Under the picture were William’s full name, his weight, length, and little footprints. Below it all, written to the side out of the way, was “Best Day Ever!”
“Your father thought your arrival was the best day ever.”
I looked up to see William frowning at his hands. “He made me miss mine. I wasn’t there for Penelope.” He let out a huff. “I’m going to step out. I don’t think I can handle this right now. You let me know if you find anything of importance.” He stomped out of the room, and moments later, I heard the front door close.
It hurt that he’d left, but I understood. I continued on with his file. It was more like a scrapbook than a blackmail folder. There were school notes and the occasional threat to teachers and tutors, never anything major. There were several proud exclamations about William’s grades or work. He was an excellent student and required very little interference from his father. It was mostly due to William’s issues with other children and one other teacher, who’d had a brother who’d come out on the wrong side of Henry’s work.
He had several photos of outings, and just like Emmaline had said, after the age of seven, they’d tapered off a bit. The nanny, Ms. Maggie, had been hired, but not until after her mother had been moved into a home that was managed by people in Henry’s control. He’d even paid for the majority of her mother’s care.
William had played cricket in high school, and apparently, his father had made sure he made the team, as well as threw some key games. They’d been champions every year, because of his father’s meddling. I knew William would be furious if he found that out.
He’d had plans to swap out William’s college entrance exams, but William had done so well on his own there hadn’t been a need to.
I think the most disturbing thing was Henry’s deep interest in William’s love life. There were several notes about girls showing interest and Henry stepping in and scaring them away, using their family against them.
There were worried notes about a few college parties William had attended. He’d been part of a house that threw parties. William had had a girlfriend of sorts. Henry had made sure she was on birth control. He’d also blackmailed another guy to step in and steal her away from William.
I was shocked at the detailed notes he’d kept of William’s depression afterwards. The internal warring that’d gone on in the file made me wonder why he’d interfered with William and me. Henry was so worried that he might’ve caused him the same pain he struggled with. It was shocking to see the panic in his notes, as he followed his son’s upset for the course of three months. It was only when another woman stepped in, arranged by Henry, did William perk up again.
Once William went to work for Victor, Henry’s notes thinned considerably. He’d referenced several files on each of the board members of the company. Even though William had gotten the job on his own merit, he was to be the first considered for any promotion. Apparently, one of the board members had been able to reason with Henry and had insisted that William not be forcefully promoted, or he’d feel in over his head and stressed out. He enjoyed his job, so Henry conceded, not wanting his son to grow to hate his new positions.
It was obvious William would be livid when he found all of that out. It looked like the last major interference was when William had been looking to buy a flat. There had been two other bids, but because his son loved the place, Henry forced the seller to take his son’s offer, with a little monetary persuading, of course.
There were notes of girls, mostly things he’d overheard at parties he’d attended. Anytime anyone showed any bit of interest in his son, Henry thoroughly vetted them and often found something he didn’t quite approve of. Even still, he’d allowed Emmaline to introduce William to them, but not before Henry had stepped in and forced the girl to have a birth control shot to prevent any risk of trapping his son. That had to have been an odd confrontation.
William had dated a few girls lightly, but they all seemed to back off. Henry was sure that when William met the right girl, they’d understand his interference and push forward with the relationship.
There was another woman who’d started to get close to William, but he’d been traveling a lot with his new promotion, and Henry was sure she wasn’t sincere in her feelings. He’d bribed her with fifty thousand pounds to leave William alone, and the sick bitch had taken it.
“I’m so worried for my son. He has such an innocent heart, like his mother. He pushes his rank away and thinks true love isn’t a part of the peerage. It’s his damn nanny who filled his head with thoughts of love for the underclass. She treated the children like her own, making her safe, but ruining them all the same. She put the children at such a risk for heartache. Greed runs so deep in the poorer class, he’s at such a risk to be taken advantage of. I’ll never forgive her if he’s hurt, if he has to suffer the way I had to. I refuse to let him be exposed to such pain. No child of mine will ever suffer if I can help it.”
The paper in the photo looked a little warped on the bottom, and I wondered if Henry had cried over it or dripped his drink.
There were only quick notes of praise when William would return from trips, but there were so few visits with his parents that his mother’s worry had been marked down. Henry had even questioned Ms. Maggie about William, since he knew William was shutting his parents out of his life.
William had shown no interest in women for six months before his trip to the U.S., where he’d met me. It was George, one of the board members of Victor, who’d alerted Henry to William’s erratic behavior.
A private investigator had been sent. I was vetted, and my lack of funds in my family and my mother’s flighty behavior was noted. My willingness to run off with William at a moment’s notice had scared Henry so deeply. He was so sure my intentions had been to take advantage of his son and use him. The deep pen grooves were clearly visible in the photo, when he’d written about me. Again, the bottom of the page had several drip marks. Henry was either a messy drinker, or he had cried over his son.
