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“I’m not the one you should be asking, Ariana.”
“But I am asking you,” she pleaded, clutching his arm. “Please, Dustin … You’re the only friend I have at Broddington. Won’t you give me some insight into the past?”
Dustin stared at the small hand gripping his arm, torn between loyalty and compassion. When reason interceded on the side of compassion, reminding him that Trenton’s future happiness hinged on the eradication of his past, he made his decision. “Baxter and Trent go back many years,” he explained cautiously. “Since they were in their late teens.”
“Before Vanessa and Trenton were …”
“Yes.”
Ariana blinked in surprise. “I didn’t know that. How did they meet?”
“They were both competitors for an investment in a small manufacturing firm. The details don’t matter anymore. Suffice it to say, they had different methods of attaining their goals. Their antipathy was rapid and mutual.”
Ariana scooted the chick off her lap and drew her knees up, resting her chin thoughtfully atop them. “Was Baxter unethical?”
Silence.
“Dustin, I know my brother … quite well, in fact. I have no false illusions about his character.” Seeing Dustin’s startled expression, she hastened on, qualifying her statement. “Baxter loves me; I know he does … in his way. But he will go to great lengths to retain his material comforts or, as is too often the case, to regain them. So if he stooped to somewhat shady methods to achieve his ends, it wouldn’t surprise me.”
“You surprise me,” Dustin replied, shaking his head.
“Why? Because I’m objective about those I love?” Ariana shrugged. “To me, love means recognizing someone’s flaws and caring in spite of them.” Tilting her head, she gave Dustin a searching look. “Isn’t that what you do?”
His lips curved slightly. “I suppose I do. My, my … And here I thought I was the one teaching you.” Tenderly, he wrapped a strand of her hair about his finger and tugged. “For one so young, you’re very wise.”
Ariana smiled back. “Wise, perhaps, but not terribly worldly. I know enough about your brother to guess that he is rigidly principled in his business dealings. I can
see why that would create conflict with Baxter. What I don’t see is how Vanessa fits into—”
“Let’s say that Trent’s and Baxter’s differing philosophies extended to women as well.”
“Women? But Vanessa was our sister!”
“Prior to Vanessa. As far back as I can remember.” Dustin released Ariana’s lock of hair, holding her gaze with his. “As you are well aware, Trent is a handsome, titled, and extremely wealthy man. Needless to say, women flocked to him in droves.”
An unexpected twist of jealousy gripped Ariana’s heart.
“There were many women over the years,” Dustin continued. “Some were coveted by others, but were drawn to Trenton nonetheless.”
Comprehension dawned on Ariana’s face. “What you’re saying is that Baxter and Trenton traveled in the same circles, and that the desirable ladies pursued Trenton, rather than Baxter.”
Dustin nodded. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying.” Abruptly, he averted his gaze. “Your brother didn’t take kindly to the situation. He took his affections elsewhere … and his investment funds as well. His resulting way of life diametrically opposed Trent’s.”
Ariana gave a resigned sigh. “In short, Baxter gambled excessively and had indiscriminate affairs with married women. … Trenton did not.”
Again, Dustin started. “So you did know!”
“About Trenton? No. About Baxter, of course I knew, I love my brother, but I have no misconceptions about his questionable values. I simply accept them as part of him.” She chewed her lip thoughtfully. “If Baxter disliked Trenton all those years, why would he allow Vanessa to become involved with him?”
“It wasn’t Baxter’s choice.”
“So that’s why Baxter and Vanessa argued,” Ariana murmured, remembering how surprised she’d been to overhear her brother’s and sister’s sudden, relentless shouting matches. Until then, Baxter had never raised his voice to Vanessa; to the contrary, he’d perpetually indulged her as his most beautiful and prized asset.
“On your brother’s behalf, Trent had, by that time, acquired a rather extensive reputation with the ton’s unattached young women,” Dustin added, attempting to soften some of the day’s upsetting revelations. “So I’m sure that added fuel to Baxter’s fire.”
“Was Trenton’s reputation earned?” Ariana heard herself ask.
Dustin’s brows rose. “I’m not sure I should answer that question.” Seeing the unmistakable distress and confusion in Ariana’s eyes, he enfolded her hand between his. “Sweetheart, Trenton is much older than you: It’s only natural that he—”
