolish as she is for believing such nonsense!”

“Her story’s no more delusional than yours,” Christian said. “At least she’s spent time with someone of worth. All you do is prance about wasting our money. The furthest you’ve gotten is speaking with a stable hand of an earl.”

Thomas turned and pointed an accusatory finger in Christian’s face. “You’ve no dignity for yourself or for Anna, another trait you inherited from our mother. Will you say the same when Anna is with child and brings another bastard into this world?”

Anna lifted her arm, intent on slapping Thomas, but he pushed her away, and she landed with a painful thud on her bottom.

With a roar, Christian pounced, and soon he and Thomas were rolling around in the mud, their fists pummeling as they cursed one another.

“Stop this!” Anna shouted. “Please, both of you, stop!”

Thomas threw Christian onto his back and landed a harsh fist to his nose. “Both of you sicken me!” he grunted as he pushed himself away and stood, panting. He pointed a finger at Anna. “You best pray that the duke proposes soon, for tomorrow, I’m sending word to Mr. Harrison that not only will you be returning to work, but that he also has my permission to marry you.”

With that, he stormed into the house, slamming the door behind him.

Anna turned to Christian. Blood trickled from his nose and dripped off his chin. “Are you all right?” she asked, tearing a portion of fabric from the cloth she had used to bundle her clothes. “You’re bleeding.”

Christian pushed her hand away. “It’s nothing. I think we’ve been needing to do that for a while now.” He accepted the cloth from her and dabbed at his nose. “I doubt it’ll be the last time, either.”

Anna sighed. “Likely not. But what’s become of us? Thomas believes I’ll simply give away my virtue to any man who calls me pretty, you two are fighting, and poor Henry must watch it all.”

“You act like this is all new,” Christian said with a snort. “It’s always been this way. Whatever happens, I know one thing for sure. If you don’t marry this duke, our troubles’ll only get worse.”

“What do you mean?” Anna asked with a frown.

Christian glanced toward the house. “Don’t tell him I said anything, but I found out that Thomas took out a small loan in order to pay another, and he put up the house as collateral. You know as well as I do that he’ll never be able to pay it off. No matter what we do, we’ll likely be the last Silverstones to live here. And once this property’s gone, we’ll never afford another.”

Anna looked at the cottage that had been her home all her life. She had gone to London in hopes of returning with good news. That all would be well and they no longer had anything to fear. Instead, she came back with a promise from Colin. But a promise would not fix the roof or pay off a loan before it was called in.

As she stood thinking of what Thomas had said concerning Mr. Harrison, Anna knew one thing. If Colin did not keep his word, Christian was right. Her troubles would only worsen.

 

***

 

With a sigh, Colin leaned back into the cushions on the bench of the carriage as it came to a stop in front of Redstone Estate. He had spent the entirety of his return journey considering the promise he had made to Anna. Would he be able to keep it? In one moment, he had readied himself to tell her that all was lost, that they had no future together. In the very next instant, he was promising her the world. He did so because he cared for her. Or perhaps he loved her.

What did it matter what he felt for her? His family would suffer from such an outlandish decision. What Evan had said was true. Colin was being selfish.

He would greet his cousins and then write to his mother to explain his delay once more. From there, he was uncertain what to do. Perhaps time alone would give him the answers he needed.

His thoughts returned to the night of the party. Witnessing Anna’s distress had torn at his heart. All she had hoped for was to better her life and that of her brothers. Who could blame her for that? But it was in that moment, as he held her in his arms, that he knew what he wanted. To make her dreams come true. And his. For what he wanted was to be happy, and Anna made him just that.

As he alighted from the vehicle, the hope inside him faded at the sight of a carriage bearing the Greystoke crest etched in gold on its doors.

His mother was here? But why would she come to Wilkworth?

“See my bag taken to my room,” Colin said as he hurried to the portico.

Davis opened the door, and Caroline greeted Colin in the foyer.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she whispered. “Your mother is in the drawing room, but she did not arrive alone. A Lady Katherine is here, as well, but she’s gone upstairs to rest.”

Colin frowned. “What’s Lady Katherine doing here?”

“I don’t know,” Caroline replied with a glance over her shoulder. “They arrived yesterday afternoon. Your mother has said less than Evelyn.”

“Thank you for warning me, Caroline. I suppose there’s no putting off speaking to her, so I’ll go now and see what she has to say. We’ll talk soon.”

A pounding in Colin’s head told him that he would need to rest soon if he were not careful. This was the last thing he needed, to see his mother before he had found a solution to be with Anna.