The notes after my disappearance stayed thin. He’d wondered if William was having flings, because he tended to disappear from parties early, at the same time as some young ladies.
What I found next was disturbing. He’d put a tail on his own son with the help of George. Duncan had been assigned to William. The first year after my disappearance from William’s life, it had been noted that he’d become an angry cynic. It wasn’t Henry who’d tried to set William up with women, but his mother. He’d just vetted them before they could be introduced.
He’d wanted to leave William to his morning of me. William had been hurt enough, and he’d wanted no part in hurting him again. The fact that I’d never sought out his son was proof to him that I didn’t love William and would only cause him more pain.
My body shook, and I gasped in panic, when I read that Henry had considered kidnapping my daughter to give to William, but he’d had no way of explaining her parentage without risking William trying to find me.
I dropped the file, backing away. I’d sympathized with the man up until that moment. He’d wanted to steal my daughter from me to give to his son, in hopes of easing his son’s pain. He would’ve, too, if he could’ve found a way. Instead, he’d made reference to a file labeled “Penelope Greyson.”
The bastard was insane.
Chapter 27 – Under My Thumb
HANNAH
I didn’t tell William anything about his file. He found me a crying mess on the floor of our bedroom. He was drunk and in no state to hear what I’d read. The next morning, Camille showed up on our doorstep. William had called her, while I was sleeping in. She was going to watch Penelope, while we went to visit his father. He’d been released on bail.
I didn’t know if I could handle seeing that man. I told William I didn’t feel well, and I wanted to stay home. He almost conceded, but he said his mother had called and asked if I was free. He didn’t want me or Penelope around her, and my absence would be an excuse for her to come
calling.
My body shook, as we were led to the study. When I saw his father, I couldn’t hold back. “You wanted to steal my daughter!” I lunged at him, and William grabbed me, holding me back. His hand dropped to my stomach, reminding me that we’d forgotten to pick up a pregnancy test.
His father’s eyes dropped to where William cradled my tummy, and he teared up. “He was a mess,” was all he said. “I wanted to give him something, anything. You didn’t see him!” Henry had the audacity to shout at me.
“What are you talking about?” William sounded on the verge of exploding himself.
“Your file, the last few pages, it said he wanted to kidnap my daughter and send her to live with you. He was going to take her! How could you even consider-”
“Are you serious? Is this true? First you hide her and then you-”
“She didn’t look for you! It was when she was still under suspicion of taking the money. You had a child, William. Do you really think I wanted to keep her from you?”
“That was exactly what you did!”
“But you didn’t know! If you’d have stayed in the dark, this mess wouldn’t have been made! You weren’t supposed to get hurt!”
“Are you mental? Couldn’t you see that’s exactly what happened? You ruined my happiness once you interfered in my life, when you took Hannah away from me!”
“The damage was done. As long as you stayed in the dark…”
“She was my daughter!” William advanced on his father.
“I realized that! You think I’d ever turn away family? You think I’d ever cast her out? Even with your wife’s less-than-perfect upbringing, even if she proved to be a gold-digger, I’d never turn away my granddaughter. She was my family!”
“No, she was my family. You had no right to interfere!”
“It was too late! I’d destroyed everything. I‘d ruined it all. There was no way to fix it! I could only care for her as best I could.”
“I should’ve been the one to care for her. She was mine, my responsibility!”
“She was loved! She was happy! If for one moment I thought she was lacking, I would’ve stepped in. I would’ve fought for custody.”
“How dare you!” I lunged for him again and slapped him hard.
“No, Madam, it’s a great compliment that I found you worthy to raise my granddaughter.”
“But not to marry your son?” I snapped.
“As soon as William knew of her existence, he could’ve fought for custody. He didn’t…”
William punched his father, landing him on the ground. “You bastard!” he snarled.
“That woman was content without you, while you hurt! Her feelings don’t match yours. You have to see that!” Henry cried from the floor.
“She didn’t remember me!” William defended.
Henry rose from the floor slowly, taking a step back. “Rather convenient that her memory should suddenly return after all this time. You must not have made that deep of an impression, William. I don’t like the circumstance of it all.”
I was worried when William started laughing. “You don’t get to choose. You’ve already done enough damage to my life.”
His father sat down tiredly, not speaking for a few moments, before sliding the file marked “bookshop fire” toward William. “You took the wrong file,” he whispered. William snatched it up and started for the door. “William,” he called after us, “Please, don’t hold my mistakes against your mother. She had no part of what I did.”
“She’s just as bad,” William snarled.
“She wants the best for you, for Penelope. She’s accepted your wife. I will, too. I swear to stay out of it, just please, don’t hurt Emmaline.” His father had tears in his eyes. “She means well. If Penelope shows no interest in her title, she won’t be pressured. She wants her to have love. That’s all she’s ever wanted for any of you.”
William hooked his arm around me and ushered me out the door.
We didn’t go straight home. He took me to a clinic, where a test was run, and it was confirmed I was pregnant. We needed the good news to lift our spirits.
