The carriage slowed to a stop in front of the small church where Lachlan MacAlistair’s friends had gathered to honor the man they thought they knew. In truth, very few people knew him, Gwen thought as her husband offered his hand to help her alight from the sleek, black carriage.
Her reason for attending today became clear as Gwen spied someone who did indeed know her father.
She had someone to thank.
“I see someone I must speak with.” Her voice was soft as she addressed her husband. “Would you mind giving me a moment?”
“Take your time. I know you’re not going anywhere.” He winked at her. “I’ll be with Tristan if you need me.”
Gwen stood on her tiptoes then embraced him. “I love you so much.” She kissed her husband’s cheek then strode to her other savior.
Minnie Dunlop stood alone outside the stone edifice. The expression on her thin face was distant until she noticed Gwen walking toward her. The frail, elder woman’s eyes seemed to radiate with recognition.
Standing inches from her father’s mistress, Gwen was devoid of ill will. Instead, relief washed over her.
“I know that this must be awkward for you, considering the relationship between you and … well, you know.” Gwen didn’t want to insult the woman by saying any more.
“Yes, I know all too well.” Minnie’s eyes clouded. “It saddens me that you know.”
Gwen released an exasperated sigh. Though this conversation was more awkward than she expected, she knew this would be her one chance. “Thank you, for what you did for me.”
The mature woman’s brow snapped together revealing her confusion.
“I know you refused to allow my betrothal to your son.” Gwen’s words hung in the damp air. She was thankful for their release. “In doing so, you saved my life.”
Minnie’s gray eyes grew watery. “I must admit that I was quite relieved to hear of your marriage. I hope you believe that I never wanted to hurt your family or your mother.”
“I choose to believe it.” In the wake of so much cruelty, Gwen gave Minnie Dunlop the benefit of the doubt.
“Your father wasn’t always like … well, the way he was before he died,” the frail woman said. “He loved your mother, but she hurt him. His anger was all that remained to console him.”
Gwen found Minnie’s memories of Lachlan to be clouded, but kept her opinion to herself.
Her father’s mistress continued, her gray eyes sullen. “I blame myself for what happened to your father. If I hadn’t fought with him, forced him to travel to England, he never would have been at that inn.”
“If you hadn’t done so,” Gwen countered, “if he hadn’t taken me to England, he would never have relented in his plan for me to marry Keir. My husband was the only reason he gave up his sinful scheme.”
“I saw you arrive with your husband. His admiration for you is quite evident.” Keir’s mother glanced toward Sebastian.
Gwen never expected the woman before her to still care for her father, but it was quite evident that she did. Lachlan had pushed his own family away, but he left behind a lover and illegitimate son who would both grieve for him.
“Thank you again for helping me.” Gwen paused before adding, “I’m sorry for your loss.”
A pink tinge crept over the pale woman’s cheeks. “My condolences to your family.”
Gwen joined her husband and brother with her head held high, satisfied with the way she treated Keir’s mother. Minnie Dunlop appeared to be kind and decent. Surely, Lachlan MacAlistair did not deserve such a woman.
Both gentlemen ceased whispering as she approached.
“Are you all right?” Tristan’s voice was rough with concern. “I can’t believe you spoke with that woman.”
Gwen studied her brother’s expression then her husband’s. Both accompanied her for the sole purpose of lending support and protection yet neither was necessary.
Not any longer.
Gwen placed her small hand in her brother’s large one. “That woman, as you called her, is the reason father took me to England.” Her expression was soft as she explained. “She refused to allow him to broker the union we all know would have been sinful.”
Her brother’s features gentled. “I didn’t realize.”
“Do you want to be here?” Gwen asked him.
“It’s only proper.” Her brother answered the way he thought she wanted him to.
Gwen turned to her husband. “I suppose you didn’t have time to notify him of our new family edict, the one about no more lies?”
“No,” Sebastian mused, “I didn’t get to that one yet. I was relaying edicts two through five first.”
