by Wolf, Bree
The carriage swayed slightly as it drew up a small slope, cutting through the English countryside. The sun shone brilliantly, and it seemed the whole world was in bloom. Different shades of green sparkled outside his window, mingling with deep violets, bright yellows and radiant blues. Nathanial could hear the soft trilling of birds nearby and spotted a few flitting across the sky before seeking refuge in a nearby tree.
Indeed, the world at large was a beautiful place.
Nathanial’s, however, was not.
Leaning out the window, Nathanial saw Pembroke Hall come into view. It was, indeed, a beautiful estate, and a part of him felt as though he already knew it well. After all, Zach had written countless letters to him about all the renovations he’d had done on the place after their late uncle had allowed it to fall into disrepair.
No doubt, it had been his brother’s way of trying to distract him.
Although Zach’s attempt had been in vain, Nathanial had been grateful.
As the carriage pulled up in front of the wide entrance, Nathanial made to disembark when he spotted his brother hurrying out the door. “Nathanial! Finally!” A large smile rested upon Zach’s face, and he moved with the agility of a man who’d conquered the world.
Although Nathanial was happy to see his brother after almost two years apart, he could tell that the smile upon his own face felt like no more than a bad imitation of his brother’s.
Being identical twins, they had always looked alike. In fact, only their parents had been able to tell them apart without difficulty. Now, however, Nathanial knew that would no longer be the case. Zach radiated happiness while he, Nathanial, did not.
It was as simple as that.
“Brother!” Zach pulled him into a bear hug, joyous laughter rumbling in his throat. “It’s been forever!”
Sighing, Nathanial returned his brother’s embrace, relieved to feel sparks of joy shoot through his useless heart. “It’s been too long.” For a moment, Nathanial closed his eyes and savored the embrace of someone who truly loved him.
Clapping him on the back, Zach took a step back, his blue eyes watchful. “You should have come sooner,” he remarked and although his smile never faltered, Nathanial could see the slight narrowing of his brother’s eyes. “How are you?”
Nathanial shrugged. “I’m perfectly fine.”
“Are you?” Zach pressed, and his hand on Nathanial’s shoulder tightened. “Quite frankly, you look miserable.”
Nathanial chuckled, a dark sound if ever there was one. “Charming as ever.”
“Truthful as ever,” Zach countered.
Nathanial nodded, only now appreciating the honesty and openness that had always existed between them. Indeed, it was something utterly rare!
Zach sighed, his eyes lingering on Nathanial’s in a most unsettling way. “Have you seen her…since?”
Nathanial shrugged. “It was not to be avoided.”
Zach frowned at his short, clipped reply. “You still love her.” It wasn’t a question.
That muscle in his jaw twitched as he gritted his teeth. “I’d prefer not to speak of it,” he replied without meeting his brother’s gaze. “If you don’t mind, I’d…” Nathanial knew not how to end that sentence. Fortunately, his brother knew him well.
“Of course,” Zach replied, once more clasping a companionable hand on Nathanial’s shoulder. “You must be weary from your long journey.” He paused and a hesitant grin snuck onto his face. “However, my wife is most eager to meet you. I’m afraid you’ll not get around making her acquaintance here and now.”
Nathanial almost cringed at the mention of his brother’s wife. Why, he could not say. Always had he seen himself as a family man, longing for marriage and family. Now, however, not only the world had changed.
But he himself had as well.
Still, there was no avoiding the inevitable, and so Nathanial nodded to his brother. “Lead the way.” Following Zach inside, he let his gaze sweep the large entry hall. Tall windows allowed for the sun to reach inside and light up the world within, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The walls shone in vibrant colors, speaking to the adventurous character his brother had always possessed. As had his wife, if Zach’s letters were any indication.
“I’ve told her all about you,” Zach whispered with a smirk as he glanced at Nathanial over his shoulder. With quick steps, he moved toward a set of double doors. “She wanted to meet you right away, but decided to give us a moment alone together.”
