“She told you,” Cadence said.
“I will get to the reason in a moment. When she returned to the U.S. she realized that she was pregnant, not far along at all, maybe a month or two.”
“Why didn’t she stay in Scotland?”
“Your grandfather wouldn’t have permitted it.”
So many secrets, Cadenced mused, so many lies.
“Her parents insisted she marry Edward without delay, believing he was the father. Your mother was very young at the time and went along with her parents’ wishes. She was ashamed to tell them what she’d done.”
“When did they divorce?”
“She never divorced Bryce. She couldn’t let anyone know she was married, especially after Edward Burke started his career in politics. She was trapped in her own lies.”
“Poor mother, how did she manage to keep such a secret?” Cadence couldn’t fathom how her mother handled the pressure.
“It took a toll,” Maryanne replied. “Edward expressed his doubts you were his when you were born six weeks early at eight pounds. She always maintained you were a preemie and swore Edward Burke was your father. She had to. He went along because he already had political ambitions and couldn’t afford any scandal in his background.”
“But he hooked up with his assistant Victoria.”
“Yes.”
Cadence let this new information settle. She’d admired Edward Burke. She’d even been proud of him. He’d accomplished great things for the city of New York. Improved transit. Provided shelter for the homeless. Gave the city’s reputation a new polish so that tourists would come back and spend their money.
Her hands were ice cold and she rubbed them together. She just couldn’t imagine her mother living with a man she didn’t love. Or Edward Burke acting like she was his daughter when he knew she wasn’t.
If what Maryanne was telling her was true, her mother’s marriage to the mayor had been a sham. And a disgrace. And illegal.
And Cadence had never been a Burke.
She stopped rubbing her hands. Nothing would make the chill go away.
“What proof do you have?” Cadence asked.
“I have their marriage certificate and your birth certificate in this envelope, sealed for you and you alone to open.”
Maryanne set a large white envelope on the desk in front of Cadence. Confidential had been stamped in red. Cadence turned the envelope over and saw the seal hadn’t been broken. Her hand shook as she opened it.
The marriage certificate was from a church, the posting of banns with two witnesses in attendance. Cadence didn’t recognize the names or the signatures. They belonged to a world she knew nothing about.
Her birth certificate had been issued at the Lennox Hill hospital where she’d been born. She’d seen it once before when she applied for a passport. It clearly named Edmund Burke as her father.
She was confused and handed the documents back to Maryanne. “Why did she keep these two documents together?”
Maryanne took her time looking them over. “She wanted you to know the date of her marriage to Bryce McClain and that the marriage was legal.”
Cadence hadn’t missed the date. Her mother had married the Scotsman two months before she married Edward Burke.
“How did they keep the press from finding out?” Cadence asked.
“Bryce McClain is a private man. He kept their marriage private because he loved your mother very much. All he ever wanted was for her to be happy.”
“He must be someone very special,” Cadence said.
“I haven’t met him,” Maryanne said.
“Who told him when Mother died?” she asked.
“I called him.”
“Does he know about me?”
“Your mother and I agreed it was best he not be told.”
Cadence could feel her skin burning. Auntie Anne had honored Mother’s wishes but at a steep cost to them both.
Looking back on her life and relationship with Edward Burke, the man she’d thought was her father, she saw things differently. When he didn’t come home when she was there to visit, he wasn’t busy, he was ignoring her. When he neglected to call and see how she was doing, he wasn’t forgetful, he didn’t give a damn.
She realized with sudden clarity that she had been making up excuses for the way he treated her all her life.
Who could blame him? Each time he saw her it had been a reminder of her mother’s infidelity. He must’ve detested her.
He’d taken up with Victoria, not a perfect choice, because she’d shared his ambition and was willing to share his bed.
Cadence exhaled loudly. She’d been caught in the middle of their marital war from the start.
Tears started to well in her eyes, unbidden, and she took a deep breath, fighting for control. She wouldn’t cry. She couldn’t. Not in front of Maryanne and Preston. She had to wait until she got back to her hotel room, and she knew once there she would burst.
“Let’s move on,” Cadence said. “I want to finish.”
“Are you sure?” Preston asked.
This time her look was one of gratitude. “Positive.”
“This is a lot…”
“You did warn me,” she said. She turned to Maryanne. “Please, tell me everything so I won’t continually wonder if there’s more.”
Maryanne nodded. “Your grandparents liked Edward initially but they soon found out he was a money-grubber, a gold digger. Which your mother had known but hadn’t been able to persuade her father. The marriage turned ugly early on and she regretted not confessing to her father what she’d done.
“When her father died, she inherited a great deal of money. She suspected Edward might harm her so he could claim that money as his. So she came to me and we devised a plan. I helped her to carry out that plan. She said she would stick with him as long as possible, as long as she could to give you a home. And she did.”
Cadence couldn’t be angry with her mother. She had been too frightened to tell the truth. She’d been stuck in a bad relationship for sixteen years. She’d been caught in the web of her own lies and didn’t know how to get free.
