Regency 02 - Betrayal (23 page)

Adam directed Miles to make funeral
arrangements. He also informed his cousin that he would be taking
care of Carly’s daughter. Miles had sent him a perplexed look but
agreed nonetheless.

Everyone avoided Adam until the day of the
funeral. He had been so pensive, so thoughtful that no one had
wanted to disturb him. He would wander around the house, ride out
on the moors, and sit at the piano in the music room, displaying a
talent that no one had even suspected.

Bri would have worried if she hadn’t sensed
that he was at peace within himself despite his odd silence. She
assumed he had had a chance to talk with his wife before she died
and she was glad. He had to put his feelings of guilt behind him if
he were to achieve any sort of happiness in his life.

Adam didn’t realize all the speculation he
was causing. He was too lost in thought. She had been about to tell
him something about Callie. She said she had lied. He remembered
her telling him during one of their many fights that the baby
wasn’t his. Was that the lie? Dare he hope?

He found it too painful to hope for that. And
he couldn’t bring himself to visit the little girl. He had told
Miles at the funeral that he wanted the child to stay but she was
to be kept from his sight. He just couldn’t bear to see her and
find that she looked just like Steyne.

Thinking of the viscount caused a spasm of
rage. Damn, but he should have killed the bastard when he had had
the chance!

He was sitting at the piano one day playing
in a desultory fashion when the doors opened to admit Bri. She
paused on the threshold and just stared at him. He just stared
back.

How much time passed in this fashion was
anyone’s guess. But suddenly, Adam was standing stiffly and Bri was
hugging him as if trying to disappear into him. He hugged her back,
ignoring the stiffness in his leg and the soreness of his ribs.

“Talk to me, Adam,” she said against his
chest. “Tell me what has you wandering the house like a specter.
Tell me what happened before Carlotta died.”

With a sigh, Adam walked over to a sofa in
the corner. He lowered them onto it without releasing her. He
actually lifted her and settled her in his lap. She made no
protest, cuddling into him instead.

He told her in a low voice all about his
marriage, how it was Steyne who had been with his wife, how the
bastard had tricked her, and how Adam had abandoned Carly to her
fate along with her unborn child. He told her of his very last
meeting with his wife, how she had died in his arms and despite the
fact that he had not loved her the way she needed, a part of him
had still died with her.

When he explained Carly’s last words and how
she had been unable to tell him what she had lied about, Bri sat up
and stared at him in amazement.

“Do you mean you have not been to see little
Callie yet?”

“No,” he replied. “I couldn’t bear the
thought of her looking just like Steyne.”

“Oh, my dearest,” the countess breathed. She
leaned forward and touched her lips to his briefly, very gently.
Then she smiled. “Come with me, Adam.”

She took his good hand and led him from the
room, up the stairs and to the nursery on the fourth floor. When he
realized where she was going, he held back.

Bri stopped and wrapped her arms around his
waist. “Do you trust me, Adam?” She asked gently.

“Yes,” he said without hesitation. And he was
very surprised to realize it was true.

“Then come with me. As soon as you see
Callie, you will see what I saw and all your worries will
vanish.”

Her words did not reassure him but he
followed her anyway. The nurse stood up upon their entrance and
curtsied awkwardly.

“Master Adam, my lady, what can I do for
you?”

Adam’s brows lifted at the woman’s greeting
and then he smiled. She had been his nurse when he was a child and
he had actually not seen her for many years. Probably close to
twenty-five, in fact. She still looked exactly the same as he
remembered her.

“Is Callie awake, Mrs. Bowers?” Bri
asked.

“Yes, my lady,” the old woman replied with a
smile. “And expecting you for the past hour. She is in her room
getting something she wanted to show you.”

“Wonderful.” Bri smiled. “Adam has come to
make her acquaintance.”

The old woman nodded and smiled. “I will
leave you alone with her then, my lady.” She curtsied again to them
both and left the room.

“Is this really necessary?” Adam asked his
beloved. “Cannot you just tell me what it is I am about to
discover?”

