Page 40 of An Earl's Scandalous Return
She swallowed, trying to keep the tears from her voice as she said, “Why did you take me from the Earl of Montrose? Where is my mother? And why are you demanding money? Is this the only reason you took me in and raised me so that you could get money one day?”
When she spoke the questions, Gregory’s back was turned to her, but slowly he turned around again. Only a little of his glowering expression remained. He stared at her for a long while. She wasn’t sure if he would continue to deny it, but then he sank into the chair across from her.
Swallowing hard, he then began, “I kidnapped you and your mother.”
The pain seared through her heart, and she shook her head at him. “Why would you do such a terrible thing? And why would you pretend that you were my father when you were not?”
“I should have been!” he yelled out. “It should have been me!”
Seraphina did not understand, but she waited. She would get the truth one way or another.
“I was in love with your mother. She was the housekeeper at the Earl of Montrose’s house and a very good one. Her name was Jane. You have her eyes. I loved her very deeply, and we spent a lot of time together, and I thought she loved me as well. I was overjoyed.”
Her father’s eyes took on a distant look.
“I was going to ask her to marry me. But then, one evening, I discovered that Jane was having an affair with the earl himself, meeting at night. Clandestine lovers. And then I found out that she was pregnant with you.”
He rubbed a hand over his face, and his shoulders began to tremble. Seraphina thought at first that he was crying, but instead, she saw it was rage.
“That baby was meant to be mine. Our lives were meant to be together. She was meant to be my wife, my lover. I couldn’t bear the grief of her betrayal. So, I took you both, and I brought you here.”
“And my mother? Where is she now?”
Gregory didn’t look at her as he said, “When she realised what I had done, she wasn’t strong enough to handle it. She got sick and died, and I raised you myself.”
Full of anger, grief, disappointment, and every emotion she could possibly think of, Seraphina got to her feet. She had wanted the truth, yet it was far scarier than she’d ever imagined.
“You are no father. You have betrayed me, and I can no longer stay here in your house with you.” She began to move, but her father clasped his hand around her arm.
“You will stay here,” he said, and he rose, his grip tightening.
She knew he would not hit her, or at least she had thought he wouldn’t. But there was a strange look in his eye.
Seraphina lifted her chin and stared right back at him. “Why should I? Why do you wish me to remain when I am not your daughter?”
“I will get my revenge, Seraphina, and you will not get in the way.” And then, his strength surprising her, he dragged her to the one bedroom, shut the door, and locked her in.
Chapter 43
The next evening, Edward looked over his book and saw that Arabella was not reading. Her eyes were looking off somewhere else, and in the din of the innkeeper’s main room, it was not surprising she could not concentrate. But he knew that was not what kept her from reading. She was torturing herself with thoughts of Seraphina and if she would come to meet them.
He could not read either, thinking about too many things, most of them wanton and craven. He, of course, thought about his friend Alvin and his dilemma as well as Arabella’s worry about bringing her sister home. But he still thought about her, both his desire and love, and it preyed upon him every second in her presence.
He put down his book and closed it, folding his hands atop it as he looked across at her. It had been nearly twenty-four hours since they’d spoken with Seraphina, and they had one more day to wait. Things had been calm between them and comfortable, and he no longer felt that old rage against her. He still had questions, but he was waiting patiently until they could be answered.
And even though things were more comfortable between them, that did not lessen the unfinished business they’d begun a few nights ago. Waking up beside her each morning, touching her a little, smelling her scent, listening to her soft sounds as she slept, and occasionally feeling her soft body against his was enough to drive him mad.
I do not know how long I can bear this.
He said, “Arabella, we do not have to read if you cannot focus. We could play a game, or perhaps we should go walking.”
Arabella turned to him, blushing a little. She closed her book and chuckled.
“Yes, I suppose I have not been a very good reader, which means my mind is completely elsewhere. Perhaps a walk would be just the thing.” She rose from her chair, and he put their books on the mantle before they left the inn.
“Besides, it was far too loud in there.” The fresh air was pleasant, and they walked slowly along the road, heading towards the village.
“I hope she is safe, Edward. I fear that we do not know this man.”
