Larken (22 page)

“I suspect it was my mother who hid this letter because she didn’t want to know what it said.”

“Which was?”

“My father and Mariah were lovers. Myles is, in fact, my younger brother.”

After the initial shock passed, Larken felt a strange sense of relief. “I’m glad of it. Now I don’t have to fear some stranger from the past coming to claim Myles.”

To her surprise, Brandon laughed. “I thought the exact same thing.”

When Lord Rowe and Lady Clarissa arrived at Graceling Hall the following afternoon, Larken met them in the ballroom.

“I hope your cold is improved, Lady Clarissa?” she asked.

“It’s much better, thank you, and please call me Clarissa. Did you enjoy town?”

“Indeed we did. I hope you’ll stay for tea after our lesson. We brought back someone you might particularly wish to meet.”

“Clarissa and I always enjoy meeting new friends,” Rowe replied.

Larken and Rowe practiced the waltz for several minutes, and then moved on to the two-step. With a little concentration and practice, Larken managed to complete one half circle around the room. As they began dancing toward the piano again, the music came to a discordant halt. Clarissa rose, a look of shock on her face. Like his sister, Rowe stood with his mouth agape. Brandon and Theo had entered the ballroom.

“Hullo,” Theo said.

“Forgive the interruption, but I thought you should know my brother is alive,” Brandon said.

“It was all a terrible mistake, and Theo’s been living in London all this time,” Larken said.

Clarissa burst into tears. Theo winced and hastened to offer her a handkerchief.

“I’m awfully sorry to have caused such a commotion,” he said.

Rowe finally found his tongue. “How can you be amongst the living when they found your body?”

“It was a case of misidentification. The Liverpool police discovered my pocket watch on the dead man, and drew an erroneous conclusion.”

“If it hadn’t been for Larken, Theo wouldn’t be here,” Brandon said. “She was the one who recognized him.”

Although Rowe’s face was still ashen from shock, he hastened to shake Theo’s hand. “I’m not sure I’ve ever been so happy to be wrong.”

“Let’s resume our lesson some other time,” Larken said. “I believe we could all use a cup of tea.”

“I believe I could use something stronger,” Rowe said.

Larken led the way into the drawing room, where Rowe gratefully accepted the tot of brandy Theo gave him.

“So…what have you been doing with yourself?” Rowe asked.

“I changed my name and joined a company of actors, strangely enough,” Theo replied. “I rather thought my former life over until Brandon and his family appeared a few weeks ago. I can’t tell you how good it is to be at Graceling Hall again.”

“How could you let us think you were dead?” Lady Clarissa’s eyelashes were still wet. “Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but you ought to have known better!”

He gave her a sheepish look. “Lady Clarissa, I’d no idea people thought me dead. I’m distraught anyone would think I’d done it on purpose.”

Somewhat mollified, she dabbed at her eyes. “My brother and I will let our mutual acquaintances know you’re back, forthwith.”

“Yes, but you might want to stay home for a few days more until the news has made the rounds, or you will frighten everyone into thinking they’ve seen a ghost!” Rowe exclaimed.

“Speaking of ghosts, there’s one matter yet to be resolved,” Theo said. “The identity of the poor chap buried in my grave.”

“It does seem hard his family will never know what became of him,” Larken said.

“The Liverpool authorities have reopened the case. There’s most certainly a missing persons report on the fellow somewhere, so hopefully his identity will be resolved soon,” Brandon said.

Rowe raised his glass. “Well, here’s to the reunion of brothers and friends.”

Brandon grinned as he lifted his glass in response. “Hear, hear.”

Several weeks later, Brandon received word that his attorney would be arriving at Graceling Hall to speak with Larken. She was bewildered when he showed her the letter.

“But why would your attorney want to see me?”

“Mr. Waite writes that he has information regarding your inheritance.”

“My what?”

“Yes, it didn’t seem right to me that your parents would have left you nothing, so I asked him to look into it for you.”

Larken’s knees gave way and she sank onto a chair. “Oh…Brandon, I can’t tell you how much this means to me. I daren’t imagine there is any money left, but I pray Wynstone Park is still mine. It’s been in my family for generations.”

“I didn’t want you to get your hopes up too high, but I can’t imagine he’d come all this way to give you bad news.”

The attorney arrived as promised the next afternoon. Brandon ushered him into his study, where Larken was pacing.

“Hello, Mr. Waite,” she said. “Thank you for coming.”

The attorney shook Larken’s hand and peered at her over the top of his glasses.

“So you’re the Miracle Orphan, hmm? I never thought I would be meeting you, but it’s a pleasure.”

After he was seated, Mr. Waite came straight to the point.

“Mrs. King, your parents’ will established a trust to be managed on your behalf until you turned eighteen. Shortly after you went to live with the Howleys, they took over management of that trust. I believe they accomplished this by bribing your parents’ solicitor, but I can’t prove it. The man unfortunately drank himself into an early grave, and so he’s not available for comment.”

“Why haven’t the Howleys turned over the assets to me?”