Gwen’s tone was light, much like her heart for the first time in ages. “Gentlemen, it’s simple. We should not be here.”
Tristan’s face was a mask of confusion. “But you’re the reason we came in the first place.”
“I know but I said what I needed to, and in the process, realized something,” Gwen almost smiled at her brother’s exasperated expression. “Keir’s mother loved Lachlan. She misses him. It is she who belongs here, not us.”
Sebastian feigned concern. “But what will everyone think?”
“I honestly don’t care. Do either of you?” Gwen glanced at both men. They each shook their heads.
“Shall we depart then?” she asked.
“Thank the Lord you came to your senses.” Tristan squeezed his sister’s hand. “The last thing I wanted to do was be hypocritical in that church. I was afraid lightning would strike.”
“A storm is approaching,” Sebastian mused.
Once the Duke and Duchess were seated in their opulent carriage, he kissed the top of her head. “I’m so proud of you.”
Gwen remained silent, resting her head on his broad shoulder. They bid goodbye to Tristan in town where he had business to attend and his carriage was waiting.
Though Gwen knew her brother would join them in Northamptonshire soon, she missed him already.
Sebastian sensed her mood. “He will be home safe soon enough.”
Nodding, she placed her hand against his heart.
“You were magnificent today,” his hands lulled her by caressing her back. “I have one favor to ask of you since you refuse to be hypocritical. Please stop wearing your mourning clothes.”
Gwen bolted upright. “What will the ton think?”
“You just left your father’s memorial service because you don’t care what people think.”
“We’ll never see these people again. The ton, on the other hand, could ruin us with such a scandal.”
“Have we ever truly cared what the ton thinks?”
Sebastian arched his black brow. When her eyes widened, he rephrased his question. “Let me rephrase that. Have we ever let the ton stop us?”
Her shoulders relaxed. “No, but that is because you were so persuasive.”
“Please, Duchess, stop mourning the man who all but destroyed us. You’ve shown your father more respect than he deserves.”
Gwen’s heart melted at the sound of that one word, “Duchess,” spoken with such adoration. She rested her head on his shoulder again. “Are you certain you’re prepared for the scandal that could commence?”
“Yes, I am. Even if it means that we spend the next year confined to Kellington Manor. It does have over a hundred rooms, you know.”
“A hundred rooms?” She feigned innocence. “What on earth would we do in them?”
Sebastian rested his head against hers before whispering, “How about more of what we did last night?”
“Darling, I wouldn’t need to wear clothes for that.”
A smile draped across his full lips. “Now you understand my reasoning. We could start practicing now, you know. Postpone our departure until tomorrow.”
“No, I won’t have it. I want to depart for home this evening.” She traced the crease in his trousers with her fingernail. “However, that does leave us with this afternoon all to ourselves.”
He
laughed into her hair.
The coach soon swayed to a halt and Sebastian held Gwen’s hand as she descended from the sleek black coach. While he instructed the driver of their plans, Gwen surveyed the once-imposing estate through different eyes.
It no longer intimidated her.
Her husband wrapped his strong arms around her from behind. “What are you thinking?”
“That I couldn’t be any more blessed.” She leaned backward against his length.
“And here I thought I was the fortunate one.”
“My, my, look at the two of you.” Keir’s sinister voice spoke from the open front door of the structure. “I wondered what was taking you so long.”
Sebastian straightened, walking in front of Gwen until his body was buffering hers from the unwanted visitor. “What are you doing here, Dunlop? Shouldn’t you be at your father’s service?”
“No, I paid my respects to my father every time I was with him. I don’t need to do so in front of an audience. I do apologize for surprising you, though,” sarcasm dripped from Keir’s every word. “Seeing as you fired Gawain, there was no one to announce me.”
“What do you want?” Sebastian’s voice was curt.
“Tsk, tsk, where are your manners?” Keir smirked. “Honestly, Gwendolyn, you could have chosen a husband a little more civilized.”
