Dangerous Secrets (91 page)

Chapter 26

Peter asked for a month to accustom himself to
his former home, to allow his daughters to adjust to the changed situation.
Simon granted it. It did not please him, but he understood.

Just as he understood when his mother requested
he not tell Peter that he knew he was his father.

‶
He turned away from this life
because of his shame, Simon. Don′t add to it by making him face it every
day when he sees the knowledge in your eyes. It will be hard enough for him as
it is.″

He had wanted to refuse her request. Miranda
had persuaded him to abide by it instead. When he agreed, he had every
expectation that the secret would make the month pass slowly and painfully. But
he had not counted on coming to like the man who had cuckolded his own father
and the faked his death to avoid living with the results of his own perfidy.

Perhaps he had been a fool to trust such a man.
He hoped not. For today was the day that they officially disinterred him from
the dead.

He hoped his troubles were over. He had
dismissed Miranda′s worries about Peter. If the man′s decision made
him miserable, it was only just. He had made so many others miserable for so
long. Simon had felt free to make love to his wife with abandon at night even
as he tutored his father in his duties as duke during the day. He was
determined not to regret this idyll. And to that end, he was willing to do
almost anything. Including forcing Peter to resume his responsibilities.

And his title.

With a bold stroke he signed the necessary
papers and gave them to the waiting servant.
‶
Deliver these at once.″

‶
Yes, Your Grace.″ The man
nodded.

Not the proper title for much longer, Simon
reflected.
‶
You
may tell Mr. Watson that I am ready to speak to him.″

‶
Very good, Your Grace.″
The door closed quietly, opening again almost instantly.

‶
I have begun the paperwork. The
agreed-upon month is over. Welcome home, Your Grace.″ Simon used the term
determinedly as he stood away from the desk he had sat behind for five years.

He took the leather pouch from his pocket and
removed the sealed envelope meant for the true Duke of Kerstone. He tossed the
envelope, unbroken seal up, atop a pile of papers that would require the new
duke′s attention. He commanded,
‶
Sit.″ Peter would not
escape the truth of his destiny. He would not allow it.

The older man — his father, Simon acknowledged
painfully as he looked into eyes the same color as his own — met his gaze
steadily.

‶
I don′t believe you have
considered all the ramifications of my becoming duke, Simon.″

‶
Of course I have. A matter of a
few formalities. I have just sent the papers on this minute. No doubt we must
wait a few weeks, but Parliament will not refuse to recognize you. You are
Peter Watterly, Duke of Kerstone.″

‶
I am. I am also the father of
three daughters. No sons.″ There was a flicker of shame in Peter′s
eyes for a moment. Simon was sure he saw it, even as the chill of his
mother′s long-kept secret coursed through him.
‶
You, as my brother
will be my heir.″

Simon was prepared.
‶
Then you must marry
and father a son.″

‶
I cannot.″

He looked at Peter in surprise.
‶
You
are still a young man. You can marry and father enough sons to fill this
house.″

A sad smile lit Peter′s face.
‶
Indeed.
But I will never marry again.″ He seemed to regret it, but there was no
doubt he felt he would never change his mind.

Simon refused to accept that.
‶
My
mother has explained to you that I am a bastard. I thought you
understood.″ He shook his head.
‶
If you can′t bring
yourself to remarry, then I suggest you keep Arthur nearby.″

‶
Simon —″

Simon interrupted.
‶
I will leave you to
the business of Kerstone, Your Grace. He tapped the envelope that had weighed
down his life for so long. ″I believe this deserves your
attention.″ He continued, with his hand on the doorknob,
‶
It
has been waiting five years to be opened by the true heir to Sinclair Watterly
and the new Duke of Kerstone.″

As he fled the room, and the sad misery of the
man who had fathered him, he said quietly,
‶
I will see you tonight, at the
celebration of your rebirth.″

***

Katherine offered the only advice she could,
little that it might be.
‶
You must take care of yourself, rest, eat well, and
take the air frequently. At your age such things are dangerous.″

The dowager sighed.
‶
I shall have to
leave, of course. I never should have stayed.″

Of course not, Miranda agreed in silent yet
sympathetic mockery. You should have turned your back on the only man you ever
loved simply because his father had the bad judgment to marry you.
‶
Where
will you go?″

‶
Italy, I think. At least for
... a time.″

Seven months. Miranda understood all too well,
although the thought of a forty-four-year-old woman with a grown son becoming a
mother again was somewhat shocking. And thanks to the laws of consanguinity,
this child, too, would be a bastard. It just wasn′t fair that she and
Simon should be so happy while Peter and Cassandra should be pulled apart.

But the dowager had made it very clear that
this confidence was to go no further then the three women in this room. Even
Peter had not been told. Miranda understood why, but she could not believe it
for the best.
‶
There
must be some way —″

Katherine raised her eyebrows in unvoiced
warning.

‶
She must remain calm and
careful in order to deliver herself safely of a healthy child. Italy will
provide her a sunny confinement.″

‶
But to be separated from Peter
is not —″ There was not a way to describe the distress of such
heartbreak.

‶
A happy ending?″ The
dowager smiled. She had been pale and wan, tired and listless for weeks. Now
they all knew why.
‶
I will have Peter′s child and a second chance
to be a good mother. That is enough for me.″

‶
You will not isolate yourself
from your family,″ Miranda protested.
‶
You must come to America with
us. We can say that you are a widow. We do not have to say for how long.″

The dowager raised one eyebrow and smiled.
‶
I
do not believe my son would think that wise.″

‶
Simon will not be angry. You
know how much he loves children.″

The dowager glanced toward the door, ready to
answer, and her skin drained of blood.
‶
Simon.″

Miranda watched, her heart in her throat as he
came into the room. He glanced at her and smiled. She could see no anger in
him, although he was wary.
‶
What is it about the children I love that will not
make me angry.″

Miranda answered nervously,
‶
Oh
nothing. I was speaking hypothetically about children in our American
home.″

His eyes locked on hers with concern.
‶
Are
you pregnant?″

‶
No!″ The denial came too
quickly. Miranda realized that she would have been better to say she was not
sure.

