Brynne wasn’t certain whether his hands or Lettie’s were shaking. Perhaps both. She edged closer as the shaking spread throughout his body. At first he thought to bury his feelings and not allow his turmoil to show, but realized that Lettie wouldn’t want him to build his stone walls and shut her out as he had been doing for years.
Lettie deserved better from him.
A deep sorrow tore through his heart, for he didn’t need to hear the earl’s answer to know that Isabeau was dead. His mother, dead. He would never have the chance to know her.
“I’m so sorry,” the earl said softly. “I loved her very much.”
The earl had yet to speak of Brynne’s father. Had the man gotten her with child and then refused to marry Isabeau? Brynne wondered if that was why he’d been cast off and left for dead on the Woodburne’s doorstep. He was an unwanted bastard.And yet, it did not appear to be the de Wolfe way to abandon one of their own, whether legitimate or illegitimate. “Who is my father?”
Brynne wasn’t yet sure what he’d do if the man were still alive.
“He was the Marquis of Danforth.”
That word again–was– Brynne silently swore that he hated the word. “What happened to him?” Had the de Wolfes killed him in revenge for ruining Isabeau? He thought about Lettie put in that position and had no doubt he’d kill any man who harmed her in that way. Of course, since Lettie loved him, he was likely to be the very man to ruin her. Which was why he’d decided to leave England forever.
He didn’t know yet whether thank Lettie for her persistence or rue the day he’d ever met her. No, he silently chided himself. Lettie was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
“He died trying to save you and your mother. Isabeau was his wife and theirs was a love match. I would never have consented to their marriage otherwise. They’d been husband and wife for three happy years by the time you were born. You were your father’s pride and joy.”
Brynne felt another jolt, this one tearing his heart in two. His parents had loved him. His parents were married. His father was a marquis and his mother was the sister of the Earl of Wrexham. What in bloody blazes did it all mean?
Lettie cast him a soft smile, her beautiful green eyes shimmering as though to say, “I knew you were a somebody.” That would be a conversation for later. Right now, he wanted to learn everything he could about his parents.Parents!Lord, that sounded good.
“You were abducted by one of your father’s unsavory cousins, a dissolute gentleman– and I use the termgentlemanloosely, for he was a base and repulsive creature. The man had gotteninto trouble in the gaming hells and come to your father for help in paying his gambling debts. Your father refused. He’d helped the scoundrel once before and warned that it would be the first and only time he would do so. He counseled his cousin to end his bad habits, but the man paid him no heed. When your father denied him the funds, he concocted a scheme to abduct you and hold you for ransom.”
“Sweet mercy.” Brynne had a horrible feeling about what had happened and listened in aching silence as the earl continued.
“He’d hired some dockside ruffians to assist him in the abduction and bribed your nanny as well. Your parents were supposed to be out for the evening and only the nanny present to watch over you. But your parents returned early and surprised them all. The ruffians panicked and killed them.”
Lettie’s resolve collapsed and she burst into tears. Brynne took her into his embrace, holding her close so that he felt the warmth of her trembling lips against his chest.
She was still crying softly, doing her best not to distract him as the earl, his voice also shaking as he struggled to maintain his control, continued with the rest of the sordid tale. “The cousin and your nanny ran off, but I think she must have felt remorse for what had happened. The cousin wanted you killed, but instead, the nanny only pretended to do it and left you on a stranger’s doorstep.”
“She left me with the Woodburnes.”
He nodded. “Since Brynne is your true given name, I suspect that she must have left a note revealing this one small item of information. When we caught up to the pair, they told us you were dead… and your little body had been tossed into a lake.”
Now the earl’s tears were flowing down his cheeks unchecked. “We quietly searched every body of water in the Lake District and finally gave up. In our grief, we turned inward and said nothing to those outside our immediate family. Had we notbeen so damn secretive, someone in the neighborhood might have realized what we were doing and led us to you sooner. But we thought you were dead and didn’t want the public trampling over what might have been your watery grave.”
Brynne shook his head, confused. “What makes you so certain that I’m the lost child? If those villains told you that I was dead, why are you so quick to accept me?”
The earl continued, his breaths ragged and his voice still shaking. “The cousin and his band of ruffians were all hanged within a month of the crime. The nanny was imprisoned for the rest of her life. Five years ago, while close to death, she confessed to one of the guards that she’d spared your life. She refused to tell him where she’d abandoned you, or by that point in her illness, she simply couldn’t remember. We’ve had Bow Street runners searching for you these past five years, following every lead and trying to revive a cold trail. These false leads had us searching every which way.”
Brynne still wasn’t quite convinced. “Why didn’t the nanny tell you sooner? She could have bargained with you for that information.”
“I don’t suppose we’ll ever know why she withheld it. Perhaps it was fear that we’d order her hanged once she’d told us. If only she had, we would have moved heaven and earth to find you.”
“I think it takes a certain warped evil to harm a child,” Lettie said. “Even to agree to abduct a child and destroy its family so cruelly. I can’t begin to imagine the pain you all have suffered.”
“We did suffer,” the earl admitted, “But no more than Brynne has. Now, it’s all been brought to a happy end. You’re my nephew, Brynne. More important, the Marquis of Danforth’s father is still alive. He’ll want to meet you as soon as possible.” A wistful smile crossed his face. “He happens to be the Duke of Bradford. You’re his rightful heir.”
Lettie gasped and coughed at the same time. “TheDuke of Bradford? As in one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in England?” She shook her head and laughed dazedly.
Brynne wasn’t laughing. This was too much, too fast. He’d gone from being a nobody to not only being a part of the de Wolfe family, but the Duke of Bradford’s family as well. He couldn’t take it all in. Nor could he trust the earl’s easy acceptance of him. Would the duke be so accepting of a newly discovered grandson? He doubted it. “All this because of a damn birthmark?”
Now the earl was smiling and shaking his head. “There’s also the fact that you and your father could pass for twins. I knew your father very well. We were good friends as well as related by marriage. The resemblance is unmistakable. You’ll see for yourself shortly. The duke will expect you to visit Bradford Hall as soon as possible.”
“I’ll make sure Brynne does,” Lettie assured the earl before Brynne had the chance to respond. “Even if I have to drag him there myself.”