“I think you can guess the answer to that. The scoundrels have been living off the trust and from the money they’ve collected for leasing Wynstone Park. There’s also a bank account which they plundered. Fortunately, they spent only the income and the bulk of the principal is still intact.”

Brandon’s lips thinned in anger. “What can be done?”

“I’ve contacted the authorities in Rugby and recommended the Howleys be brought up on criminal charges. The long and the short of it is, you’re a woman of some means, Mrs. King.” He produced a key ring. “These are the keys to Wynstone Park. The property is vacant at present, if you wish to inspect it.”

Larken reached out a trembling hand for the keys. As her fingers closed around them, it felt almost as if her parents were there, reminding her she’d not been forgotten. She gulped back tears.

“I-I can’t wait to go home.” She cast a guilty glance at Brandon. “My former home, that is.”

“North Yorkshire is only about sixty miles from Newcastle. We can visit tomorrow, if you like.” Brandon paused. “It’ll mean a short journey by train.”

“I can manage the train, I think, and I’d like to visit Wynstone Park very much.”

The attorney stood. “That concludes my business. I’ll keep you abreast of the legal proceedings against the Howleys.”

“I’m grateful to you, sir,” Larken managed.

Brandon left to escort Mr. Waite to the door, and when he returned to the study, Larken was still clutching the keys in her hand.

“So I’ve brought something to the marriage after all,” she said.

“You brought far more to our marriage than an inheritance. You saved me from myself.”

Larken gave a little wiggle as the cab turned into a long tree-lined driveway.

“Thank you for bringing me. I’m very excited to be here.”

Brandon laughed. “I noticed!”

“The grounds have been neglected.” A sorrowful glance. “I’m sorry you’re to tour Wynstone Park when it’s not at its best.”

“Don’t worry, I have a good imagination.” As he caught sight of something through the window, his expression changed. “Is that the house? Why, it’s splendid!”

She followed his glance. “It is, isn’t it?”

Returning to Wynstone Park after so many years truly felt like a homecoming. The carriage had barely stopped when she flung open the door and jumped down without assistance. Impatient to see inside the house, she dashed underneath the porte-cochère, but she was obliged to wait while Brandon brought the keys. He purposely blocked her path as he unlocked the door and threw it wide. In the next moment, he scooped her up and carried her through the opening.

“What are you doing?” she exclaimed.

“It’s tradition for a man to carry his blushing bride over the threshold of their new home.” He set her down on her feet.

“But it’s not our new home.”

“It is if you want it to be.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Graceling Hall was supposed to be Theo’s inheritance. As firstborn, it’s his birthright, but while I’m there he’ll never feel as if he’s the master of the house. I’m going to relinquish ownership of the estate, and I want you to consider whether you’d like to live here instead.”

Stunned, Larken stared at him. “But…what about Myles!”

“He’ll come with us, of course. Along with his pony and the new dog, too.”

“But—”

“Don’t decide now. Let me have a tour of the house and grounds and we’ll see how you feel.”

“You may have noticed, it’s far less grand than Graceling Hall.”

“Any home with you in it is a palace, in my estimation.”

A soft smile. “You talk so sweetly, sir, you shall sweep me off my feet.”

The growing spark in his eyes meant he’d caught her meaning full well. As Larken took him through the house, the furniture may have been covered with sheets but her memories of the place were laid gloriously bare. The more she thought about the idea of living in the home, the more she warmed to the notion. No ballroom existed, but the oriental rugs in the large drawing room could be rolled back for dancing, if need be. The dining room was also quite large, and the two-story library was lined with thousands of beautiful leather-bound volumes. Brandon actually gasped with pleasure when he saw it.

When Larken entered her old bedroom, she was taken aback by its cozy size. “I hadn’t remembered it being so small.”

Brandon came up behind her and wrapped her in his arms. “It’s perfect for a nursery.”

As he trailed nibbling kisses down her bare neck, she closed her eyes and reveled in the delicious warmth his lips aroused. When he finally pulled away, he was flushed.

“Blazes! There I go, starting something I can’t finish again.”

Equally flushed, Larken cleared her throat. “Let me show you the rest of the house. Then we can walk outside where the air is cooler.”

After they’d examined every part of Wynstone Park, inside and out, they returned to the cab for the drive back to the train station.

“Tell me your thoughts,” he said. “Does the notion of living in your family home appeal to you?”

“I confess, it does. Graceling Hall is a grand estate, to be sure, but I never really saw myself as mistress of it.”

“It’s settled then.” Brandon smiled, yet he seemed contemplative.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Now that we’ve decided, I’m beginning to realize how fond I’ve grown of Graceling Hall.”

“We don’t have to leave, you know.”

“Yes, we do. It’s the right thing for Theo.”

“Mr. King, you possess the highest character of any man I’ve ever known.”

When she leaned forward to kiss him, he pulled her onto his lap.

“You have a marvelous knack for distracting me from my troubles, Mrs. King,” he said. “By all means, distract away.”