He glanced quickly at Katherine, who sat next
to the dowager, holding her wrist in one hand.
‶
You?″

Miranda was shocked.
‶
Of course she is
not, Simon.″ She chided him.
‶
She is a vicar′s
widow.″

He bowed slightly to Katherine.
‶
I
apologize.″ He smiled coldly at his mother.
‶
At least breeding
is a condition I cannot accuse you of, Mother.″

The room grew silent as the dowager blushed
pinkly.
‶
What
an imagination you have,″ she managed at last, her voice faint.

‶
No.″ Simon′s voice
was harsh as he sank to the seat beside Miranda. She reached for his hand, but
he pulled it away.
‶
I did not know such things were possible. ″

The dowager rejoined,
‶
Nor did I.″

He smiled grimly at his wife.
‶
I
suppose you mean to find her a happy ending? Well, I will not have it. Peter is
duke. My mother cannot legally marry her own stepson.″ He glanced at his
mother then.
‶
I
thought you hated scandal mother, and would do anything to avoid it.″ His
voice was scornful.

The color drained from her face.
‶
I
will have this child without disgracing you, never fear.″

‶
Simon, I must speak with
you.″ Peter stepped into the room and Miranda felt Simon tense like a
caged lion beside her.

‶
You are too late. I have
already heard the news.″

Peter stared at him in puzzlement.
‶
How
could you? I just found it out myself. I think it will change
everything.″

‶
It changes nothing.″ The
intensity and anger in Simon′s voice finally caught Peter′s
attention. He took a careful look at the shocked faces in the room.
‶
What
is it? What has happened?″

‶
How dare you and she bring
another bastard into this world.″

Peter glanced at the dowager in confusion, his
gaze hardening as he realized the import of Simon′s words.
‶
Is
this true, Cassandra?″

‶
Yes, Peter. I′m afraid
so.″ Cassandra. Miranda marveled at the name of the austere dowager. It
was a beautiful name, full of magic and mischief. So unlike the Dowager Duchess
of Kerstone. But perhaps like the young woman who had captured and held
Peter′s heart through a thirty-year absence.

‵
′Another bastard?″
The shock on Peter′s face flashed into anger.
‶
You told him I was
his father? Are you mad?″

His words were harsh, but the dowager did not
flinch.
‶
I
did not know he was at the door of the room, Peter, or I would not have spoken
so freely to Sinclair. Some mistakes cannot be erased.″ Miranda′s
heart squeezed with pain as she watched the two tearing open the wounds of the
past.

The dowager continued her explanation, her
voice husky with emotion.
‶
You said you would not come back and rescue him. I
thought that knowing he was true-blooded might change his mind.″ It was
when Peter softened and put his arms around the dowager′s stiff frame,
that Miranda thought of a tale of hope.

For all the two took notice of the others, they
could have been alone. Peter sighed softly against the dowager′s
elegantly coiffed head resting full on his shoulder.
‶
What a fine mess we
have made, haven′t we?″ Miranda thought of Rapunzel, letting her
hair down, and the prince taking hold, and climbing up to free her from her
prison.

She looked at Simon, watching his parents,
recognizing what she had already known. They loved each other as much as she
and Simon. And their love was breaking their hearts. Gently, she tugged on his
hand, pulling him from the room.

***

Miranda was gazing at him, her eyes full of
sorrow.

He knew some of her sorrow was for him when she
asked softly,
‶
What
shall you do if Peter is not willing to be duke now?″

Her words struck fear in his heart. He could
not allow it.
‶
He
understands his obligations.″

‶
His obligation to his father?
The man who embroiled him in this untenable situation.″

‶
To his blood.″

‶
And what about his obligation
to your mother? He cannot marry her unless he returns to America as Peter
Watson.″

‶
He has none. I will take care
of her and her bastard. She is my mother.″

‶
And what about her? Is she to
have no say?″

He did not want to consider his mother. Wed to
an older man, bedded by a young one. Falling in love with her husband′s
son.
‶
Nothing
can be done now.″ He stayed her lips with a gentle kiss.
‶
Not
even one of your fairytales can save them. In the eyes of the law she is his
mother — she married his father. They cannot ever marry.″

‶
In England, yes.″ Miranda
closed her eyes.
‶
I wonder how she will bear it.″

‶
She always manages.″

‶
Simon —″

‶
No more fairytale endings,
Miranda. They cannot have a happy ending together. They cannot marry.″

***

‶
I owe your mother, and I owe
you, so I′ll stay.″

His father had been drinking. His American
habits were more pronounced when he was foxed, Simon found.
‶
Your
mother is a stubborn woman.″

Simon felt only relief as he glanced at Miranda
and wondered if he should ask her to leave them alone.
‶
I believe I know
that well.″

Peter watched him from his position slumped in
a chair by the fire.
‶
We′ve got a problem, Simon.″

Simon tightened his arm around Miranda′s
waist and drew her closer. She smiled at him, but her expression was troubled.
‶
I
have none, Your Grace. You solved them all for me.″

‶
Wrong. ″ Simon found
himself slightly uncomfortable with this new, hardheaded Peter.
‶
You′re
still my little brother to the world. I don′t plan to marry again, or
outlive you. Not by a long shot. So you′ve got some time to sort yourself
out and take your responsibilities like a man. I don′t like it. But like
I said, I owe you. And I owe your mother.″