Serenity forced herself to stand straight again, her mind whirling. “Gabriel,” she said, her voice trembling. “Would you happen to know... how old he is?”
Fiona frowned. “Six or seven, I believe. There’s no way to know for certain. Why?”
“Where did he come from? Did he come from Miss Hawley’s Gentlemen’s Club, perhaps?”
“Yes,” Fiona said slowly, her eyes widening. “How did you know that?”
“Are you sure the child was a girl?”Luke had asked. She hadn’t understood why he’d asked that question at the time, but now she was utterly certain that he’d found out something when he’d gone to that horrible place, something that had made him doubt that their child had been a girl.
Did he know? Did he know about Gabriel? If so, why hadn’t he told her?Maybe he’s closer than you think.
“That’s where they took my child,” Serenity whispered. “I thought the baby was a girl, but yesterday Luke asked me if it could possibly have been a boy, and Gabriel looks just like Luke...” She trailed off, her gaze glued to the beautiful little boy. “That smile. I knew it when I saw his smile.”
“Oh, my God,” Fiona breathed.
“Vanessa loves that boy so much,” Serenity whispered, her voice choked with tears. Even in their brief acquaintance, Serenity had seen how Vanessa doted on the boy. How happy Gabriel was to have a family of his own at long last.
And she knew then, why Luke hadn’t told her yet. He wanted to be absolutely certain that Gabriel was theirs before he ripped his brother’s family apart.
“Oh, no,” Serenity said, leaning forward once again, feeling as though she was going to faint. “It would be cruel to take him from them, wouldn’t it? Even if he is mine, I could never take him from Vanessa and Adrian.”
“I don’t know,” Fiona said, rubbing small circles on her back. “I’m so sorry. Are you certain Gabriel is yours? Please don’t do anything with this knowledge until you know for certain.”
Serenity nodded, forcing herself to take deep breaths until finally, the world stopped spinning around her. “I don’t know anything for sure,” she said at last. “I just looked at him and suddenly, I knew. My heart and soul knew that he was mine. But don’t worry, I won’t say anything to Vanessa. Not until there is some proof.”
“Thank you,” Fiona said, letting out a breath of her own. “Gabriel’s just been through so much...”
“I know,” Serenity said, guilt and regret filling her until she thought she’d burst. “It’s all my fault.”
“I know only what you told me,” Fiona said, guiding her over to a bench in the shade. “But I know enough to be certain that none of this is your fault.”
“Luke is probably having such a hard time with this,” Serenity mused sadly. “But he didn’t tell me. He didn’t feel he could trust me.”
“Maybe he just didn’t want to hurt you anymore,” Fiona argued. “Maybe he didn’t tell you for the same reason you just decided not to tell Vanessa. Because you don’t know for sure and don’t want to hurt her.”
“But if he’s my child, and he’s this close, close enough to touch...” Serenity swiped at the tears that were blinding her. “I want to go to him so badly.”
“I understand,” Fiona told her quietly. “But at least if he’s yours, you know that he’s still alive and that he’s safe. That’s all that matters, isn’t it? The rest will work its way out. You’ll see.”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right.” Serenity gazed after the boy, a sudden sense of peace settling over her. If Gabriel truly was the child she had lost, then he was alive. He was healthy and happy, and he had parents who loved him.
She couldn’t take that away from him.
* * *
ROGER HAD JUST STEPPEDinto the lobby of his hotel, after a very enjoyable evening spent in a brothel that catered to his particular tastes, when he noticed a man speaking with the front desk clerk, his very clipped British voice carrying across the room.
“I need to know what room Lord Winters is staying in. My name’s O’Brien, Quinn O’Brien, and I have reason to believe he’s kidnapped a young girl.” The man had burnished blond hair and a military bearing. Roger knew immediately that the bastard was working for his stepbrothers.
The hotel clerk refused the man’s request, but Mr. O’Brien had the look of a man who would not take no for an answer.
Skirting the perimeter of the lobby, Roger used the potted palms as a screen and headed directly for the discreet doorway that led to the stairs. He bounded up them two at a time, all the way to the fourth floor.
Breathing heavily, he sprinted down the hall and unlocked the door to his room, glancing repeatedly over his shoulder at the lift, certain the private investigator or whatever he was would appear at any moment.
Entering his room without incident, he was immediately besieged by Allison, who had gone from annoying to downright petulant. He’d thought she’d be a good companion, someone he could rely on in his exile, but she’d been spoiled all her life, and he should have realized she’d need more than he could give her on the run.
“Where have you been?” she cried. “I’m tired of being trapped in this room day after day without any distractions! I want to go back to London! I need to prepare for my first Season!”
