Page 55 of Legacy of Thorns
“What don’t I know?” Finley’s fists tightened, his patience running thin.
“Your own father, apparently.” Barlowe watched him closely. “Do you really not know that your father was the missing Prince Timothy, the youngest brother of our current monarch?”
Chapter 18
Finley
Finley staggered back, clutching at the small table behind him. “What…what did you just say?”
“You truly didn’t know.” Lord Barlowe shook his head. “Remarkable. To keep the truth from his own sons. Tut tut. I suppose he didn’t intend to die in such a foolish accident.”
Finley could barely hear his words, too overwhelmed with the ridiculousness of the claim.
“My father was Garrow,” he said firmly. “A wastrel, yes, but an ordinary man.”
“I’ve never even heard of a missing prince,” Daphne said suspiciously.
“The royal family don’t like to talk about it,” Barlowe said. “Embarrassing to lose a prince, I suppose. And they keep popping out so many twins that you can’t blame them for struggling to keep track of them all. Although, from what I understand, they had an advantageous marriage alliance arranged for him and were not at all pleased when he declared he would live as an ordinary citizen instead—and proceeded to run off with a serving maid.”
“Fin?” Daphne’s fingers tugged at his sleeve.
“My…my mother was a serving maid before her marriage,” Finley said slowly. “That much is true.”
“I assure you it is all true,” Barlowe said crisply. “I wouldn’t have been pursuing you for years if it wasn’t. I don’t make mistakes.”
“You’ve been chasing Archer and me because our father was a prince?” Even as he spoke the words, Finley struggled to believe them. “But why?”
“For your blood,” Barlowe said simply, and Daphne recoiled.
“Oh, nothing as crude as that,” Barlowe assured her. “But the Oakden Legacy is lamentably fond of royalty.”
His words shook loose a thought in Finley’s mind. They had blamed Archie’s enchanted sleep on the date of his attempted heist—attributing the power of the spindle to his turning sixteen. But had it been more than that? Had the Legacy reacted so strongly because he had royal blood? If so, they were fortunate Daphne’s vague royal connection had been enough to break his sleep. Perhaps the interest the Legacy seemed to have in her had also helped?
Finley shook his head. What was he thinking? It couldn’t be true. His father hadn’t been a prince.
“My father—” he began but found he couldn’t go on. His father had rarely talked of his past, and Finley had never known his paternal grandparents.
“Your father was, from all accounts, a charming young prince,” Barlowe said. “But I don’t think he found the adjustment to ordinary life as easy as he expected. I’m sure he did love your mother, but alas, sometimes love is not enough. When it comes to living an ordinary life, habits of economy are also important.”
Finley gave a rough, grating laugh. No, his father had never had those.
“Economy is, in fact, a most unpleasant necessity,” Lord Barlowe said, “which is why I decided to become a lord. And why I now need your help.”
“Myhelp?” Finley gave the man a disbelieving look. “Is that what you call it? You have an odd way of asking for help.”
“I’ll admit that some of my efforts in the past have been regrettably crude,” Barlowe said. “But let us put the past behind us and consider, instead, the future.”
But Daphne’s thoughts seemed stuck elsewhere. “What do you mean youdecidedto become a lord?” she asked. “That isn’t something you can just decide.”
“Why ever not?” Barlowe smiled urbanely. “I dress like a lord, I speak like a lord, I introduce myself as a lord. Who is to say I’m not one? Oh, I don’t push it too far. The capital is—currently—beyond my reach. But there is a perfectly good life to be had in the rest of the kingdom. After three months, my visit here is drawing to a close, but only tonight I’ve received invitations to two more house parties. I am, apparently, valued for my wit.” He laughed softly.
“I suppose it was gifted to you at birth,” Daphne said indignantly, “and you’ve chosen to misuse that gift.”
“Have I?” Barlowe raised a single eyebrow. “I have lived in luxury at the expense of others for a decade now, so I would consider it a most excellent use.”
“Ten years?” Finley asked. “You’ve only been chasing us for three…” He trailed off as he realized the obvious truth. “Before that, you were chasing our father.”
“He proved even better at eluding me than the two of you,” Barlowe said. “You wouldn’t believe the trinkets I have been forced to sell to fund the search. It is past time now for it to come to a close.”