Nathanial could hear how deeply his brother had fallen for the woman he had married, and he could only hope that Zach would not also wake one day to realize that it had all been a lie. For his brother’s sake, he prayed that day would never come. For his own, Nathanial decided to focus on the small bit of silver lining; the only one he could spot.
Abigail had betrayed him before he had made her his wife. For that, he would always be grateful.
The door to the drawing room swung open and Nathanial’s eyes fell on a slender, young woman with deep auburn hair framing a kind face. Her eyes were of a startling green, and the smile that lit up her face the moment she beheld his brother made Nathanial yearn for the good old days when he had still been blind to the truth.
Life had been simpler then.
Easier.
Pleasant.
Rising from the settee, the new Lady Pembroke strode over to her husband’s side, her arm slipping through the crook of his with an ease that spoke of a deep connection. “It is so wonderful to finally welcome you here,” she exclaimed, exchanging a meaningful look with her husband. “Zach speaks of you so fondly. I do not have a brother or sister myself, but I have a cousin who is like a sister to me, and the thought of not seeing her for so long is quite painful.” Her gaze moved back and forth between the two men. “You must have lots to talk about.”
Nathanial gave her a quick bow. “I was happy to receive my brother’s letter, inviting me to join you in the upcoming festivities, Lady Pembroke.”
A soft chuckle left her lips. “Oh, please, will you call me Becca?” Her gaze moved back to meet her husband’s, who looked like a love-sick pup. Nathanial envied him! “And I will call you Nathanial for I am determined we shall be the best of friends.”
Zach laughed. “You better agree, Brother, for she always gets her way.”
Nathanial cringed, but tried to maintain an even expression. “Of course, if that is your wish, Lady Pembroke.”
His new sister-in-law’s brows rose as she fixed him with a determined gaze.
Nathanial sighed. “Becca.”
“Much better!” Becca beamed, then pulled her husband toward the settee. “Come and have a cup of tea,” she told Nathanial, already pouring the steaming liquid. “I’m sorry you couldn’t be at the wedding, but…” Again, husband and wife exchanged one of those meaningful glances. “It all happened rather unexpectedly.” A wide smile decorated her face.
Indeed, Zach had written to Nathanial to inform him that he had, in fact, managed to retrieve their father’s ring. However, he would not have been able to do so if a young woman by the name of Rebecca Hawkins had not insisted to lend a hand. Working together, they had fallen in love and the night they’d finally procured the ring, Zach had whisked her away to Gretna Green.
Further details eluded Nathanial, and that was quite all right with him. It seemed, at present, he was unable to join in the joy clearly written on their faces.
Involuntarily, his gaze dropped…and came to rest upon the small, emerald ring resting upon Becca’s delicate finger. It felt like a knife had been run through his heart, and he couldn’t quite manage to keep that muscle in his jaw from twitching furiously.
Had it always done this? Or had it been Abigail’s betrayal that had brought it about?
“I’m so sorry,” Becca mumbled, her eyes soft and filled with sadness by the time Nathanial managed to look up once more. Her fingers twirled his father’s ring gently. “I will not wear it if it pains you,” she assur
ed him. “I…I had not thought…”
For the first time that day, Zach’s face betrayed a sense of unease as he met Nathanial’s gaze. “Yes, Brother, please, tell us truthfully. You wrote that…but I didn’t stop to think that…” He swallowed hard.
Nathanial sighed. Neither did I.
In his initial letter, Nathanial had not only asked Zach to retrieve the ring, but he had also told him to give it to the woman of his choice. Still, it seemed neither one of them had considered what it would be like for Nathanial to see the ring he’d once given to Abigail upon the finger of his brother’s new bride.
Seeing it now, Nathanial couldn’t help but wonder what life would be like if Abigail had not given it away. Would they be married now? Would they be happy? Or would they have realized by now that what had been between them had not been enough? At least not for her?
