by Wolf, Bree
“Lady Whitworth and Lady Elton are in the drawing room.”
Without another word, Matthew left his butler standing in the foyer and hastened on, Tristan’s footsteps echoing behind him. He all but threw open the doors to the drawing room, not knowing what to expect but fearing the worst, only to find two women with tear-streaked, but smiling faces embracing one another.
Dumbfounded, he stopped in his tracks, staring.
Tristan stepped up beside him, and out of the corner of his eye, Matthew took note of the grin that slowly stretched over his cousin’s face. “I suppose the secret is out, eh?”
Beth nodded, wiping her hand over her face. “As observant as always, my dear.”
“What secret?” Matthew all but croaked, his throat suddenly dry as the little hairs on the back of his neck rose. After all, secret was simply a harmless sounding word for lie, and lies never led to anything good.
At least not in his experience.
Beside him, Tristan chuckled, clasping a hand onto Matthew’s shoulder. “That our wives are sisters,” he said without preamble. “Well, half-sisters. But I suppose that does not matter.”
Smiling, Beth rose to her feet, brushing her hands down her dress. “It does not,” she confirmed, holding out her hand to Adelaide, who took it, a deep smile on her face, and came to stand next to her…sister?
Thunderstruck, Matthew stared at his cousin, then at Beth before his gaze travelled to his own wife, her face reddened and yet filled with joy. “I don’t understand,” he mumbled.
Smiling rather indulgently, Beth patted him on the arm. “You will. Talk to your wife.” Then she turned to her husband. “Shall we? I admit I’m rather tired.”
“You do look tired,” Tristan agreed, a hint of a teasing note in his voice.
“Thank you, my dear. Every woman loves to hear that.”
Chuckling, Tristan led his wife from the room. However, before they left, Beth once more turned and looked at Adelaide, deep emotions in her eyes. “Always and forever,” she whispered, a promise shining on her face.
Adelaide nodded, her lower lip quivering as fresh tears threatened. “Always and forever.”
And then they were alone. Matthew wondered about the emotional woman he suddenly found himself facing. All her barriers seemed to have come down, and her eyes shone with all the longing and love she had held at bay for too long.
Turning from the door, she looked at him, a soft warmth about her features. Her eyes shone brightly as she smiled at him, and Matthew wished he knew what she was thinking in that moment.
“Are you all right?” he asked, stepping toward her. “I heard your father was here. Did he…?”
“He was angry, yes,” his wife confirmed, her voice portraying a new strength. “He yelled at me, and then Beth…she stepped into his path. She protected me. Again.” Sighing, she shook her head in disbelief. “She is such a strong woman. She stood up to my father−our father−without flinching. I’ve never seen anyone do this. Not even my grandmother. Even she has a touch of concern in her eyes whenever she speaks to him.” Again, a smile claimed Adelaide’s lips. “She was magnificent.”
“And she’s your sister?” Matthew asked, searching his wife’s face. It was as though he had never truly seen her before today.
“She is,” Adelaide confirmed. “She’s my sister. My sister!” Shaking her head yet again, she clasped her hands together. “I keep saying it, and yet, I cannot believe that it is true. I’m so…so overwhelmed.”
Matthew knew exactly how she felt. “How did this happen?”
Inhaling a deep breath, his wife looked at him, her mouth opening, and yet, no sound came out. Then she stepped toward him and, to his utter surprise, took his hand, pulling him down onto the settee next to her.
Matthew held his breath as she began to tell him her story, all the while holding his hand in hers as though it belonged there. Occasionally, he caught himself sinking into her eyes, his ears unaware of the words that left her mouth. And yet, he saw every emotion that clung to her beautiful face.
