Chapter Eighteen
When Lucien returnedhome 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.”
“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 saw the man 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 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.