Nathanial smiled at his new sister-in-law, doing his best to push away the bitterness that threatened to lace his words. “Keep it, dear Sister. May it bring you and my brother the same happiness that our parents found with each other.”
“Thank you, Nathanial.” A warm smile lit up Becca’s face. Then she drew in a deep breath, and the left corner of her mouth quirked ever so slightly. “We have a toad in our pond, and I’ve named her Abigail. I thought the name was fitting.”
Although Becca’s outright manner caught him off guard, Nathanial could not help but crack a small smile. “It does, indeed.”
Perhaps Zach had chosen wisely after all and would be happy for all the days to come.
Nathanial prayed it would be so.
Chapter Two
From Jamaica to England
England looked like a garment that had once shone in bright and vibrant colors, but which had since been washed away, leaving behind something utterly colorless.
Stepping out onto the deck of the Lady Charlotte, Charlaine Palmer lifted her gaze to the gray skies overhead, wondering if it would rain again. Thick, dark clouds lingered, blocking her view of the clear blue heavens she knew from her homeland. The wind blew strong, its chilling fingers touching her skin and raising goosebumps in its wake, making her pull her cloak tighter around herself.
So, this was it.
The place Peter had wanted her to go.
Drawing in a deep breath, Charlaine followed the other passengers as they headed toward the gangway that would lead them off the ship. Every now and then, eyes turned to her and she felt them sweep over her appearance with unabashed disapproval. Although Peter’s old friend, Pierce Byrne, Baron Markham, had provided her with every luxury she could have wished for, including a new wardrobe, Charlaine knew that one look at her sufficed to reveal her as an outsider.
Never would she be one of them.
Never would English upper society look upon her favorably.
And she had yet to set foot on England’s soil.
Indeed, she could act the perfect lady and, yet, all they would see was her ebony hair, her skin and eyes that were unlike their own. She was a foreigner, born and raised in Jamaica, a place that even after all she had lost still meant home to her. Never had she been anywhere else, a simple life in a small village with those she loved all she had ever wanted.
Only now they were gone.
Peter, too.
The thought of her dear brother-in-law still brought a tightening to Charlaine’s chest that reminded her only too well of the loss of her family years earlier. A sickness had swept through their village, claiming one life after another, until Peter had been the only one left to Charlaine. He had been born English and come to Jamaica as an officer in the Royal Navy. He had never meant to stay until the day he had stumbled upon Charlaine’s elder sister Amancia in the market.
Charlaine had been a child then, but she had seen the way both of them had all but rocked back on their heels the second their eyes had met across a fruit stand. It had been like a shock wave, a lightning strike, and it had caught them off guard. They had stared at one another, their breaths suddenly coming fast and their hearts hammering in their chests.
At first, Charlaine had been alarmed by her sister’s reaction, but then she had glimpsed the deep smile that had slowly stolen onto Amancia’s face.
Love.
It had been a sight Charlaine would never forget and the memory of it still warmed her heart.
Good things happened.
All the time.
Everywhere.
Most often when one least expected them.
Lifting her chin, Charlaine willed a smile onto her face as she strode forward and found her way off the ship. She ignored the disparaging looks of those around her, her eyes searching the crowd for the man she had not seen since she had been a girl. He had been a friend of Peter’s with the same quick smile and laughing eyes.
He was all she had left now.
Thanks to Peter.
And then he suddenly stood before her, tall and broad and dressed like the English gentleman he was. Still, his dark eyes whispered of an adventurous soul as they looked into hers. As though to confirm her thoughts, the right corner of his mouth quirked before his gaze swept over her from head to toe, no doubt trying to see the girl he had known in the woman who now stood before him. “You’ve grown, dearest Charlie,” Pierce observed with a chuckle before he pulled her into his arms without thought for decorum.
Sinking into his arms, Charlaine clung to him, savoring the warm embrace as much as the knowledge that there was still someone in the world who cared about her. She was not alone. Fate had led her here as it had led Peter to Jamaica years ago. Who knew what she would find in London?