“When I grew up,” she said, the words flowing from her mouth as though a dam had broken, “I was always afraid of my father’s temper. I always saw how my mother cowered before him, and so I quickly learnt what to do to try and appease him. At the same time, I saw my mother hold her head high when out in society. The way she spoke to friends and acquaintances painted such a different picture of her. It made me realise that people are rarely who they seem to be. I began to look at each and every one I met, wondering who he or she truly was in the security of their home. I wondered what secrets they strove to keep hidden, doing their utmost to appear different than they truly were. No one seemed true and honest.” Pain and regret and utter sadness filled her voice, and yet, the strength he had heard there before remained. “It is something we all do. Something we are all guilty of. And yet, can we truly be blamed for wishing to keep a part of ourselves hidden? Secret? Only sharing it with those we love and trust?” Slowly, she shook her head. “Yet, there are different kinds of secrets, are there not? Those that lie, and those that simply conceal.”
Matthew nodded, her words finding a spot deep inside him that ached with more vehemence now than it had ever before. “My father was the same,” he said when her eyes lingered on his as though she expected him to answer. “No one ever knew how consumed with greed and envy he truly was. Everyone always saw him as the responsible younger brother, who strove to undo his elder brother’s mistakes, who looked out for family and took in his niece and nephew when his brother finally killed himself.” Shaking his head, Matthew held her gaze even though he wanted nothing more but to avert it in shame. “I believed it, too.”
“You didn’t know,” his wife said softly, her hand tightening on his. “You didn’t know.”
“I should have known!” The vehemence in his voice surprised even him. “I should have seen the truth. Instead, I followed in my father’s footsteps, blindly accusing my own cousin of seeking to destroy this family when in truth it had been my father all along.” Sighing, he hung his head. “I cannot remember a time when I did not try to prove myself to him. All I ever wanted was to be seen and seen as worthy. Still, the only time my father would bestow his respect and approval on me was when I gave up who I was and became an echo of him, repeating his thoughts as though they were my own. I even turned against Tristan in my blind attempt to please my father, to gain his admiration and respect. I will never forgive myself for that.”
On a soft chuckle, Adelaide released a rushed breath. “Beth told me,” she began, her blue eyes holding his own, “that you’re the only one thinking of yourself thus. No one blames you. Everyone understands how this happened. She said that you’re a good man and that the fact that you doubt yourself only proves that you truly are.” The corners of her mouth curled upward, lighting up her face in the most endearing way. “You made a mistake as did we all, but in the end−when it mattered−you did the right thing. You did not hesitate to stand by what you deemed right…even against your own father. Ever since then, there has been no doubt in anyone’s mind about who you truly are.”
Frowning, Matthew stared at his wife. “How do you know this?”
“It is in the way your cousin looks at you,” she replied, a soft smile on her face as she held his gaze. “I can see the respect he has for you, and the love, and…I am proud of you.” A soft chuckle escaped her at the intimate nature of their words. “I’m proud of you.”
Touched by her words and overwhelmed by the effect they had on him, Matthew gazed into her eyes, realising how much her opinion mattered to him.
“To stand up for oneself is far from easy,” his wife said, a hint of regret coming to her eyes. “I, too, have regrets. I, too, wish that things had gone differently, that I would have done things differently. But the past is the past.” She inhaled a deep breath. “Now, I will look to the future, and I want to learn.” Nodding, she smiled at him. “Will you help me?”
“Of
course,” he said, almost tripping over the words in his eagerness. “I do believe, though, that you’ve taken a first step today. There’s something different about you. Something…” He shook his head. “I can’t quite say.”
Adelaide sighed, “I do feel different,” she whispered. “I feel more optimistic, not as though bad things are inevitable. I want to be more like my sister. Stronger. Willing to fight for those I love.”
“Family has that effect on one, does it not?” Matthew said with a smile. “There is nothing else more worth fighting for, is there?” Squeezing his wife’s hand, Matthew felt his heart beating a little faster at the gentle, trusting look in her eyes. Never in his life had he felt closer to another.
In that moment, a knock sounded on the door and their butler stepped inside, holding out a silver platter. “This was just delivered for my lady.”
