Chapter Eighteen
When Lucien returned home from yet another unproductive day combing the most unsavory places with Adrian, his butler ushered him immediately to the blue sitting room, where he apparently had guests waiting.
The moment he entered the room, his sister Allison threw herself into his arms, crying hysterically. He hugged her tightly, relief overwhelming him. Glancing up, he saw O’Brien, the constable he’d hired, standing there looking very self-satisfied.
“I found her, my lord,” the man said unnecessarily. “Chased them all the way to Paris, I did.”
“Roger left me,” Allison wailed. “He told me this man was looking for me, and if I wanted to come back home, I must go with him. A stranger! I was so afraid.”
Lucien rolled his eyes, wondering how she’d feared this perfectly respectable lawman, but seemed to find no fault with her murdering, sexually deviant half-brother.
O’Brien frowned. “Lord Winters got away, but I assumed you’d want your sister returned to you before I went in search of him again. Was I correct?”
Lucien nodded and hugged Allison tighter. “I was so afraid for you, pumpkin,” he said into her mussed blond hair. “Roger killed Anne the night he took you. We feared the worst.”
She drew back, her blue eyes haunted. “I know. He told me that, while he was in his cups. He was in his cups all the time. I’d never seen that side of him.”
“Did he hurt you?” Luke demanded.
She shook her head. “No, but I wanted to go home. I wanted my mother.”
“Mother has gone to her estate,” he said bitterly. “I’ll take you to her tomorrow if you like.”
She looked as if she’d like to argue the point, but he gave her a silencing look and went to shake O’Brien’s hand. “Thank you so much. I will, of course, continue to pay you if you’d like to go back and find the bastard.”
O’Brien smiled wider. “I would like that opportunity, my lord.” His smile slipped a bit as he withdrew his hand. “I’m sorry he got away. I know how much you wanted me to question him about your child.”
Luke nodded, swallowing his disappointment. He had no doubt O’Brien would eventually bring his stepbrother to justice, and at least Allison was home safe and sound. “Well, thank you for trying,” he said. He took the man to his study and paid him, then saw him to the door.
When he returned to the sitting room, Allison turned to him, her eyes filled with tears. “The other matter you were talking about… I heard the questions Percival was asking Roger… I didn’t know that you had a child.”
Luke scrubbed his hand over his face, feeling utterly defeated. “I didn’t either. Not until after you were taken. Roger took him from me, and now I’m desperately trying to find him.”
Allison sank down on the sofa, her lovely face suddenly seeming years older. “I think I know something…” She bit her lip. “I don’t want to betray Roger, but what he did, it’s not right.”
“No, it’s not,” Luke murmured, sitting down beside her and taking her hands in his. His heart beat furiously in his chest at the realization that she might be able to help him. “Allison, if you know anything, you have to tell me. I want to find my child desperately.”
Allison took a deep breath, seeming to make up her mind. “Well, one night, right after we left, Roger was drinking. He got so drunk he didn’t even seem to remember I was there. I was so afraid.”
Luke tightened his hands on hers. “He never should have taken you. And he never should have been drinking around you.”
She nodded jerkily. “Anyway, he started mumbling such hateful things. He said that he was finally even with you and Morgan. He said he’d taken Morgan’s wife, and he’d taken your child.”
“Was that all?” he asked, disappointment filling him.
“No,” she said hoarsely. “He was furious that he still hadn’t gotten even with Adrian. Then he stopped his muttering and started laughing hysterically. When I asked what he was laughing about, he said that he’d gotten even with Adrian after all, because Adrian would be crushed when he had to give his child back to you.” She took a deep breath. “Luke, I think Gabriel is your son.”
Luke closed his eyes and nodded, a wave of equal grief and happiness washing over him. “Thank you, Allison,” he whispered. “I will be eternally grateful to you for telling me this. I could not have borne not knowing, thinking he was out there alone and afraid.”
“What are you going to do?” she asked softly.
He shook his head. “I have no idea.”
* * *
At dinner that night, Serenity found to her surprise that Luke’s younger sister, Allison, had returned. The girl reminded her very much of his mother. She had the same blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Her features were delicate and lovely, but unfortunately, she also resembled her mother in personality.
“This is my very dear friend, Serenity Pratt,” Luke said by way of introduction.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Allison. I’m so glad you’ve returned home safely,” Serenity told the girl earnestly.
Allison turned up her perfect nose, obviously shocked and dismayed that her brother was forcing her to dine with his commoner mistress. “I’ll be leaving soon. Lucien will be taking me to my mother tomorrow. Won’t you, brother?”
As they took their seats, Serenity heard the girl whisper, “Is she the child’s mother?”
“Yes,” Luke told her. “Be nice.”
The rest of the meal passed in a fairly civil matter. Allison chatted animatedly with her brother but made no effort to include Serenity in the conversation.
Though somewhat hurt by the girl’s behavior, Serenity told herself Allison had been through a lot, and also that she’d been lucky to have received such a warm welcome from the rest of Luke’s family. She could handle this one young girl’s disdain.
“Have you seen my conservatory?” Luke asked her when Allison had finally taken a breath.
She shook her head. “No, I haven’t had a chance.”
“I’ll show it to you after dinner,” he said with a smile. “I remember how much you enjoy gardening.”
“That would be lovely,” she murmured, happy for his attention. Despite his obvious relief at having his sister home safe, she didn’t think he really enjoyed spending time with the girl.
“I’ve built a similar one at Hawesmere House,” he continued. “I can’t wait to take you there.”
“You finished it?” she asked, leaning in his direction, so pleased to hear that the place they’d both spent so much time imagining had actually been brought to fruition.
“Yes,” he said, his blue eyes sparkling with the passion she’d always seen in him whenever he spoke of his home. “It’s lovely. Even better than I first conceived of. You will love it.”
“I’m sure I will,” she told him, a wave of longing consuming her at the thought of going there with him, of pretending, just for a while, that she belonged there with him.
“I’ll take you there in my automobile, the next time the roads are dry,” he said, smiling. She remembered that he’d spoken of the vehicle on the train, that first day they’d been reunited. Was it possible that it had only been a little more than a week ago?
She laughed. “I would love that! As long as you promise it’s safe!”
Allison made a small disgusted sound and pushed away from the table. “I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”
“It was nice to meet you,” Serenity called weakly after her.
“Don’t mind her,” Luke said with a shrug. “She can’t stand any conversation that she isn’t the center of.”
Serenity smiled. “I rather got that impression.”
He sighed. “I love her. I do. But sometimes she reminds me so very much of mother. It’s infuriating.”
She said nothing, not wanting to speak ill of his mother, though she’d never hated anyone as much as she hated that woman.
After dinner, he took her to the conservatory, showing off his many varieties of orchids and exotic fruit trees. They shared a juicy orange for their dessert, and finally, she kissed him lingeringly on the lips and told him she was going to bed.
She’d hoped he’d ask to join her, but he simply wished her goodnight and continued working with one of his orchids, seeming as though he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.