Bri smiled enigmatically and released him.
She crossed the room and disappeared through a door on the other
side. After a few moments, she returned with a very small,
black-haired girl in her arms. The little girl giggled at something
Bri said and Adam found the sound enchanting even though he tried
desperately to harden his heart against the pain he knew was
coming.

Then they were before him and Bri asked him
if he would like to hold her. He noticed the child looked down at
her hands the whole time. He shook his head.

“I insist,” Bri said happily as she switched
Callie from her arms to his. He took her reluctantly and glared
suspiciously at Bri. That young woman just grinned in obvious
delight.

“Sir Adam, allow me to introduce you to Miss
Callie Prestwich. Your daughter.”

Adam sent her a half-angry look. She smiled
brightly, completely calm. Then she redirected her attention to
Callie. “Look up at your father, dear.”

Callie lifted her head and Adam gazed into
eyes the color of a storm washed sea. They were wide and bright,
gray-green just like his own. And she was the spitting image of his
youngest sister. He felt a lump form in his throat and he had to
swallow hard against the threat of tears.

He failed miserably. Hugging the little girl
to him, he cried even as he smiled. Bri cried too and he gathered
her to him as well.

“Thank you,” he whispered to no one in
particular.

Callie was quickly a favorite among Adam’s
guests. Connor and Verena’s twins were delighted by the company in
spite of their being so much younger. Verena was delighted with
another child to mother although she never overstepped what she
considered Bri’s authority. Bri had already fallen in love with the
child even before introducing her to her father.

Connor’s sisters, Gwen and Jenny, spent
nearly as much time in the nursery as Bri and Verena. They were
nineteen and everything to do with children was their secret
delight. Raven visited often but she was usually found in company
with the duchess, which was a surprise to everyone except Connor
and Denbigh. Greville was young enough to find children somewhat
bewildering and more than a little annoying. So he spent most of
his visit with the duke discussing everything from politics to
farming.

Adam, who now used his title since Verena had
accidentally let Bri in on the secret and that young lady insisted
that he use it, tried to stay away from the nursery. But his steps
invariably led him there. He would stand in the child’s room while
she was sleeping and just stare at her in wonder and regret the
lost years with her.

He was glad he had come home to see Carly
before she died. A great weight had lifted from his shoulders. He
knew even after her apology that he had never really been in love
with her. His love for Bri seemed to make his feelings for Carly
pale in comparison.

He had not yet discussed with Bri his
feelings for her. He wanted to marry her more than anything,
immediately, but he was unsure of himself and her. He should be in
mourning for his dead wife. And he was, actually. But Carly had
told him that she had wanted him to move on years ago. Carly had
known that he had moved on. How could she not?

A few weeks after Carly’s death, Adam’s
guests decided it was time to return to Denbigh. They included Adam
and Callie in their plans to leave as well as Bri and Greville. The
twins insisted that Raven be included in the invitation and were so
persistent that Lady Denbigh finally agreed just to have a little
peace. It helped that the duchess was impressed with Raven’s air of
gentility, as well. Adam went along with their plans as he had ever
since the death of his wife. He offered no argument, no resistance,
and no complaint. He just went.

His reaction worried everyone. Adam was no
longer the cynical, sardonic Adam that everyone had come to know
and love. He seemed to have retreated into himself and no one knew
what he was thinking since he refused to talk to anyone.

The twins thought that perhaps he had loved
his wife very much indeed and didn’t want to face life without her.
Connor wondered if Adam’s feelings for his wife had been stronger
than he had thought. Verena was a little closer to the truth. She
thought Adam carried a feeling of guilt around him like a shroud
and instead of forgiving himself for whatever action it was he was
ashamed of, he wallowed in it. The duchess was inclined to stay out
of Adam’s troubles and Bri was just too worried about him to do
aught else.

