“He’s not the one, and before I can tell you who is, I have to hear you swear you won’t kill him. Fear of that is why Ella faked her death, Dominic. She doesn’t want him dead or you imprisoned for it. So swear. It’s her condition that you do, not mine.”
“She’s really alive?” he asked incredulously.
Brooke nodded. “Both she and your niece are.”
“My God, how?”
She told him what she could about the faked deaths without revealing names or locations and admitted how she was able to find Ella. “At first I hoped to find proof that Ella’s death was an accident, not a suicide. Then it became apparent that her baby might still be alive. I hoped the child, at least, would ease your pain. We didn’t expect to find them together.”
“Where is she?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Damnit—”
“I can’t! She made me promise to hear you swear first.”
“Bloody hell, does it not sound like I’m swearing!?”
She understood his frustration. She would have smiled if it weren’t so inappropriate with these particular emotions racking him. “That isn’t the sort of swearing she wants me to hear,” Brooke was forced to say.
Oh, my, there was that feral gleam again, but she didn’t think it was for her. Then he paced and did some more of that other swearing. She waited patiently.
He finally stopped and stared at her. “I swear I won’t kill him. There, I’ve said it quite clearly. Now give me the name of who I’m only going to pummel.”
“Benton Seamons.”
He growled and marched to the nearest wall to punch his fist through it. She hurried over to see what sort of damage he’d just done to his knuckles, tsking at him, “Keep in mind, she doesn’t want him to die for what he did, though she might not care if he gets a sound thrashing. But you and your sister can discuss that later.”
“Why did she blame your brother instead? Or was that just a ruse to put me off the scent?”
“No, she didn’t know you’d read her diary. And it was Robert’s fault indirectly, even though he only thought he was helping when he interfered where he shouldn’t have. He had become chummy with your friend that summer and learned that Benton was so in debt from his gambling that his father was threatening to disown him. So he steered Benton to a ducal heiress who would be of age to marry in a couple of years, to get in on the ground floor, as it were, a girl who could solve his current problems nicely—and easily cover any exorbitant gambling debts he incurred in the future. It was the only thing that appeased his father enough to pay off his debts. Benton was drunk when he laughed at Ella’s news about the baby, but he already knew he couldn’t marry her even if he did love her. He broke with her in that harsh manner because he was going to be disowned if he didn’t, which would leave him no longer worthy of her in any case.”
“Why didn’t your brother tell me that?”
“Well, he did tell you it wasn’t him, you just didn’t believe him. And Ella did blame him for ruining her life because he was the one who told Benton he could do better than her and with who. She found that out from Robert before she left London and how badly in debt Benton really was.”
“But three duels—why the devil didn’t he give me Benton’s name?”
“Because he’d given his word to Benton that he wouldn’t reveal anything about that summer. Who would have thought my brother could have even a speck of honor in him, to keep that secret even though his life depended on it? But I just found that out from Robert last night when we returned to town. And that being responsible for giving Benton that ducal option has made him feel rather guilty, especially when you accused him of being responsible for Ella’s death. He pretty much admitted that he felt he deserved a bullet for his part in it—but not three duels!” Brooke grinned slightly, remembering her brother’s frustrated expression when they’d talked of this last night. “He was quite put out when you wanted that third round. He was ready to find Benton himself and beat him into giving you his confession when you cornered him to force that last duel. And when I got dragged into it, he was actually trying to rescue me by goading you to send me home. I’m glad you realized that before I did.”
“And that potion he gave you?”
She rolled her eyes. “It was supposed to make you see something grotesque and frightening in anyone you looked at, long enough for you to chase everyone out of your house, including me. It was otherwise harmless. Now, would you like to see Ella today?”
“She’s that close?”
Brooke grinned. “Yes. So you should probably let your mother know. Seeing Ella without prior warning . . .”
He chuckled. “Indeed, ghosts tend to cause all sorts of havoc and fainting.”