“Hello, Mother,” he said as he entered the drawing room. “I didn’t expect to find you here.” He walked up to where she stood at the window and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She wore a bright red gown, one he recognized immediately. It was her battle gown, or so he had termed it. Along with the red jewels, she appeared a queen ready for war. And that was likely what she had in mind.

“Have I ever told you about when your father and I first met?” she asked. “Lord Athwart was hosting a party, and I had not wished to attend. At the time, I had an eye for adventure, but that event, I was certain, would be far too boring. After all, the viscount had very few friends, so I did not imagine that the party would be very lively.”

Colin pinched the bridge of his nose. “Mother, what are you doing here?”

“Despite my misgivings, I attended anyway,” his mother continued as if he had not spoken. “Oh, I knew who your father was, of course, and we had been introduced in passing, but that night was different. We spent the entire evening speaking together. Soon, we were courting, and the rest needs no explanation.”

She turned to face Colin. “I had no expectations the night of that party, yet going was the best decision I ever made. If I had been obstinate, if I had continued to refuse my mother’s wishes, your father and I may never have married.”

“That’s a wonderful story,” Colin said, unable to hide his impatience. “And I am, of course, grateful that the two of you met. But that does not answer the question of why you’re here.”

She took his hand. “My son, you have a wonderful woman ready to become your bride, a lovely young lady who will make the perfect wife. Yet you’re willing to lose it all by making an absurd decision?”

“And what would make you think that? I planned to write and explain. You see, Evan and I—”

“Are conducting business of some sort together?” his mother finished for him. “Yes, Evan explained everything to me. And I do mean everything.”

Colin’s jaw dropped. “He betrayed me?” he asked, pulling back his hand. “What I told him was in confidence!”

After the years of camaraderie, years of companionship, his cousin dared to cross him? Colin had believed that the close relationship they had would keep Evan from ever turning on him as he did with others in their family. What a fool Colin was for trusting him!

“No, my son. What Evan did was not betrayal. It was a noble deed. You may be unable to see it now, but one day you’ll understand. He saved you from ruining your name. Did you truly believe that you could marry some common woman with ties to a workhouse?”

Colin rubbed his temples. He had no interest in battling her today. “Mother, I’ve come to find Anna quite compatible, more so than any other woman I’ve ever met. She’s everything I’ve ever wished for in a bride.”

“But you forget the one thing she does not have,” his mother snapped. “She was conceived out of wedlock, Colin, a bastard you sent to the home of Lord Leedon! Can you imagine the embarrassment that man must have felt? For God’s sake, he’s a married man with three children. Do you not care about the scandal this will bring down on them?”

Colin shook his head. “His family was not present for that meeting. I admit it may not have been the best way to handle the situation, but she had to learn the truth.” He leaned against a wall and closed his eyes. This was far worse than he could have expected.

“Well, what’s done is done,” his mother said. “I’ll write to the earl to apologize for your behavior.”

Colin gritted his teeth. “You’ll do no such thing. My behavior, contrary to what some may believe, requires no apology.”

His mother sighed in what appeared to be defeat. “Then, one question remains. What will you do now?”

“Concerning what?” he asked.

“Lady Katherine. She’s been weeping all day, by the way, believing that she’s unworthy of becoming your bride despite being trained for such a position since birth. Oh, how can you do this to her, Colin? Perhaps you also plan to find a cobbler to marry your dear cousin Caroline? Why not ask the housemaids if they would like to meet the men of title they suspect could be their fathers? Perhaps you can ruin a dozen names this week!”

Guilt washed over Colin. He did not wish to hurt Lady Katherine. Nor Caroline, for that matter.

“Think of your father,” his mother said as she lifted the hand that bore his ducal ring. “He wore this with honor. Will you throw it all away for this woman?”

The memory of the day he received that ring came to mind. His father had been on his deathbed, dying from a horrible disease that claimed him far too early in life.

“My son, this ring was given to me by my father, as his father gave it to him. It represents the dukedom, yet is so much more. Whoever wears it represents not only Greystoke, but the family name of Remington, as well. Wear it with pride and honor, for that is what you must possess to lead everyone who depends on you.”

“I promise, Father. I always will.”

With one last look at his mother’s furtive expression, Colin replied, “It was my hope that I would find a way to marry Anna. Give me just a few days to find a solution that is agreeable to us all.”

His mother sighed. “I’m sure you think me cruel for interfering, but I only wish to protect you. Recovering from ridicule can be a battle, and some never recover. Regardless, I’ll trust that you’ll find the right solution. Just remember that you must think of the dukedom, for you have many who rely on you.”

Looking down at the ring one last time, he replied, “You have my word.”