“This is good,” Cadence said. “I’m not a Burke. Victoria has no claim to my fortune.”
“Do you really want your mother’s name dragged in the mud?”
Cadence considered. “I don’t know how you kept this secret for so long but I think it’s time the truth came out.”
“There is one last piece of the puzzle you should be aware of,” Preston said.
Cadence turned to face him. “Of course there is.”
“We suspect Edward Burke is Cyrus and Sybil’s father.”
Cadence shook her head. “For real?”
“I’m afraid so. The investigator I hired has turned up some discrepancies in their birth certificates.”
Cadence shook her head. “You suspect but you aren’t sure?”
“A DNA test would confirm our suspicions.”
“Incredible.”
“I understand Cyrus Burke would like to go into politics,” Maryanne said.
“Fat chance that will happen now,” Cadence replied. For a second she almost felt sorry for him.
“He will have a chance if you keep quiet,” Preston said.
Cadence couldn’t believe Preston would suggest such a thing. “Why would I do that? Cyrus Burke shouldn’t be in office. He doesn’t care about people.”
“The Burkes will leave you alone if you leave them alone,” Preston said.
“And because you won’t dishonor your mother’s memory,” Maryanne added.
Cadence considered what they’d said. It was so tempting to spill the beans now that she had the facts but Auntie was right, she would keep this secret to protect her mother.
“Like mother, like daughter?” she said.
Preston smiled.
If Cyrus and Sybil were Edward Burke’s children, they were entitled to his estate. Cadence was not. Okay, she would let that go, move on. She’d plenty
to live on. Victoria would never know how much.
“Does Mr. McClain even know about me?” she asked.
“We actually have a signed document in our files from your mother stating that Bryce is your father. A simple paternity test could clear it up if there was any question.”
“That’s not what I’m asking. Does Bryce McClain know he has a daughter?”
“No, I don’t think he does.”
“I’d like to meet him.”
“That’s not possible.”
“Why the hell not?”
“The terms of the trust state clearly that he shouldn’t be contacted.”
“I didn’t agree to any conditions,” Cadence said.
Maryanne removed a piece of paper from one of the folders and set it in front of her. The letterhead was Night and Night. The language was legalese in words only a Latin scholar would comprehend.
The pen was still in her hand. She made a decision, one she hoped she wouldn’t regret.
She shoved it away from her. “I won’t sign anything I can’t understand.”
“Cadence, please,” Preston said to her in a soothing tone as if she were an uncooperative child. “Your mother left specific instructions. The money is yours if you give Mr. McClain his privacy.”
She looked at both of them. Concern was etched in their faces.
“What happens to the money if I go to Scotland and meet my father?”
“The money goes to charity.”
Cadence exhaled. “I was living what I thought was a somewhat normal life, only to find out that my entire existence has been a lie. All of my relationships have been nothing but lies. Now you’re asking me to continue the lie.”
“Cadence, I can imagine your frustration,” Maryanne said. Her voice was soft but with an undercurrent of tension.
“Can you?”
“Please understand we are simply the messengers,” Maryanne answered.
She looked at both of them. “I appreciate all you’ve done but I don’t think I’m being unreasonable. I have to meet my father. I have to know who I really am.”
“What if he doesn’t want to meet you?” Maryanne’s tone was apologetic.
Cadence stood. The room had become very small and suffocating. “The thought had crossed my mind.”
“It’s a possibility you have to face,” Maryanne said. Her face puckered, making her look years older. She’d been the person Mother had gone to for help, trusted with this terrible secret. Even her Auntie Anne couldn’t stop her from finding out whom her father was.
Cadence lifted her head, straightened her spine. “I thank you for being such a good friend to my mother and I appreciate your concern but this is something I have to do.”
Auntie Anne shrank back. Her friendly demeanor changed dramatically. Her expression showed no warmth. She became the consummate professional.
“Think very carefully about what you’ll be giving up,” she said.
“I know it sounds selfish but I have to meet this Bryce McClain.”
“I’d hate to see you get hurt,” Preston said, leaning forward. He’d let his mother do the telling of her family’s story. Now he weighed in with the heart of the matter.
“I don’t know how I could be any more hurt than I am right now,” she replied.
His gaze softened. “Okay, just don’t make up your mind yet.”
She glared at him. What was she to him?
“Why can’t you support me?” she asked Maryanne.
“I have to follow your mother’s expressed wishes,” Maryanne said. “She’s my client.”
Cadence understood the core of their concern. She was being irrational, throwing away all that money to find a father who may not want to be found.
“Excuse me. I need to be alone.” She stood.
Anne and Preston rose to their feet, and she headed for the door.
“I’ll have Frank take you to your hotel,” Preston said.
“Don’t bother Frank. I’ll take a cab.” She gathered up her things and was surprised when Maryanne handed her one of the files. “What’s this for?”