Stepping back, Pierce kept his hands on her shoulders, his gaze seeking hers. “Are you well?” A hint of sadness stood in his eyes and swung in his voice, and Charlaine knew that Peter’s loss had cut him deeply despite the years that had passed.
“I am,” Charlaine told him with a little smile. She had cried countless tears, and now she was done. “Have you always been this pale?” she asked with a teasing frown.
Pierce laughed, a booming, powerful sound that reverberated in her bones, making her feel very much alive. “You’ve not changed, have you, little Charlie?”
Charlaine shrugged. “Why would I change?”
“Peter’s warned me about you,” Pierce told her with a smile. “He advised me to lock the windows. He said you were mule-headed and would drive me mad with your opinions.”
A slight quiver shook her jaw as she tried to blink away the tears that threatened despite her best efforts. “He knew me too well,” she whispered as a lone tear snaked down her cheek.
Gently, Pierce brushed it away. “He also said you were strong and capable and spirited.”
Charlaine chuckled as more tears forced their way to the surface. “Come to think of it, perhaps he didn’t know me all that well.”
Again, Pierce laughed and, again, Charlaine loved him for it. “Come,” he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Let’s go home. There are people there who cannot wait to meet you.” He gestured to a young man. “This is Jacob. He’ll take care of your luggage.” And with a quick smile and a short nod, the young man darted off.
“People?” Charlaine asked as he led her to a fine carriage. “Did you marry and fail to inform us?”
Chuckling, Pierce shook his head. Still, Charlaine thought to detect a certain spark in his eyes that made her wonder. “No, I’m not married. However, I’ve taken in a young girl as my ward. Her name is Daphne.”
Charlaine swallowed as she settled into the seat opposite Pierce. “What happened to her?”
A dark shadow crossed over Pierce’s face. “Her parents were killed.” His lips clamped shut, and Charlaine could see that he did not wish to speak about it.
“How old is she?”
Pierce sighed, clearly relieved that she would not press him. “She’s five, and when I look at her, I often find myself reminded of you.” Again, his dark gaze swept over her, trying to look deeper. “I never
know what she might do.”
Charlaine smiled at the deep affection that rang in his voice. “You said people,” she reminded him.
“Yes, I’ve hired a young governess to look after her, Miss Glass. She has a daughter of her own. Susan is a bit younger than Daphne, but the girls are as thick as thieves, always sticking their heads together and whispering.” He grinned. “I swear sometimes I lie awake at night worrying about what they might think up next.”
Charlaine laughed. “Well, I cannot wait to meet them. They sound wonderful.”
“I thought you might think that.” His gaze narrowed. “Do I need to be worried?”
“Always!” Charlaine teased as the strain on her heart lessened.
Indeed, despite its colorlessness, London would no doubt prove to be an adventure like no other. Peter had been right in suggesting she come here. After all, there was nothing left for her in Jamaica while it seemed that London had unexpectedly provided her with a new family. A family to care for and laugh with, and Charlaine could not wait to meet them.
As the carriage rumbled through the streets of London toward Pierce’s townhouse, Charlaine stared at the tall buildings framing the street. Her eyes swept the lords and ladies promenading left and right, their noses slightly upturned, and she wondered what it would be like to live here.
For good.
“Everything feels foreign, does it not?” Pierce asked, his forehead furrowed as he looked at her with concern.
Charlaine nodded. “It does,” she whispered, her eyes still gliding over the world before her. “But you need not worry.” She turned to meet his gaze. “I always find my way.”
Leaning over, he squeezed her hand, a warm smile on his face. “I remember that about you.”
When they finally reached Pierce’s townhouse, he offered her his arm and, together, they climbed the few steps to the front door, which immediately swung open. A tall, thin and almost antique-looking man with no eyebrows appeared in its frame and offered them a low bow, which Charlaine feared might upend his balance. “Welcome home, my lord,” the man said, righting himself.