Everyone hoped that things would change upon
their arrival at Denbigh Castle. Unfortunately, after placing his
daughter in the nursery under the care of the loyal Mrs. Bowers,
Adam retreated to his apartments and was rarely seen by the other
occupants of the castle.

A family meeting was called. The only ones
absent from the gathering were certain uncles, aunts, and cousins
who knew nothing about the situation and honestly didn’t want to
know. Even Dr. Steele had been called in, having known Adam nearly
as long as the rest of the Denbigh’s.

Everyone offered up their opinions and
carefully considered everyone else’s before it was finally decided,
a full three hours later, that the duke would be the best one to
approach Adam and ask outright what was going on since he stood as
a father figure to the baronet. He gravely agreed to do his best to
sound Adam out on several issues, most of which he did not share
with his family.

That this was Verena’s suggestion gave that
young lady a feeling of smugness that she didn’t hide very well.
She remembered several conversations with Adam and even her husband
where more was discovered with forthrightness than hedging around
the real issue.

The Duke of Denbigh found his
might-as-well-be-adopted son sitting at the piano in the vast music
room two days after the family meeting. The duchess and Miss
Emerson were off somewhere on the estate and his daughters were
with Lady Rothsmere and Verena in the nursery. Greville was
visiting the doctor, with whom he had developed a rather unexpected
friendship. Connor had gone with him.

Denbigh entered the room silently and sat
down to listen. Adam played with a feeling for the music that
seemed to communicate his feelings more accurately than he could
verbally. He played a somewhat sad melody written by someone
unknown to the duke at this particular moment. It was sad and yet
it wasn’t. It seemed rather…resolute, final…accepting.

Adam stopped before he had finished it. His
hands remained motionless on the ivory keys. Without turning he
said, “Did you want to talk to me, sir?”

Denbigh stood and approached. “I have been
asked by my duchess as well as others to find out when you plan to
marry that girl.”

Adam looked up and regarded the duke with an
amused smile. “I’m sorry for that.”

Denbigh sat down on the bench beside him.
“Well?” he asked as he started to pick out a tune on the keys.

Adam laughed. “Well what?” he hedged.

Denbigh smiled. “It really is none of my
business, as I told your adopted family. But they do insist. How
long have you played the piano?” he asked abruptly.

“Forever,” the baronet replied
laconically.

“How the devil did you manage to hide such a
talent from your family?”

Adam smiled sardonically. “By family, I
assume you are referring to yours.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “Con
may know, I am unsure. Does it matter?”

The duke ignored this to ask, “What were you
playing when I walked in?”

“It doesn’t actually have a title yet. It’s
not even done,” Adam said with a rueful half-smile.

Denbigh stared at him. “You composed that?
You are full of secrets.”

“Not anymore,” Adam answered mildly. “I
believe you all know my best kept secrets now, sir. I have a title.
I was married. I compose music when I need to escape. I play music
when I need to think. Oh, and I have a child.” He paused a moment
before continuing. “Which happened to be a better kept secret than
any of the rest since I didn’t even know.”

The duke chuckled and his hands stilled on
the piano keys. “Yes, I know your secrets. Your daughter is a
delight, by the way. She looks so much like you there is no doubt
of her paternity.”

“I know.”

Denbigh studied Adam closely but the man’s
expression was unreadable. “So, are you going to marry Bri?”

The baronet laughed with self-deprecation. “I
would like to, sir. More than anything, actually. But I doubt
she’ll have me.”

“She will. She’s just waiting for you to
ask.” He paused and glanced away from Adam’s suddenly smiling face.
He was a little unsure how to continue. Verena’s words leapt into
his head and he decided to heed them. He simply pointed out an
obvious fact. “You have changed, Adam.”

The smile disappeared. “How so?”

“I cannot recall a time when you were so
thoughtful, so…unapproachable. Even when you were told of your
family’s demise, you were still the same old cynical Adam
Prestwich. You brushed through that as if it had never happened and
other than a caustic remark about the dilapidated state of the
house and grounds, you had nothing to say about it.” He looked over
at his silent companion. “What has happened now?”