She laughed. “How would you know?”
“A good guess.” He squeezed her tightly. “You can’t imagine what this means to me, Babble.”
Yes, she could.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
BROOKE WAITED UNTIL SHE heard Anna’s shriek of joy from upstairs before she went to the parlor’s front window and waved toward her waiting coach, giving Ella the signal they had agreed upon to let Ella know it was safe to enter the house. A few moments later a knock came at the front door. Brooke moved into the hall with Storm following at her heels. Her pet wasn’t letting Brooke out of sight this soon after finding her again. Brooke was in time to witness Willis’s shock when he opened the door. Maybe they should have warned him, too. But with his proper demeanor still absent, Willis was soon hugging Ella; well, it was a bit awkward with Annabelle sitting on Ella’s hip.
Ella was laughing when he ran upstairs to let Dominic and Anna know, but her eyes widened when she spotted Brooke and saw what was sitting beside her. Annabelle was excitingly waving toward the “doggy,” wanting to touch it, but Ella was cautious and approached slowly. “That’s the white wolf that saved Dom and me when we were children.”
“She saved me, too, but she’s a dog, not a wolf.”
“She’s a wolf,” Ella insisted. “And in London? How’s that possible?”
Brooke grinned. “She’s my pet. Really!”
Ella glanced at Brooke and shook her head. “Are you a magician? You managed to find me when I wasn’t supposed to be found, and you’ve tamed a wolf. What other tricks have you got in your bonnet?”
Brooke rolled her eyes, but then laughed. “I’ll allow I might have tamed at least one wolf.”
The wolf she’d just referred to came running down the stairs with his mother close behind him, and Ella and her child were immediately smothered in hugs. Ella and her mother were crying, not at all surprising. Brooke tried to see if Dominic was, too, but his head was bowed over theirs, at least until he reached out and pulled Brooke into that big family hug.
As soon as Annabelle was in Anna’s arms and the older woman was cooing over her new granddaughter, Dominic led them into the parlor. Ella had started explaining why she’d taken such extreme measures after Benton had spurned her. Anna only had a few scathing things to say about Dominic’s ex-friend during that long explanation, and a few wonderful things to say about Brooke’s role in reuniting her family, along with a heartfelt apology.
After Ella finished her story, she asked her brother, “So am I getting more hugs or a scolding?”
“Don’t think there won’t be one—later.”
Ella just laughed at him through teary eyes so like his, until he pulled her across the sofa onto his lap for a bear hug that made her shriek and push away from him, giggling. “I hope you don’t crush her like that. And when is the wedding to be?”
He grinned. “You assume?”
“She told me a lot about your time together. I know you, Brother.”
“Today would be nice,” Anna put in.
Dominic laughed. “I quite agree. We can find a priest on the way to Whitworth House.”
Surprised, Brooke, sitting on his other side, leaned close to whisper to him, “I don’t need to be married in
my parents’ house.”
“Why not? We’re joining two families and everyone appears to be in London for it.”
“But Robert might be there,” Brooke warned.
“Your brother has been forgiven—by me. What about by you?”
“No, some things can’t be, but after everything I discovered in the last two days, I might have to allow that the man might not be quite the same as the boy. Of course, I could just be so happy that I’ll forgive anyone, even him, maybe even my father with his icy heart.”
She wished she hadn’t said that. Speaking of the devil, Thomas was just coming down the stairs at the Whitworth town house when they all arrived a while later and were let in the front door. Harriet was beside him, helping to keep him steady on the steps.
Brooke called out to her, “We’ve brought a priest with us, Mother,” and then with a laugh at Harriet’s look of surprise said, “You were right. He loves me and doesn’t want to wait another day for our wedding. Will the parlor do?”
“Certainly!” Harriet stopped when Anna stepped into the foyer.
