![]() ![]() Philip’s eyes misted with overwhelming sadness. Belmont must never know the daughter he’s raised since birth is another man’s child.” And more spoiled than week-old cooked cabbage.” “I hear Belmont dotes excessively on the girl. Philip broke the silence with a loud sigh. The threat hung over the room, wrapping both men in a shroud of dark contemplation. Now all we can do is see Francie is kept safe.” “It can’t be changed and no amount of regret will bring Catherine back. “I would have demanded Catherine leave that bastard.” “I would change everything,” Philip said. “Here I was, probably tossing more food in the rubbish bin than you had on your table.” “Good God, man, had I only known.” Philip ran a large hand over his face. I worked as a tutor for the neighboring estates.” We fled to Amberden, a small village two hours south of here. When she left Glenhaven, she left everything behind : her title, her money. “She was petrified Belmont would find us. “I promised Eleanor,” Bernard said simply. “Where the hell did you go and why didn’t you try to contact me?” Philip asked, his voice filled with more pain than anger. Thought he’d try to harm the child when he figured out it wasn’t his.” She made Eleanor promise if the child looked like you, she was to say it died and take it away. “She’s your daughter, too.”Īnd promptly spat half of it out. Philip took a healthy swallow of whiskey. “No, she’s not,” Bernard said in a soft voice. “Then who in God’s name is the girl living at Glenhaven? She’s not Catherine and Edgar’s daughter?” “She is my child.” It was a statement mingled with a question. Philip’s gaze swung to Bernard, piercing him with keen blue eyes. It gnaws at me still when I think of it.” He traded money for Catherine’s happiness. “Love didn’t matter to that bastard father of hers. And I.” he paused a moment and when he spoke again his voice clogged with emotion, “I was in love with the most beautiful woman in the world.” “Not since you were a frustrated tutor in love with one of your pupils. ![]() “I haven’t been in your library in a good many years,” he said, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. He walked to Philip and handed him his glass, then set the decanter on the table in front of them.īernard sank into a camel-colored chair and smiled. “You always were the practical one.” Bernard steadied the drinks in one hand and grabbed the crystal decanter in the other. “I’ll make two.” Bernard rose and walked to the side table where he poured two glasses. “Would you like a cup of tea?” He pointed to the silver service in front of them. “What the hell’s going on, Bernard?” Philip Cardinger demanded, his face red with emotion.īernard ignored his friend’s outburst. She held her smile until she thought her face might shatter. “That means you two are like brother and sister.” “How lucky can one man be? A son and a daughter.” His eyes shone as they settled on her. We seem to rub one another the wrong way.” Pussycat? Perhaps roaring lion would be a more apt term. “Once you get underneath that tough hide of his, Alex is nothing but a pussycat.” The man had all but thrown her out of this house. Our initial meeting didn’t go very well.” What a serious understatement. “Why on earth would you say such a thing?” Bishop doesn’t like me very well.” And the feeling is mutual. He nodded, a broad grin spreading across his face. I’m the only one who can get away with calling him Alex.”įrancie’s heart skipped three beats. I can just see Alex’s face the first time you present yourself without slippers or stockings.” As for running barefoot, that sounds like a splendid idea. He held up his hand when she started to get up. The earl let out a laugh that ended in a coughing fit. Even run barefoot down the street if I please.” You can design your own here.”įrancie shook her head. And if tending a garden strikes your fancy, so be it. “Bah! We’ll buy you all the clothes you want. ![]()
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