When his mother had reached Switzerland, she’d married the child’s father under an assumed name. Mr. Vane had known the truth about his parents for years.
Vane probably thought Adrian had known has well—which would explain the overtures of friendship Adrian had spurned.
If he hadn’t been so angry, so certain his mother had been complicit in the murder of a child, he might have had the chance to see her again before she’d died. He might have even already developed a rapport with his half-brother.
Mr. Jonathan Vane.
A knock sounded on the door. Even though he ignored the plea for entry, Bessie pushed her way in.
“Well?” she asked.
He snorted. “Well.”
“I told you the child didn’t die.”
“No,” Adrian replied. “You arranged to have him taken to his father.”
“And after it became clear that your father had no intention of relinquishing Emily, I arranged a match between Caroline and your father, with your mother’s blessing.”
He’d always wondered why a young woman like Caroline would have married a man like his father—a divorced, disgraced, and generally miserable human being.
A man twice her age.
Adrian had asked her, once. Recently. Caroline had glanced at Emily and said love at first sight. He’d known she was speaking not of his father, but of a motherly feeling toward his sister.
“Does Caroline know?” He swallowed with difficultly. “That Vane is my…”
“Your brother? Yes.”
“How? When?”
Bessie crossed the room and laid a hand on his shoulder.
“Caroline knew the whole from the beginning. She has always been wiser than her years. And with a particular skill for…finesse.”
“You mean of managing difficult men.”
“Your father was rather taken.” Bessie shrugged. “Who wouldn’t be gratified by the devoted attention of a creature like Caroline?”
He remembered the way his father had looked at her—like he couldn’t quite believe she was real. After their marriage, with hisfather’s “blessing”—a good riddance had been involved—Adrian had taken himself off to the Duke of Harbury’s household. While he hadn’t resented Caroline, per se, seeing his father happy had been too much.
And though he’d loved and often visited his sister, little Emily had been better off not being exposed to daily fights between him and his father.
“Your mother wanted me to find an exceptional young lady, one both capable of dazzling your father and being a mother to her daughter. I outdid myself—and that’s saying something. For her part, Caroline would give me reports to send to your mother. Reports and little things Emily made, like pressed flowers and pencil sketches. Your mother cherished those gifts.”
“How could Caroline take such a risk? My father would have been furious.”
“There was little risk. I sent the letters to your mother, she didn’t. After your mother died, Vane took up the correspondence with Caroline. He came back to England to finally meet you…and Emily. And”—she took a deep breath—“for some other, less altruistic reasons. Or so I suspect. In any case, he intends to stay. he’s purchased an estate. The estate that once belonged to the Wainwrights.”
I sent her driving with Mr. Vane almost an hour ago. For the second time.
I am considering another’s offer of marriage.
Eliza—the woman he’d decided he could not live without—was considering an offer from his own half-brother?
He eyed the Black Widow with suspicion. He’d first met Vane here at the Lyon’s Den. Bessie had known everything about his connection to Vane. What did she know about the connection between Vane and Eliza?
Bessie withdrew her hand and sat down opposite him.