But Anna, seeing the glare she was suddenly getting, said, “Don’t hold a grudge, Harriet. You know what I thought. If we’d had all the facts sooner—actually, our children might not even have met if we did. You and Brooke both had a part in bringing my girl home to us. I can never thank you enough for that, but know that I will love your girl as my own, I promise you.”
Harriet blushed a little at those words. But Thomas demanded, “A wedding today?” And then squinting at Dominic: “Is that the Hamilton boy?”
“It’s a love match instead, Thomas, and a good one.” Harriet got him down the last few steps and steered him toward the parlor. But in a much-lower tone she mumbled, “About bloody time someone gets one of those.”
“Eh? Speak up, you know I can’t hear that well.”
“The Regent’s edict, surely you remember we had no choice in this matter?” Harriet reminded him.
Thomas’s memory might be deteriorating, but it wasn’t always faulty. “I thought that reprobate was bought off,” he stated clearly.
“He changed his mind,” Harriet lied. “Or did you want to add to the bribe to try and get him to change it yet again?”
Thomas snorted. “A love match will do, no need to waste more coin if the chit actually loves the wolf. I suppose she wants me to give her away?”
“That isn’t necessary,” Harriet assured him.
Brooke realized what her mother was doing and could feel Dominic tensing up when it occurred to him, too, that Thomas Whitworth could withhold his permission for this wedding, and the priest wouldn’t perform it without parental consent. Not that they couldn’t find a way to marry some other way, but she’d rather return to Rothdale without the worry that her father might come pounding on the door to demand her back. So she took Dominic’s hand in hers and gave him a reassuring smile before she said quite loudly so Thomas couldn’t help but hear her, “Actually, yes, let’s make this official with you giving me away, Father.”
But as soon as Thomas passed into the parlor, Dominic looked down at her and asked without inflection, “Has Archer been courting you without my notice?”
His eyes had just turned feral, making her roll hers. “Your wolf is showing,” she teased. “As it happens, it’s rather funny how his name came up in this house. Remind me to tell you later.”
Ella started to follow her mother into the parlor, but paused to ask, “Is Archer still available? Now that I’m going to be a widow with a recovered memory . . .”
Dominic gave his sister an indomitable look. “Leave my friends alone, minx. I don’t want to have to kill Archer after I’m done with Benton.”
“You swore—”
“I’m not going to kill him. But he won’t walk away from this unscathed, either. He’s not going to get what he broke your heart for. The wedding to the heiress won’t happen once I speak to her parents and his.”
“Oh, well, that’s different. By all means . . .”
Having heard the commotion in the hall and Brooke’s shout about Thomas giving her away, Alfreda came down the stairs smiling. She didn’t need to be told that everything had worked out as Brooke had hoped. But her smile broadened when Gabriel came through the front door. He wasn’t about to miss Dominic’s wedding and had been dispatched in the Wolfe coach to fetch the priest, who followed him in.
But Gabriel’s eyes had gone straight to the maid, and he yelled at her with a cheeky grin, “A double wedding, Freda?”
Alfreda actually blushed, but mumbled, “In your dreams, puppy.”
He sighed. “I suppose that’s better than your last resounding no.”
“Today is for my poppet. Mind your manners.”
He must have found that a promising reply because he was grinning from ear to ear when he gave Alfreda his arm to escort her into the parlor. But then Dominic drew Brooke’s attention, saying, “Do hurry if you’re going to change into that lovely wedding dress.”
“I’m not. It would be bad luck to wear it again, and you and I are done with bad luck. I’m ready to make you my husband right now.”
Brooke’s mother walked her down the improvised aisle that day. But her father did state quite clearly when asked by the priest that, yes, he was giving her away, which was the only nice thing Thomas Whitworth had ever done for her. . . .
And then she was Lady Brooke Wolfe, a dream come true. The man who drew her into his arms to seal the union was a better dream come true. The joy in her heart was overwhelming. She cried. Dominic laughed at her when he saw it.
