Brotherhood 02 - Broken Promise (14 page)

Sarah stared at his retreating back as he walked away from her. The sun was well up now. Glowing rays of brilliant sunlight streamed through the window, turning his hair a vibrant gold that glimmered as if on fire.

Even angry he was still one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen. His tall, broad-shouldered physique filled the window from side to side, exemplifying the strength and commanding presence on which she’d come to rely. He’d walked away from her to show her he was physically and emotionally separating himself from her. She knew she deserved his anger, but a part of her ached so much from her own loss she couldn’t find it within herself to understand how he might be feeling. Or care.

Because of Austin Landwell and the intense loyalty he felt to the Earl of Penderly, she’d lost Jonathan.

She waited for him to face her. When he did, she wished he hadn’t. Gone was the soft gentleness she’d once seen in his eyes. Gone was the warmth. In its place, the glaring hardness told her he wouldn’t allow her close to him again. The chill in his voice reinforced that assumption.

“Who are you?”

She faced him with all the confidence she could muster. “Sarah Bentley.”

“Lady Fledgemont’s maid?”

Sarah stiffened her resolve. “Yes, Captain. The maid.”

“Sarah,” Lady Lydia said in a tone more gentle than the clipped words her brother had used. “Why don’t you tell us what happened?”

“Yes,” Austin said. His demand was unyielding, his anger palpable. “I’m very interested in knowing why you told me you were Lady Fledgemont.”

Sarah’s head snapped up. “I didn’t tell you I was Lady Fledgemont. If you recall, you
assumed
that’s who I was when you broke into my home.”

Major Talbot’s eyebrows arched upward. “How interesting, Austin.”

“I didn’t break into Lady Fledge—” He stopped. “…into Miss Bentley’s home. I knocked on the door.”

“Yes,
then
forced your way in when I refused to admit you.”

Major Talbot held up his hand. “I think we’ve established that you somehow entered the lady’s home. Please, continue, Miss Bentley.”

One by one she looked at the people in the room. Her gaze stopped when it met Austin’s and she intensified her glare. “What I told you is exactly what happened. Viscount Fledgemont hired me to care for his wife before Jonathan was born.” She paused. “For the few months they were married, they were the happiest of couples. Their house was filled with constant laughter. Until Lord Fledgemont died.”

Sarah rubbed her aching arm. “The first days after Lord Fledgemont’s death, I was afraid Lady Fledgemont would die too. I’ve never seen anyone so consumed with grief. No matter how often I told her Lord Fledgemont would want her to carry on for the babe’s sake, words didn’t help. She’d lost her will to live.”

Sarah stopped then swallowed hard. She didn’t want to relive how frightened she’d been. She tried to swallow again but her throat was too dry.

As if Austin recognized how difficult this was for her, he reached for the glass of water at her bedside and handed it to her.

Their fingers touched. She anticipated they would. There wasn’t a way to avoid contact with him and the effect was the same as it always was. A shattering jolt rocked her with warm shivers.

He pulled his hand away, but the shivers remained. So did the heat where their fingers touched.

She took a drink and lowered the glass to her lap. It felt good to have something to hold. “I was afraid when the baby came Lady Fledgemont wouldn’t survive the birth. She told me if the babe was a boy he’d be too difficult a reminder of Lord Fledgemont.”

Sarah swept away a tear that spilled from her eye. “Then, Jonathan was born, but she had very little to do with him. No matter how much I encouraged her to look at the babe and hold him, she wouldn’t.”

“Was someone there to help you?” Lady Lydia asked. “There was the babe to care for as well as Lady Fledgemont.”

Sarah tried to smile. “I’ve always cared for people. First my mother when she fell ill, then my father. Caring for Lady Fledgemont was nothing new.”

“But the babe.”

Sarah smiled. “Yes, that was something new. Several of the local women offered their help, but Lady Fledgemont became agitated when strangers were there, so I managed by myself. The only person she allowed to come near Jonathan was the wet nurse, Mrs. Carmody.”

Another errant tear spilled down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away. She didn’t want them to see how frightened she’d been. Or how sad. “Her health failed more each day until she was so weak she could barely speak. She used the little strength she had to tell me every threat Lord Penderly had issued and make me promise that he’d never find out Jonathan existed. She was convinced Penderly would try to kill him.”