“I chose the perfect husband,” Gwen countered, “and I didn’t dip into my blood lines to do so.”
“Well done, Gwen, I dare say you have gained a back bone after all.” Keir descended the stone steps one at a time. It was clear that he enjoyed the attention he commanded.
Sebastian stood stock-still, ready to pounce as his wife whispered in his ear, “Don’t listen to him. He wants to provoke you.”
Once Keir had descended the steps, he stood a foot away from his rival. “Lachlan didn’t believe your wife had any independence in her, though I always felt she would be a wild horse to tame.”
Keir’s overconfident form then turned toward Gwen. “I’m sorry I missed the opportunity to break you in.”
“Shut your mouth!” Sebastian lunged at the man, pinning Dunlop against the sleek lacquered carriage with the Duke of Davenport’s crest.
His arm pressed against Dunlop’s windpipe as the intruder gasped for air. Sebastian then squeezed harder, pressing against the man’s larynx.
Barely audible, Keir’s raspy words escaped his collapsing throat. “Stop.”
“Say please,” Sebastian demanded.
Keir gasped again. “P-please.”
Sebastian released him with force, sending the man to the ground where he remained on his back, clutching his throat. Gwen stood behind her husband, her hand resting against his back.
Their uninvited guest was slow to find his voice. “See what a monster you married?” he croaked to Gwen.
“The only one I see is the barbarian I didn’t marry.” Gwen’s words were full of scorn.
Keir’s wide eyes betrayed his madness. “I’m looking out for my sister’s best interests.”
“Sister?” Gwen ridiculed. “I am no more your sister than I am your friend.”
“Was what father wanted in his last days truly so bad?” he countered.
“You are insane,” she said aloud, no longer afraid of the shadows.
“Not as mad as dear old dad,” Keir taunted.
Gwen decided to strike fear into him. “Darling,” she addressed her husband, “I think you should finish what you started.”
“No!” The Earl’s hand snapped to his throat, fear in his eyes. “Wait.”
“Wait for what?” Sebastian asked, his gaze unyielding as he bent forward.
Keir cowered, “You’d go to prison if you hurt me.”
“Are you forgetting who I am?” Sebastian’s expression was hard, his tone threatening. “I have unlimited wealth and skilled attorneys. I’m not afraid.”
Beads of sweat trickled down Keir’s forehead. He shook his head then stood, regaining some of his courage. “You’re bluffing.”
Sebastian stood as well, inches away from the man. “I won’t let anything or anyone hurt my wife or our family,” he warned. “Don’t ever think that I won’t kill you to protect them.”
Keir’s eyes darted from his adversary, to the safety of his own carriage so far away.
Sebastian grabbed the man’s face. “If I see you anywhere near us, I will kill you. Do you understand?”
Keir nodded.
“I’ll know if you follow us to England and I’ll assume the worst. Tell me you understand.”
“I understand.” Keir gulped loudly before adding, “I won’t come near you.”
Sebastian released him with force causing Keir to stumble before running from them, like a dog with his tail between his legs.
When he had reached the security of his carriage, Keir began to feel safe again.
Scotland was safe.
He would remain on his own soil. He wouldn’t tempt fate by seeking vengeance against Davenport and his new bride. Besides, neither was his true target.
He’d wait for the counterfeit son – the one who would inherit everything. The one who would take what didn’t belong to him.
Then and only then would Keir exact his revenge.
What sweet revenge it would be.
Tristan returned to England after the reading of his father’s will.
“In the end, father did the honorable thing.” He rubbed his chin. “He left everything to Colin; therefore, no one need doubt our brother’s place in society.”
Gwen sat with him on their hill. The grass was decaying as autumn drew to a close. “Any word from your investigators?”
Her brother shook his head, “Nothing yet.”
“Sebastian’s haven’t uncovered any leads either. God, I pray Colin is safe. Do you think he will return home if we do locate him?” She picked up an orange leaf then twirled it within her fingers.
