Page 87 of Her Captain Enchanter

Her father tilted his head, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. “It depends. Is it anything like this surprise was?”

“Oh, no, Father. This surprise is much better.” She glanced at Broderick, giving him the nod to go fetch her mother and brother. Once Broderick left the room, she took her father’s hands and held them. “This trip to Greenwich has opened my eyes to a lot of things, which Broderick was all part of. But one of the things I discovered was how your devious brother has tricked you and me for years now.”

Her father’s forehead creased. “How so?”

“Well, fifteen years ago he told us some disturbing news that was nothing but a lie.”

Slowly, color faded from his cheeks. She knew he was thinking of her mother.

“Your brother made us believe that my mother—your wife—had been killed. But that is not the truth.” She took another deep breath. “Father, Mother is alive. I found her living in Brighton.”

He swayed slightly and then stumbled to the chair where he’d been sitting. Tears collected in his eyes as he stared at her. “Daphne… is alive?”

“Yes.” Emmie sat on the footstool and took his hands again. “Your brother orchestrated this whole thing, Father. He gave usthe note that said Mother had died, and he gave Mother a similar note that told herwehad died.”

“Are… are you certain he did that?”

“Yes, I’m quite sure.” Emotion stuck in her throat, making her voice crack. “I pray your brother pays dearly for what he has done to our family.”

Anger blazed across her father’s expression. “I pray that, too. I’ll never let him—or anyone—break up my family again.”

“I’m so glad you think that way,” she said.

Silence stretched in the room for several moments. The only sounds were the wood crackling in the fireplace and her father’s ragged breaths as he tried to hold back tears. Then she heard the floor in the hallway creak, and she knew Broderick had returned.

Emmie stood and walked to the door then opened it. She smiled at her mother and brother, motioning them to enter.

When Daphne glided into the room, looking lovelier than Emmie could remember, her father jumped to his feet. His gaze nearly devoured his wife. Tears streamed down Daphne’s cheeks as she held her hands out to her husband.

“Oh, Byron.” Her voice broke. “You are really alive!”

Emmie’s father released a sob and ran to his wife, sweeping her in his arms. Emmie placed her fisted hand to her mouth to keep the cries from spilling forth from her own throat as she watched her father and mother hug and kiss—something she’d missed seeing for all these years.

The presence beside her alerted her that her brother was also seeing his father for the first time. She took hold of Elias’s hand and squeezed. “What do you think of him?” she asked softly.

“He is amazing.” Even Elias’s voice was choked with emotion.

Daphne turned, still in her husband’s arms, and reached her hand out for Elias. “Byron, I want you to meet your son, Elias Byron Langston.”

A hoarse laugh escaped Byron’s throat as he pulled Elias in for a hug. “I have a son,” he shouted in joy.

Everyone laughed, still with tears in their eyes.

Standing beside Emmie, Broderick wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “I love you,” he whispered in her ear.

She smiled up into his eyes. “I love you more.”

He bent and kissed her lips briefly. “I love you higher than the sky.”

“I cannot beat that, now can I?”

“Not unless you are an angel in heaven.”

She turned and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Youaremy heaven.”