“What threats did Penderly make?” Major Talbot asked.

Sarah lifted her head. “That he would never accept an actress as his daughter, or any heir that came from their union. That he wouldn’t allow an actress’s blood to taint the Penderly title.”

The major turned to Austin Landwell. “Did you know about this?”

“Yes. Penderly told me he’d made some foolish threats when he confronted Miss Flemming. He even tried to buy her off, but she wouldn’t take anything from him. He told me that’s when he realized how much his son loved her. And how much Collette Flemming loved his son. The amount he offered her was staggering. She refused it.”

Major Talbot refocused on Sarah. “Then what happened?”

“A man broke into the house and tried to kill Jonathan.”

Sarah heard Austin’s sister gasp, then Lady Lydia rose from her chair and sat on the bed beside her. She reached for Sarah’s hand and held it—the same as her brother often had.

Sarah was glad. She didn’t want to be alone. She didn’t want to relive that horrible night. “I—” She tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. “I—”

She shook her head. She couldn’t do this. She looked at Austin, pleading with him to help her. He nodded and spoke for her.

“Someone broke into their home. Luckily, Lady— Miss Bentley heard the intruder. She hit the man over his head when he tried to suffocate the babe.”

“Oh, no!” Lady Lydia cried out, then squeezed Sarah’s hand tighter.

“Did you see his face?” Major Talbot asked.

“It doesn’t matter, Gabe. The attacker is dead.”

Major Talbot’s brows shot upward. “Do I want to know how he died?”

Austin shook his head.

The major paused before continuing. “Go on.”

“Miss Bentley threw some things into a bag and took Lady Fledgemont and the babe and ran.”

“I knew Lady Fledgemont wouldn’t survive the trip,” Sarah added. “She was in poor health, and the longer we journeyed the weaker she became. But I didn’t have a choice. I needed to get as far away from Wakemoor as possible. I thought if I could get to London, we could get lost in the masses of people. But Lady Fledgemont didn’t make it.

“By the time we reached an inn called the Horse and Bridle, she wasn’t strong enough to go on. We had to stop.”

Sarah brushed away a tear that spilled down her cheek. She noticed Lady Lydia did the same.

“The innkeeper’s wife was a blessing. She helped me care for Lady Fledgemont the best we could, but nothing helped. I knew it was only a matter of time until we lost her.”

Except for a quiet sniffle that came from Lady Lydia, no one spoke.

“Before she died, she made me promise that I wouldn’t give Jonathan to the Earl of Penderly. She made me promise I’d keep him safe.” Sarah lifted her gaze. “Do you see now why I can’t let the earl have him? Lady Fledgemont was convinced Penderly wouldn’t stop until the child was dead.”

She waited for Austin to say something, but he didn’t. Instead, Major Talbot spoke. His question wasn’t directed toward her, but toward Austin Landwell.

“Are you sure Penderly isn’t behind the attempts, Austin?”

…

Austin walked to the window.

Was he sure Penderly was innocent? Sure enough that he would risk an innocent child’s life? Or was he so desperate to replace the son he’d taken from Penderly that he was blind to the truth?

He braced his hands on either side of the wood frame and dropped his head between his outstretched arms. He’d been so sure, but now…

A dozen options flashed before him. How could he prove Penderly hadn’t been lying? He couldn’t hand over the infant if Penderly’s intent was to kill him.

He turned. Everyone awaited his answer. He knew that Gabe would support whatever decision he made. Liddy would, too. That only left Sarah Bentley.

He studied her red-rimmed eyes and the blotches on her cheeks. He should be angry with her. She’d lied to him, deceived him. Let him believe she was the Earl of Penderly’s daughter-in-law. And yet…

Knowing what she knew, how could she have done anything differently? And knowing what he knew now, how could his heart not still be open to her? He wanted to comfort her, to hold her. Every part of him wanted to yield to her wishes. She was the only mother Jonathan had known in his short life. And Sarah Bentley considered him her son.

