All for Hope (20 page)

“
Kay—” Bren began.

“
What game are you two playing? You're after our inheritance! You're frauds!”

“
He really is your cousin. Trust us.”

Her eyes widened. “Trust you!” she cried. “You think I would trust you?”

“
She's definitely your cousin, Bren. You think just alike.” Hope said.

Brennan didn't think that comment was funny and gave Hope a look to tell her so. He reached out to grab his cousin’s arm, and she backed away as if he meant to strangle her. At that moment, Sir James and Jeremy entered, obviously coming in response to all the yelling.

“
My girl, Kay, you're finally home to meet your cousin!” the old man exclaimed, hobbling to her with his cane.

“
Cousin?” she jeered. “He's a fraud! Her name is Hope. They've been lying to all of you. How could you have accepted his claim at face value?”

“
Are you blind, Kay? Can't you see that he's your cousin? We all look just alike.”

“
Didn't you hear what I said? I heard them talking. He just proposed to her. He called the baby Michelle. He called her Hope. She was talking about making him an accessory to some crime. They are not who they said they are!”

“
I knew it!” Jeremy joined in. “I knew they weren't—”

“
Be quiet, both of you! I know very well their real names, and there is more to this story than I thought that either of you should know. If you will sit down, I will explain everything.” His voice was full of authority, and both of Lord James's children sat down upon his order. Hope would have laughed if not for the suffocating tightness in her chest.

“
Would you like to tell them or shall I?” he asked her.

“
Well, I started all of this, so I suppose I should. It's true that my name is Hope and Nichole’s real name is Michelle. Several months ago. . .”

The people in the room all watched her in silence as she explained the situation. Jeremy’s expression was void, not a hint of his feeling about the story in his face. Kay, however, looked to be seething, her eyes flaring with anger.

“
And so we decided to come to New Durma. We didn’t know that we’d find Brennan's family. We were desperate, and he knew that he had this property that might be a safe place for Michelle and me. We didn't want to deceive all of you, but we couldn't be sure what to expect and you must understand—it has always been Brennan's hope to find his roots. We just didn't think it would be under these circumstances and—”

“
I've heard enough,” Kay said in a low, yet firm voice. “Do you realize the danger you've put us all in? You are both fugitives! Kidnappers! The consequences of us just being privy to this information—”

“
They did what they had to, Kay.” her father defended. “They saved that little girl from—”

“
How do you know that?” She looked pointedly at Hope, “How do you know that what that prostitute said was true?”

“
I know,” Hope told her in a harsh tone she rarely used.

Bren stood beside her. “If Hope says what Justine said is true, then it is.”

Kay shook her head. “The courts would not have given the baby to the Taggerts if there was even one sliver of a possibility that she would have been in danger. The justice system—”

“
Failed her,” Hope finished, and at that moment Meg entered with Michelle. The baby was crying and rubbing at her red eyes, her exhaustion clearly evident. Hope tenderly took the baby and rocked her against her chest, soothing her a bit. “Look at her, Kay. The system failed
her.
”

With that, she stomped from the room.

“
What's going on?” Meg asked, looking to each person in the room for an answer.

Jeremy got up and put his arm around his wife. “Kay, Daddy is right. They did what they had to. I believe them.”

His sister gave him a hurt and angry glare, unable to speak.

Brennan smiled in appreciation to his cousin, then headed for the door.

“
I have to check on Hope,” he said as he hurried after her.

“
Will someone please tell me what's going on?” Meg pleaded.

“
Come, girl,” Lord James said and took her hand. “It's a long story.”

Stopping at the stairs, Brennan watched them disappear around the corner in the opposite direction. He paused a moment longer when he heard Kay speak up again from the parlor.

“
They're fugitives.” she uttered hoarsely.

“
I'm sorry, Kay, but I've been watching him, and he's an honorable man. Just think of what he did for her. They hadn't even spoken for years, and still he gave up everything to help her. Could you or I have done the same for someone? I don't know that I could.”

Just as Brennan began walking up the stairs, he heard Jeremy speak again. “I love you, Kay. Trust me on this one.”

Hope was pulling her clothes out of the bedside drawer when he reached her in their shared room. Michelle wasn’t crying, but she was making little sucking sounds that indicated a full-fledged fuss was on its way.

He picked her up from her pallet on the floor and went to sit on the bed.