“Copies of all the information you need. Keep them in a safe place. Everything is documented, signed and of course you need the account numbers and the institutions where your accounts are kept to access your inheritance. Preston will accompany you if you like when you go to the banks. I’ve written down a very reputable list of accountants and estate planners for you to call when you’re ready.”
Cadence clutched the file. Maryanne was trying to be accommodating. Cadence had no doubt she clung to a thread of hope that Cadence would change her mind and come to her senses.
“Cadence, I would be more than happy to keep your case open,” Preston said. “I can meet with you and whoever you pick for an advisor.”
Cadence almost had to laugh at how transparent he was. Did he think his powers of persuasion, which she had to agree were abundant, would make her change her mind?
“I will think about meeting with the bankers and accountants,” she said, relenting.
“You need some time,” Maryanne assured her, looking relieved. “I understand completely.”
Unsure of what she needed, except a breath of fresh air, Cadence smiled and headed for the door.
With one last look in their direction, she walked out of the office, down the catwalk and out of the building.
She stood for a moment outside the factory entrance, just breathing.
What a different world. She wasn’t a Burke. She wasn’t a politician’s daughter. Wasn’t that just too damn funny?
She had a father and he was very much alive. Nobody could know about how he had an American daughter, not even him.
Auntie Anne had warned her she could lose the inheritance her mother so carefully planned for her. Well, screw the money.
What if Bryce McClain didn’t want to meet her? What if the existence of a daughter would be an embarrassment to him? He could be remarried with children. Would he have told his family he’d been married before?
No doubt his happy life would be thrown into turmoil if she were to suddenly show up and announce she was his child. A child from his secret first marriage would hardly be welcome news.
Why had Mother insisted on Cadence never contacting him? Why would she make such a request?
What the hell difference did it make now that she was gone?
Cadence had a family and she very much wanted to meet them.
Chapter Nine
Preston sat heavily on the sofa and exhaled. “She’s angry.”
His mother picked up the contract and returned it to the file. “I don’t blame her.”
“Neither do I,” he replied in case Mother had misunderstood.
She tossed the file into her briefcase and sat in the chair behind the big desk. It was the place she’d occupied for almost a decade as chairman of the board at Sparkle Industries and Preston had been surprised when she’d relinquished the spot to Cadence.
“What do we do now?” she asked. “I have fulfilled my duties. Cadence has signed the documents giving her control of this company, with the one exception. She has to promise not to contact Bryce McClain in any way.”
Preston rubbed his neck. “Do you know why Audra Burke required such a condition?”
Mother fastened the clasps on her briefcase. “I can’t discuss privileged information.”
“Privileged?” Preston didn’t even try to keep the aggravation out of his voice. He’d grown up without a father but he’d always known who the son of a bitch was. Cadence deserved the same consideration.
His mother didn’t answer. She rested her chin on her fist, regarded him with narrowed eyes. “You’re interested in her,” she said. “More than usual.”
“I am,” Preston said. “I want her in my life.”
“Do you think that’s wise?” she asked.
“I think it’s something we both want.”
Mother huffed. “If you care about her, you’ll talk her
out of looking for Bryce McClain.”
“She wants to know who she is,” he answered. “How could you possibly object?’
“Because I promised Audra,” she said.
“And she’ll lose a considerable chunk of change.”
“Precisely.”
“Well, I didn’t promise Audra Burke anything,” he shot back.
He saw the telltale signs of his mother’s stubbornness. Her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared. It was her stubbornness that had moved mountains for them both. It was her stubbornness that had started him on a successful career.
His strong-willed mother had made up her mind. It was another trait he’d inherited from her.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Cadence’s situation bothers me more than I’d realized.”
“Forgiven,” she said briskly.
“I’ll go talk to Cadence, convince her that she’d be better off giving up her search for Bryce McClain.”
“Yes, I think that’s a good idea.” She smiled. “I’m sure you will succeed.”
He headed for the door, trying to think of the right words to change Cadence’s mind.
“Wait,” Mother said.
He spun around.
“I know this firm means the world to you and you’ve worked hard to build up an exclusive clientele…”
“We’ve both worked hard,” he interrupted.
Mother smiled. “Yes, I’ve done okay. I’m not the attorney that you are.”
“You’re the better half of Night and Night.”
She sighed. “I appreciate the flattery. You can be so charming sometimes.”
Preston hid a smile. Soothing the ruffled feathers of his well-heeled clients was one of his specialties. His mother saw through him.
“I’ve decided to retire and buy a condo in Costa Rica. I can’t take these cold winters anymore.”
He stood up straight. “Why now?”
“The Burke situation is finally coming to a conclusion. I can rest assured Cadence will be well taken care of.”
“I’m taking Night and Night overseas. Who’s going to run our New York office if you retire?”
“I’m sure you’ll find a qualified candidate. Someone eager and ambitious just like you.” She rose from the chair and straightened her skirt. “I need warm weather and sunny beaches. I may even find some romance.”
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