Her brother did make an appearance at the end of the ceremony. He stood in the doorway, wary about getting anywhere near Dominic even though the cause of their discord was in the room. Ella even approached him to say, “I suppose in the end you did me a favor, steering Benton to the proverbial golden goose. I’ve had enough time to realize he wouldn’t have made me a good husband. So why did you?”
“He needed help. You would have got him disowned.”
“Yes, but why did you elect to fix that for him? Was he an old friend, a best friend? What you did changed not just my family, but yours, not to mention you might have died for it.”
“I’d never had many friends, just tagalongs who don’t really care about me nor I them. I’d only met Benton that summer, but he showed me there was more to friendship—listening, sharing, wanting to help if needed. He was probably the only real friend I ever had—and your brother’s a bad shot. The risk wasn’t all that great.”
Dominic and Brooke joined them in time to hear that. “Shall we try again with what I’m good at?” Dominic asked Robert.
“Bloody hell.” Robert backed quickly out of the room.
“I thought you were done with him?” Brooke said.
“I thought that as well,” Ella said.
“I am,” Dominic replied. “He even knows I am. I’m not sure what he’s afraid of now.”
Brooke rolled her eyes and went after Robert, stopping him at the front door. She didn’t want him plotting to retaliate if he really thought Dominic still wanted revenge. She thought she’d made it clear last night to Robert that Dominic didn’t, but maybe it bore repeating.
“He was joking, you know. There won’t be any more challenges of any sort.”
“Except against Benton now?”
Her eyes flared. “You’re going to warn him, aren’t you?”
“Shouldn’t I? Isn’t that what a friend would do?”
He sounded almost anguished, asking that, so she was careful in replying, “Yes, indeed, if he’s really a friend, but have you even seen him again since you gave him that boon and he scampered off to secure it two years ago? You got left to deal with the aftermath of that. Did he even know you were accepting duels on his behalf?”
“Yes and yes.”
She wasn’t expecting confirmation on her guesses. “And he didn’t step forward even then to fix that for you?”
“It was too la
te and he’s getting married this week. You got your happy marriage, Brooke, he should get his. You are happy with the wolf, aren’t you?”
“For the first time in my life, truly, truly happy. But your friend, if he really is your friend, doesn’t deserve that after everything he’s done. And he’s not marrying that poor girl for the right reasons, is he? Just for more blunt to support his gambling habits.”
“No, to keep from being disowned. I could imagine the terror of that. And I actually experienced it m’self last year.”
“Then warn him if you must, but Dominic has sworn he won’t try to kill him. Ella doesn’t want that. But I’m pretty sure he’s going to get disowned anyway, once Dominic visits Benton’s father as well as the girl’s parents, and that he will do before the wedding. So Benton Seamons won’t get the heiress in either case. It’s time to bow out, Robert, before you get caught up in a duke’s wrath instead.”
“It feels like a betrayal to do nothing.”
She was surprised enough to remark, “I never thought I would say this, but you’re proving yourself a worthy friend, Robert.” She would have added in a callous way, since people did get hurt by his definition of friendship, but this was her wedding day, so she didn’t need to be that blunt. “You’ll find some new friends worthy to be yours. You know, we could have been friends like they are.” She nodded behind her at Dominic and his sister. “I’m sorry it never happened for us.”
She should probably have left that unsaid as well, she realized, when she saw him wince. But then he said, “Jealousy is a monstrous thing when you’re too young to know what it is.”
She caught sight of her mother joining Dominic and Ella. Everyone was so happy today—except Robert, and probably Thomas. While Brooke finally had the relationship she’d always wanted with her mother, and she finally had the family she’d always wanted with the Wolfes, she was still reminded by Robert’s words that for too many years she didn’t have either. Because of his childhood jealousy, his selfishness, his arrogance . . . she forced herself to stop there.
She knew he was about to apologize for that, but she just wasn’t ready to hear it. So she nodded and walked away before he said the words that would make her cry or snarl or—she didn’t know what would happen. Maybe someday she’d let them find out. . . .