“
Where are we going?” he asked, watching Hope stuff her things hurriedly into a bag.

“
The cottage is ready. There’s no reason for us not to go there. I’ll need to make plans for where we’ll go. We can’t stay here as long as they know.”

He took her arm, forcing her eyes to his. “Sit down.”

She did, exhaling as her body dipped into the feather comforter.

“
I want your answer before anything else.” He kept his words soft, careful restraint keeping the worry from his voice.

“
Bren—”

“
I love you, Hope. I’ve said those words dozens of times to you throughout the years, but this is the first time I’m saying it with the meaning you always wanted. I am honest-to-goodness, to the core of my being in love with you. Are you going to marry me or not?”

A sob escaped her and she raised her hand to her mouth, stuffing her fingers between her lips as if to silence herself. But she also nodded.

That wasn’t good enough.

“
Say it, Hope. Yes or no.”

“
Okay. Yes.”

She didn’t sound as confident in the response as he would have liked but for the moment it would do. He realized his insides were shaking, and he almost laughed at himself for being so sappy. Instead he put his arm around Hope and tugged her hard against his chest. “Okay, yes,” he repeated, smiling.

“
That doesn’t change what we’ll do now. Kay is hateful. She’ll turn us in. We have to leave.”

“
Will you let me to talk to Uncle James first?” he asked. “I mean, I don’t see any reason for us not to go to the cottage, but I just don’t get the feeling that this is the type of family that would turn on its own.”

“
Okay. Yes.”

He did laugh then, squeezing her. “If it will keep you this amenable, I’ll ask you to marry me every day.”

He pulled back and put his finger under her chin so she would meet his gaze. She didn’t laugh, but smiled just a bit, worry still crinkling her brow.

“
I told you awhile back that I’d try to trust you. This is me trying. It isn’t easy, but you’re here, Bren, and that’s pretty damned important to me right now.”

“
I want you to do one more thing while you’re being agreeable.”

She rubbed her tear-stained face and smiled at him with eyebrows upturned in question.

“
I said the three little words, Hope. I want to hear you now.”

A lovely giggle escaped her lips, and she leaned forward to kiss him. With her mouth just inches from his, she spoke.

“
I love you, Brennan James Rawley. I love you.”

Brennan’s uncle convinced him to give the family the benefit of the doubt, and so for the time being, they agreed to remain in New Durma. Hope thought they should move to the cottage, but Uncle James was intent on having the entire family under his roof for Christmas.

In the meantime, Bren thought they should make plans for a wedding, but Hope deflected him as best she could.

Clearly she loved him, and she even believed he loved her. It just wasn’t as simple as love anymore. She was terrified that a marriage would be disastrous for all of them. It would not only tie Bren down, but it could potentially get him into a lot of trouble if anyone ever found them. And their marriage would focus attention that they could ill afford. How would Bren explain to Jim that he wasn’t coming home? And if he told Jim he was married, he would either have to divulge Hope’s secret or forever keep his marital life a secret from his best friend.

She wondered when they had grown up, when life had become something other than a fairy tale she was expecting to sweep her off to happy ever after. She could sense Brennan was getting impatient. It was almost comical that he would be in a hurry for the shackles of marriage when he’d spent most of his adolescence fighting any sort of true commitment.

Christmas Day finally arrived, and after attending church services, the family gathered in the living area to decorate the tree. Hope noticed immediately that Kay wasn’t there, and she knew she’d likely ruined the family's Christmas. She forced a smile when Sir James motioned her to sit beside him, and she quickly curled up on the floor with Michelle on her lap.

“
I love watching the children open presents. It’s amazing to see the wonder in a child's eyes. Christmas brings more blessings than most people realize.” He grinned, watching as Jeremy passed gifts around the room.

Hope set aside her own gifts and made a pile of the numerous ones for Michelle in front of her. The baby screeched with glee at the bright, colorful wrapping paper and ribbons. Sadness rippled through her. This was Michelle’s first Christmas, and Justine wouldn’t see it. So many firsts her friend would miss with her daughter.

Thoughts of Justine brought to mind to her own parents, and a stabbing pain pierced her chest. She had never missed a holiday with her family. This would be her mother’s first Christmas without either of her daughters, and guilt crept up to replace the hurt in Hope’s heart. Was all of this worth it?