Page 6 of Stolen By the Duke of Stone

“I am his successor. Thus, I am now assuming the responsibilities of my title, and they include my second cousin. I have come to collect him. The real question is, who are you?”

She drew herself up, holding the baby still tighter, rocking him slightly in an absent movement that suggested she had spent a great deal of her time doing just that. “My name is Jessamine Farbridge.”

“Farbridge,” he repeated, the name familiar, and its connotations unpleasant. “Daughter of Lord Debley?”

She pressed her lips together. “What if I am? I knew Rebecca, and she named me godmother. I made a promise to take care of him, and I will not break that promise. You cannot simply walk in here and take him.”

Andrew tapped his fingers against his arm.

Daughter of the Earl of Debley. Unfortunate connection, but in terms of temperament, they seemed nothing alike, and he could hardly judge her for the sins of her father.

He could judge her for her own sins, however, and shortsightedness was most certainly one of them. The lady had thought none of this through. It was all very well that an unmarried lady could claim the rights to a babe not her own, but how was she going to house and finance the lad? He would grow, require more than a pair of arms in which to sleep and a breast from which to feed.

“You are, of course, welcome to remain William’s godmother,” Andrew said. “But I am his uncle and rightful guardian, and I am perfectly within my rights to take him away.”

Her shoulders tensed, and her chin raised. “You can’t have him.”

“William belongs with me,” Andrew said icily. “I have not come here to negotiate, Lady Jessamine.”

“What do you know about raising an infant, Your Grace? He has no mother. He deserves someone who will love him.”

The words struck Andrew between the ribs, though he had no intention of letting her see the damage. Yes, he knew perfectly well that Rebecca was dead; in every respect, he had failed her. He had failed to oppose the marriage to Cartwell when his father insisted on it, and he had not been there to bargain with Death himself to insist she live.

The least he could do—the only thing he could do—was provide for Rebecca’s son, the way she would have done if she were alive.

“You may have your opinions about my suitability as a guardian,” he said, unable to keep the bite of anger from his voice, “but they will not stand up in a court of law. I will not allow my second cousin to grow up hidden away like this.”

The Duke of Setton stepped forward. “Such secrecy was necessary, Your Grace.”

“Perhaps it was before I arrived, but I am here now, and the secrecy is no longer necessary. Taking him in as my ward is perfectly proper, and frankly I am astonished you did not immediately summon me for that.” He returned his glare to Lady Jessamine, who did not quail underneath it. Interesting. “I will be taking William home with me now.”

Lady Jessamine looked wildly at the Duchess of Setton. “How did he find me?”

“Given you neglected to inform me of your whereabouts, I had to do a little investigation.” Now he made no attempt to hide the anger in his voice. “I learned Rebecca had died at a property Lady Marwich owned. After speaking with her, I learned of Lady Jessamine, and the Duke and Duchess of Setton brought me here.”

Lady Jessamine stared at the duchess as though the other lady had betrayed her. “How could you, Irene?” she whispered.

“He has a right to know, Jessie. He is the boy’s uncle, and we cannot keep you here indefinitely. We all agreed this was to be a temporary solution until something more permanent can be found.”

“Knightford is his family too,” Setton said gently.

“If that is true,” Lady Jessamine said, swinging back to him with accusation in her eyes, “then why was he not there to help Rebecca when she needed it the most? Why did he only show up now?”

Andrew ignored the stab of guilt, familiar as it was. He would not allow her to see any of the emotions that roiled underneath. As far as the world was concerned, he was stone-faced and stone-hearted; that had been the only way to survive his father, and it was the only way he would survive this now.

“I have been in the army,” he explained coldly. “And not allowed to leave my post until news of my father and brother’s deaths released me from my obligations.”

And provided him with an assortment of new ones, but at least it meant he could do his best for Rebecca’s child, even if he was too late to do anything for Rebecca herself.

The failure stung once more. Eternally.

“William will be raised by my side, and he will be educated, protected, and provided for,” he continued. “You have my word that he will want for nothing. And, moreover, I intend to legitimize him and make him my heir. With me, William will have a title, a future, and every opportunity the world can provide. What can you offer him as your ward, Lady Jessamine?”

Lady Jessamine raised her chin defiantly. “He is my half-brother, Your Grace.”

“I know of that connection, and I know the baby’s father,” he revealed.

Rebecca had written to him to make him aware. On the one hand, fortunately, her husband had died before her pregnancy had shown, otherwise, he might have had something to say about the impossibility of the child being his. On the other hand, Rebecca fell pregnant a year after her late husband’s death, and she hadn’t married anyone.