Of course, that didn’t last long. When we arrived home, we were shocked to find Emmaline sitting with a nervous Camille and a surprisingly smiling Penelope.
“Mom, there’s a game named after a bug, but there’s no jumping. Dad used to play it!” she exclaimed excitedly, pointing to a scrapbook. “Nana Emmaline said daddy could show me better.”
There was what I thought was a smaller version of a cricket bat and glove next to a worn one and an unopened soccer ball.
“Do you want to explain to me what you’re doing here?” William was doing his best to control his temper.
“Penelope has so much of her mother’s history. I thought she might enjoy getting to know her father as well. Cricket was such a large part of your life when you were younger, sweetheart.”
“And what of the football?” he asked almost accusingly.
“It seems to be something the Americans enjoy. I wasn’t sure what she was interested in. I brought a doll and a tea set as well. I figured she might not have much to entertain her here.”
“Can I speak with you privately for a moment?” William asked through gritted teeth.
She nodded yes and passed the book to Penelope. “You look at this, dear heart. I’ll bet your father can tell you some fun stories.”
She walked down the hallway and stood outside what used to be the study. William opened the door to the music room and ushered his mother inside.
“I know you’re upset with me, William. I…”
“You don’t get to insert yourself into my daughter’s life,” he cut her off.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. I was surprised when she looked to me. “Please, help him understand. Surely you must…”
“Don’t speak to my wife!”
“I had no idea how much your father had interfered!”
“That doesn’t erase your past transgressions. I won’t have you pressuring my daughter to…”
“I had no plans to.”
“Yes, you do! You’re a meddling…” William was shouting too loudly.
I grabbed William’s arm. “Penelope will hear you.”
He took to pacing the room.
“You hate me for pushing something on you. You’re upset, because I wanted a life for you that you didn’t want. You had no interest, I understand that now. Don’t make the same mistakes I have.”
He spun around, glaring at his mother.
“If she wants something, William, give it to her. Don’t insist she live the life that you want for her. I swear not to push it, but if she wants it, don’t stand in her way. She’ll only grow to resent you like you resent me.”
“You have no right!” He stopped himself, when he realized he’d raised his voice again.
“I brought a variety of things. A lady doesn’t play sports, William, but she’s a child still. I understand that. I know you won’t stand for…”
“No, I won’t,” he cut her off again.
“I pushed you both away so much. I had Maggie care for you. I kept my distance, because things weren’t always the best between your father and me. The trouble he caused…” Her hand went to her heart. “He’s a good man. He means well. There were more opportunities…”
“I created my own, and so will my daughter. She doesn’t need either of you.”
“No, she doesn’t. Your father made it clear that Hannah is a good mother,” she nodded at me and sank down into William’s desk chair.
“Don’t get too comfortable. You won’t be staying long,” he warned.
“He’s threatened me. He doesn’t want me to interfere in your life, if you don’t want me in it.”
“What?” I didn’t think Henry would ever stop surprising me.
“He says he’s done too much. He won’t have me imposing and upsetting you any further. He’ll keep me from you himself. You don’t need to take her away. You don�
��t need to move. He won’t let me…”
“What do you mean he won’t let you?” William was just as confused as I was.
“We all have our problems, William. He’s a good man. He wants you to be happy.”
“That remains to be seen. I don’t trust that he’ll stay out of our lives.” William didn’t sound convinced at all.
“He won’t interfere, but I doubt he’ll remove himself so far that he’ll not keep records of your family’s achievements. He was always a proud man. He was always so proud of you.”
“That makes no difference.”
“No, I suppose it doesn’t. Just know that he’d never let me interfere where you don’t want me. Please, I promise to be-” she broke off sobbing.
“Further discussion is required, before we make a decision,” I cut in.
“Absolutely not!” William was downright appalled by my suggestion.
“Why don’t you say goodbye to Penelope. I know how to get ahold of you.”
“There’s nothing to discuss!”
Emmaline ignored William’s outrage and slipped out of the room.
“You’re mental to think I’d let them near my family,” he snapped when the door shut.
“Yes, there’s way too much crazy in your family, William. I don’t know how you turned out anywhere near sane. I’ve read your file. Your father is nuts, but he loves you in his own sick, twisted way. I don’t doubt he’d keep your mother away from you. It’s disturbing that he seems to have threatened her when you were younger as well. She’s delusional, calling him a good man. It almost sounds as if she’s trying to convince herself of it.”
“Then why would you say you’d consider her involvement?”
I sat down tiredly and shook my head. “Can you control her? Do you know how to handle her?”
“You’re not seriously considering...”
“No, never alone, never unsupervised. Your father has something over her, just like he has something over everyone else. He asked us to let her be involved, but by her account, he plans on stopping her. I don’t understand them.”
“I’m not letting them anywhere near Penelope.”
In Love with a Stranger Page 21