“I don’t know.” Tristan sighed before continuing. “The more I think of all the secrets, I wonder if anything we ever knew was real.”
Gwen placed her cheek on her brother’s tense shoulder. “We are – you, me and Colin. In spite of our parent’s secrets, we are still family. That is real. We can’t change the rest of it anymore than we could stop the seasons from changing.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“None of this is simple.” Gwen sighed. “We just have to rebuild from the ashes, I suppose.”
“Along those lines,” Tristan gazed upwards at the crisp autumn sky, streaked with fluffy white clouds. “There’s one more of father’s secrets that came back to haunt him.”
“Good God, what else could there be?” Gwen straightened, bracing herself.
“Our grandfather paid me a visit right before the reading of father’s will.”
“Our what?” Gwen blinked then attempted to clear her head. She’d grown up believing their grandparents dead.
Tristan proved he could read his sister’s thoughts. “Yes, our paternal grandfather was alive this whole time.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but words failed her.
“Apparently, he and Father had a falling out,” her brother explained. “Father left home at a young age, moving to Scotland and working for a wealthy landowner who had no heirs. He inherited the man’s estate, our family’s Scottish estate, upon his employer’s death.”
Gwen eyes darted about the autumn landscape as she attempted to assimilate all of the information. “What of our grandfather? What is he like? Did he know about us?”
“Yes, he did. He visited father both here and in Scotland, attempting to make amends but father wouldn’t hear of it. Lachlan banned grandfather’s presence in our lives.”
“This is incredible.”
Tristan smiled. “Not as incredible as my next bit of information. Our grandfather has a title. He is a Viscount.”
Gwen stood then walked to the edge of the hill before turning on her heel to face her brother once mo
re. “How is this possible? Surely Lachlan wouldn’t shun his own title?”
“The title was all but worthless as the wealth that our ancestors amassed disappeared long before our grandfather inherited it.” Tristan stood bridging the distance between him and Gwen. “All that’s left of monetary value is a small parcel of land. Father never saw the potential.”
“So our grandfather is underprivileged?” Gwen asked in disbelief.
Tristan squinted in the autumn sun. “No. In recent years, he’s turned things around somewhat, amassing land in England and Scotland. He asked me to partner with him and complete the task. We have already begun working together. He plans to bequeath me his title and land in return, along with sharing his wealth.”
“Tristan! Are you serious?” Gwen jaw dropped; her hands clasped over her heart.
“I’m quite serious,” Tristan assured his sister. “Don’t tell me you think me incapable of making his properties thrive.”
Gwen was certain her expression was as luminous as her heart as she wrapped her arms around her brother in a tight hug. “You are more than capable. You were the best in your class and you’re smarter than ten men of your age combined.”
“It is extraordinary. Regardless of all his lies and his many deceptions, father didn’t win.” Tristan’s usual baritone was replaced with wonder.
A sudden concern flashed through her mind causing Gwen to pull away. “Can you trust our grandfather? I mean … is he like Lachlan?”
“Our grandfather appears to be kind, trustworthy and moral. So unlike our father, in fact, that I believe it’s why Father left.” Tristan’s tone was gentle. “I think you will like our grandfather as much as I do.”
“I am sure I will.” The pure happiness in her brother’s smile confirmed she would. “I am so happy for you, Tristan.”
Tristan grew hesitant. “There is one more thing.”
Her gaze held his as Tristan continued, “Grandfather wishes to meet you. I told him I’d ask you. If you don’t want to—”
“Of, course I would like to meet him.” Gwen beamed her approval.
“Do you realize,” he began, his expression pensive, “our family has grown bigger and stronger without our patriarch? You have a husband and sister-in-law. We have now added a grandfather to the mix. Hopefully, Colin will return soon.”
Dance with Deception: Scandalous Secrets, Book 1 - Exclusive Edition (Scandalous Secrets - Exclusive Edition) Page 31