A painful knot settled deep inside his chest. Whether to hand Jonathan over to Penderly, or let Sarah Bentley take him into hiding wasn’t a decision he had the right to make. The decision had never been his to make. It was hers—Sarah Bentley’s.

Lady Fledgemont had left Jonathan in Sarah’s care, had forced Sarah to swear to protect him and not let anything happen to him. She was the only person who could decide what Jonathan’s future would be. He didn’t have the right to force her to live with the consequences of his decision—whether right or wrong.

“You’re right, Miss Bentley. You are the only person who has the right to decide Jonathan’s future.”

A look of shock, then disbelief covered her face. “What are you saying?”

“I’m telling you that the decision as to whether or not Jonathan lives his life with the Earl of Penderly, or with you, is yours to make.”

Tears ran down her face and with her free hand she flung them away. “You would let me keep Jonathan and raise him as my own?”

Austin’s heart began a steady pounding. “If that is what you think is best for the infant.” He paused. “But only after you’ve given Penderly the chance to prove his innocence or guilt.”

She frowned. “How?”

“By meeting with him. By talking to him. By allowing him to talk to you.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am. It’s the only way. If, after you’ve heard him, you still consider Penderly a threat, and feel that Jonathan would come to harm living with him, I will make sure the earl can never find either of you. But, if after you meet the earl, you realize he is not the threat Lady Fledgemont feared he was, I expect you to tell the earl he has a grandson, and allow Jonathan to take his place as Penderly’s heir. Jonathan deserves as much. So does the Earl of Penderly.”

Sarah Bentley looked horrified. “Surely you don’t expect me to face him?” she asked. “Not after he tried to kill Jonathan twice?”

“I expect you to have an open mind, just as you asked of me.”

“But if Penderly has Jonathan within his reach, nothing will stop him from doing him harm.”

“Penderly won’t have him within reach. Jonathan isn’t going with us to London. He’ll go with Gabe and Liddy to Southerby. Only you and I will go to London.”

She was afraid. He could see it in her eyes, in the way her hand clutched at the covers. “I want to see Jonathan. I need to hold him and make sure he’s all right.”

Austin looked at Liddy and she rose. “I’ll get him for you. Our nurse is caring for him in a room just down the hall.”

Liddy left and a minute later returned with a sleeping babe in her arms. She took the infant to Sarah and placed him in her arm.

Sarah nestled him close. The love on her face and in her eyes was plain enough for a blind man to see.

A stabbing of remorse sliced through him. He realized how difficult this was for her. He also realized the risk he was taking.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked.

Austin lifted his brows in a questioning manner. “What? Letting you decide if Penderly is a threat to the babe?”

“Yes.”

He took a step closer to her and leaned his shoulder against the tall armoire that stood near the window. He crossed his arms over his chest and gathered his thoughts. “Because I’m convinced Penderly knows nothing about the child. I don’t think the possibility has even crossed his mind.”

“Are you serious?” Gabe asked, narrowing his gaze.

Austin nodded. “Did you notice the date on the marriage certificate?”

Gabe reached for the papers. “January 16, 1857.”

“And the date of birth on the birth certificate?”

“April 24, 1857.”

“And today’s date?”

“September twenty-first.”

Austin gave everyone time to do the math. “Penderly told me his son eloped with Miss Flemming shortly after the first of the year. According to my calculations, Miss Flemming was near to having Jonathan when they married.” Austin focused on the dawning expression on Gabe’s face.

“Which means,” Gabe offered, “that if his son and Miss Flemming had gone about things in a normal manner, there
might
be a chance that the lady conceived before Fledgemont died, and she is perhaps expecting a child now.”

Miss Bentley shook her head. “You forget,” she said, looking down on the sleeping babe. “Somehow Penderly discovered Jonathan’s existence. And sent someone to kill him.”

Austin walked to the bed and sat beside her. “I agree that someone discovered there was an heir and tried to kill him. But I’m not convinced that someone is Penderly. Which is why I want you to meet him, see the expression on his face when he talks about his son and Miss Flemming, hear the words when he talks about the guilt he carries.”

Sarah Bentley lowered Jonathan to her lap and brushed the backs of her fingers down his cheek. “What if after I’ve met him I’m not convinced he is innocent of trying to kill Jonathan?”