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“I don’t know how to thank you.” Ariana’s eyes glowed with gratitude. Clearing her throat, she broached what she hoped would be the greatest surprise of all for her husband. “There’s just one more thing.”
“Which is?”
“You mentioned that your father’s personal things are stored at Tyreham. How would you feel about having them sent to Broddington to be displayed in the sitting room?”
Dustin smoothed his mustache, his expression clouded by ambivalence. “Truthfully, I don’t know how Trent will react to any of this, Ariana, least of all to so blatant a testimonial to our father. There are some reminders that still tear him apart, some memories he may never be ready to face. I just can’t predict what his response will be.”
“I’ll take the responsibility … and the risk.” She stood, went to perch on the edge of the desk. “It would mean a great deal to me.”
“Then we’ll give it a try.” He attempted a smile. “The worst Trent can do is fume and shout.”
Ariana lowered her gaze.
“It is the worst he can do, Ariana,” Dustin pressed gently.
“I know. I never believed otherwise. But, obviously, someone else does.”
Dustin leaned back in the chair, folding his arms behind his head. “Let’s explore this, beginning with all Trent’s overt enemies, their motivations and what they would gain by mentally torturing him.”
“I gather quite a few people hated him after Vanessa died.”
“They wouldn’t if they knew the truth,” Dustin returned without thinking. Abruptly, he fell silent.
“Dustin,” Ariana said with quiet understanding, “I know what happened between Vanessa and Trenton. As well as what didn’t happen. I also know that her actions, her death … and Baxter’s thoughtless greed … were responsible for your father’s sudden passing. You don’t have to shield me any longer.”
“Trent told you all that?”
“Yes.”
Dustin whistled softly. “You clearly mean more to my brother than even I realized. He’s never opened up and shared that information with anyone other than me. His pain … his guilt … were too deeply embedded.”
“I understand his pain. But his guilt is so unfounded! He tried everything to protect your father!”
“Yes, but Trent blamed himself for having instigated the scandal.” Seeing Ariana’s perplexed look, Dustin sighed. “You already know what happened. What you may not know is this: My father disliked and distrusted your sister from the first. He’d evidently had ample opportunity to observe her over several London Seasons and was convinced that she was a faithless fortune hunter. He adamantly advised Trent to stay away from her … for his own sake, and for the sake of the family. Trent didn’t take kindly to the invasion of his personal life, nor did he agree with Father’s assessment … at least not until he’d seen firsthand what Vanessa was capable of. By then it was too late. Trent’s never forgiven himself for not heeding our father’s warning. He’s convinced that if he had, Father would still be alive today.”
“I see.” Ariana swallowed. “I never thought I could feel such contempt for my own family. It seems I’m learning otherwise.”
Dustin’s deep blue eyes softened with compassion. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
“So am I. Sorry that Baxter and Vanessa ruined Trenton’s life. Sorry that I wasn’t old enough to restore it. But I’m old enough now, Dustin.” She folded her hands tightly in her lap, raising her chin with solemn determination. “I can’t rectify the past, but I can remedy the present and ensure the future. I intend to do just that; for Trenton’s sake. Which brings me to a grim reality: I don’t think we can dismiss Baxter as a suspect in the unsettling events of the past few days.”
“No, we can’t,” Dustin agreed. “Despite the number of people who scorned Trenton after Vanessa’s death, I can’t think of anyone else who would still harbor such rage, feel such malice six years later.”
“The timing certainly suggests Baxter’s guilt. And there’s another thing: Who but Baxter knew Vanessa well enough to train someone to impersonate her? If Trenton were physically close enough to this impostor to actually grab her arms, she must
not only resemble Vanessa but behave like her as well.” A further realization dawned in Ariana’s eyes. “For that matter, Trenton rambled something about confusing her with me. So whoever arranged this facade must know my mannerisms too.”
“Consequently, assuming Trent was lucid when he told you that, we’re right back to Baxter again.”
“Dustin, something else is troubling me.” Ariana took a deep breath and plunged on with a nagging inconsistency that had plagued her for days. “Do you think Baxter could have tampered with Vanessa’s journal?”
“What?” Dustin started, taken aback, both by the abrupt change in topic and by the question itself. “What on earth makes you ask that?”
“It’s just that her written perceptions, unless she was delusional, are so different from what I now know to be the truth. How can that be?”
“You’ve read Vanessa’s journal?”
“Haven’t you?”
