“Would you perhaps prefer to take a seat? It is a very long story, after all.”
“No, thank you,” Anthony replied through gritted teeth. “I would prefer to remain standing.”
“Very well then, old boy. Before we begin, allow me to make your situation perfectly clear. There’s nowhere to run, for both Mr. Tulk and I are blocking your only viable exit. Don’t attack me, for if you do, I shall shoot you and Miss Meyer, not necessarily in that order.”
“And lastly, don’t bother screaming or making a fuss because all of your servants—and even sweet little Cecilia—have been sedated. Now, I’m going to lower my arm,withoutletting go of the pistol or taking my finger off of the trigger. But before I do so, would you do us a favor and step back five paces?”
Anthony complied.
“Perfect. Now, let me tell you a story, little brother.”
Chapter 27
The odd choice of words did not faze Anthony. After all, he was in an odd situation. The only way this could possibly be odder would be if Colin had suddenly said something normal. So the fact that the words that had just left Colin’s mouth were odd, was—oddly enough—quite comforting.
However, as the full effect of the words sunk in, Anthony became less sure as to whether he had heard correctly. He turned to check Meredith’s reaction—and to see if she was all right, for he hadn’t gotten a proper look earlier—yes, the circular shape her mouth was making indicated that she, too, had heard the same thing as Anthony.
He also silently noted that she seemed fine—apart from being physically restrained, that is. It was excruciating to see her alongside him in this situation. And though he did not yet know exactly what was going on, something told him that it was most likely his fault that she was here, too.
Anthony said nothing; as far as he was concerned, this would be his main strategy for now.
I need to concentrate on finding a way to get Meredith and myself to safety while ensuring Colin keeps talking.
And Colin did, indeed, start talking.
“Once upon a time, as these things go, the late Duke of Sherriden fell in love.”
Anthony wanted to spit.
How dare he have the audacity to talk about my father! He has no right to talk about any of my family members at all.
“Oh, and by the way,” Colin continued, “this was after he had married the late Duchess of Sherriden.”
Anthony squinted, unsure where he was going with this.
“The Duke, though married, found himself completely smitten with the Lady Gillinghamshire. Ah, I see you are finally beginning to grasp the extent by which your life is about to fundamentally change.”
Indeed, in addition to absorbing this new information and formulating a plan of survival and escape, Anthony was trying to assemble the pieces of the mental puzzle that had been laid out before him.
One piece in particular was glaringly prominent.
“And did the Duke—that is, my late father, did he have a child with,” Anthony couldn’t bring himself to say ‘your mother’, so instead he said, “Lady Gillinghamshire?”
Colin smiled menacingly.
“Why, yes. In fact, they did. However, because the late Lord and Lady Gillinghamshire did not yet have children of their own, in spite of their relatively prolonged union, they decided to present the child as Lord Gillinghamshire’s legitimate offspring and heir. No one, but the three of them, knew this truth.”
Anthony was now regretting his earlier refusal of a chair for he was noticing that his knees were suddenly struggling to support him.
But the story wasn’t done just yet.
“Then four months later, the late Duke of Sherriden fathered another son, this time with his own wife—who was totally oblivious to all of these prior events.”
“However, as the children grew together, Lady Sherriden began to notice the Duke’s increasing interest and favor for young Colin and his mother. So she confronted him about this and learned the entirety of the situation.”
Anthony scoffed at this, partly out of disbelief but partly because he needed more time to think.
“And do you have any evidence for this story or are these simply the exaggerated delusions of a jealous madman?”