A shy smile crossed Adelaide’s face as she slowly drew her hands from his. Then she rose and retrieved the letter. As her eyes flew over the words, her whole face lit up, and Matthew felt his heart beating even faster. She was radiant in her joy, and the way she carried it in her whole body. It was in the way she looked at him, the way she smiled, but also in the way she walked, the way she moved her hands, in the tilt of her head and the skip in her step. It was as though she had finally reconnected with the little girl she had once been…before life had destroyed her dreams and hopes for a bright future.
“I assume it is good news,” Matthew said as he stepped closer, unable to tear his gaze from the joy on her face.
“It is!” she exclaimed, her blue eyes finding his. “Grandmother writes that she will bring Tillie over tomorrow,” she whispered, a hint of awe and disbelief in her voice, before a frown descended on her face, chasing away the joy that had seemed so indestructible a moment earlier. Apprehension took over her features as she tensed. “You don’t mind, do you?”
Surprised by her sudden doubt, Matthew shook his head. “Why would I?”
She sighed as though realising that she had returned to old habits. “My father always did. After all, she was only a girl and not even legitimate. He never wanted her around, and we always did our best to keep her away from him.” Sadness came to her deep, round eyes. “It was like pretending she didn’t exist, and it always seemed wrong. And yet, what would we have done if he had sent her from the house?”
Matthew frowned. “You fear for her,” he observed, his heart constricting at the sight of her misery, her fear, her pain. “You truly fear for her.”
“I do,” she whispered, and Matthew finally realised how much that little girl meant to her.
In the darkness of her life, Tillie had been a ray of hope for Adelaide, and whether his wife knew it or not, she had even before today stood tall to protect one she loved. With the constant fear and pain in her family, she had dived into loving her brother’s daughter, giving her everything she had, everything she could give…
…until the day Matthew had taken her away, separating them.
Silently cursing himself, Matthew could not believe he had not seen it before. Certainly, he had realised that being apart from her family would be a painful transition, but one that could not be avoided if they wanted to see Adelaide safe. And yet, little Tillie was a different matter entirely. Especially now, with Adelaide gone, was she still safe at the earl’s house?
“Then she should live with us,” Matthew heard himself saying, belatedly realising that he truly meant it with all his heart.
His wife’s eyes opened wide, and for a long moment, she simply stared at him. “Do you truly…? No, you cannot mean…Please don’t say this if you don’t−”
“I’m certain,” Matthew interrupted her, pulling her left hand back into his own. “You clearly love her, and although I have not seen much of her so far, I’m certain she is a very special little girl. I can tell only by the way your face lights up whenever you speak of her.” Tears began to pool in his wife’s eyes. “Every child should have a home, a real home, where they feel safe and loved. No one knows that better than we do. If your father does not want her, then that is his loss and our gain. Bring her here, and we will take care of her together.”
Blinking her eyes rapidly, his wife briefly averted her gaze, tears running freely down her cheeks. “What if…what if we have…children?” Shyly, she raised her gaze to his once more.
Matthew smiled. “When we have children, then they’ll have someone to play with, someone to teach them the ropes, someone to look up to because I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that Tillie is an amazing person. After all, you’ve raised her. How could she not be?”
Slowly, ever so slowly, joy reclaimed his wife’s features. The sadness and doubt receded, and she smiled at him with the same abundance that he had seen earlier.
“All will be well,” Matthew whispered, holding her gaze. “Trust me.”
Swallowing, his wife nodded. “I do.”
Never in his life had Matthew heard more wonderful words.
In a single afternoon, everything had changed. Certainly, they had made progress in their relationship even before. However, now it seemed as though that which had kept them apart had finally been overcome. The fear that had always been present in his wife’s eyes was no more, only a mild echo of a life lived under unfortunate circumstances remained. Her earlier fear had been replaced by determination and a new sense of worth as though she had finally come to realise that she deserved more.
Perhaps she had always known but never dared to believe it.
Matthew knew how that felt.
His mind had always known that while he had made a mistake, he had not been at fault for his father’s deeds. And yet, his heart had still harboured doubts. Doubts that were now whispering their poisonous words with less strength, less vehemence, less conviction.
Had he been able to alleviate them simply by sharing them with his wife? Had he merely needed to open up and confide in another in order to rob them of their power?
Whatever the reason, Matthew realised that he felt a thousand times lighter and−as his wife had said−more optimistic. The future was a bright place, and he could not wait.
Now, all they needed was Tillie.
Tomorrow could not come soon enough.
Chapter Twenty-Six – A Child Comes Home
Waiting was torture! Nothing in the world ever compared to one pacing up and down and staring at a door that would not open.
“You’ll wear a hole in the floor,” her husband laughed, his eyes glinting with mischief as he smiled at her.
Adelaide felt a touch of anger bubbling up at his teasing and was still surprised that she now felt it so clearly where before it had only been a mild echo. “I cannot help it,” she replied, a certain harshness to her voice that had her husband raise his brows at her…in surprise as well as with pride.
“She’ll be here soon.”
“I know,” Adelaide replied, her gaze travelling to the door yet again. Certainly, all the servants thought her daft by now. How long had she been here, pacing up and down? Five minutes? An hour? Adelaide honestly could not tell. It seemed like an eternity.
Then a knock sounded on the door, and out of nowhere their butler appeared to receive their caller.
Staring, Adelaide swallowed, her gaze fixed on the door as she wondered if she was only seeing things or if they were real. A part of her was afraid to believe that Tillie was actually coming, fearing the disappointment and heartbreak if it was indeed not true.
“Don’t be foolish,” Adelaide chastised herself, reminding herself that these fears belonged in the past. However, to abandon them altogether was easier said than done.
“Are you all right?” her husband asked, his gentle green eyes looking into hers. “You seem tense.”
Inhaling a deep breath, Adelaide shook her head. “I’m not. I’m happy.” His face lit up when she smiled at him, and Adelaide felt her heart skip a beat.
Then her attention was drawn back to the door where her grandmot
her stepped over the threshold…with Tillie by her side.
The moment the little girl’s eyes fell on Adelaide, joy lit up her beautiful face. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. “Addy!” Her little voice echoed through the tall foyer as Tillie lunged forward, her little feet carrying her speedily across the floor before she flung herself into Adelaide’s arms.
Embracing the child’s small body, Adelaide felt Tillie’s arms encircle her tightly, and she closed her eyes, savouring the moment. A lone tear ran down her cheek, and yet, Adelaide knew that it was one of joy, of relief.
Dimly, Adelaide heard her husband speak to her grandmother. However, all her attention was focused on the little girl, who was looking up at her with bright eyes.
“I have a new doll,” Tillie confided, a sparkle in her blue gaze. “She is so pretty. Can I bring her next time? Please?”
“Of course, you can, my sweet.” Smiling, Adelaide brushed a dark curl behind the girl’s left ear, her eyes lingering on Tillie’s soft features, taking note of all the small changes that had happened since she’d last seen her. Oh, how she had missed her!
A sigh left Adelaide’s lips as she listened to the little girl prattle on about her dolls and then about a robin she kept seeing in the gardens. “Tomorrow I’ll put out food for it. It’ll be my new friend.”
“That is a wonderful idea,” Adelaide replied, hoping that nothing would delay their plan to have Tillie come live with them. However, before she could speak to the girl, she would need to speak to her grandmother. Adelaide could only hope that her grandmother would not consider it too risky. Her mother certainly would. Fortunately, she had not accompanied them today.
After introducing the girl to her husband, they all stepped into the drawing room, where Adelaide took note of a rather large trunk sitting right next to the coffee table. A frown descended upon her face as she tried to recall if she had ever seen it before.