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Ariana arched an amused brow at her brother-in-law. “You summoned us here to fill in the missing pieces. Perhaps you should begin by introducing us to this lovely woman you’ve been protecting—whatever her name might be.”
“It would be my greatest pleasure.” A proud, relieved smile curved Dustin’s swollen lips. “Trent, Ariana.” He held out his hand, waiting until Nicole had crossed over to clasp it. “I’d like you to meet Nicole Aldridge.” His voice was a whisper of a caress. “My very own miracle.”
Fifteen
SILENCE GREETED DUSTIN’S ANNOUNCEMENT.
Nicole watched Trenton stiffen with shock, and he shifted Alexander’s weight, staring at her as if she were a ghost. “Stoddard is …?” He blanched, as the next reality struck. “Nicole Aldridge?”
“Yes, Your Grace.” Purposely, Nicole abandoned Stoddard’s voice in lieu of her own. “I’m Nick Aldridge’s daughter.”
“Of course,” Ariana breathed, nodding. “Now it all makes sense. No wonder Dustin is so fiercely committed to resolving these crimes.” Warmly, she added, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nicole. I hope you know your secret is safe with us.”
“I’ve been a bloody fool.” Trenton moved closer, studying Nicole’s face at close range. “But it never occurred to me …
“It wasn’t supposed to,” Nicole replied with an impish grin. “I worked long and hard perfecting Stoddard’s boylike mannerisms. Remember, I had to convince everyone—even Poole.”
“Which you did,” Dustin commended. He brought her palm to his lips, making no attempt to hide his feelings. “Everyone but me, of course.”
“Had you and Dustin met prior to the onset of this masquerade?” Ariana asked Nicole.
“Once.” Nicole replied. With a deep breath, she recounted the entire story, from their meeting at the Thames, to the threats on her father’s life, to her answering Dustin’s personal as Nick Aldridge’s protégé.
“Nicole is every bit as good as Aldridge’s letter claimed,” Dustin put in proudly. “You should see her ride.”
“So Ariana’s told me,” Trenton responded.
“When I applied for the position, I had no idea that the gentleman I’d met and the notorious marquis of Tyreham were one and the same,” Nicole confessed. “If I had, I would have dismissed this whole deception as an impossibility.”
“Then I’m glad you didn’t realize the truth,” Ariana declared.
“Nicole, where is your father?” Trenton demanded.
A heartbeat of a pause. Then, “He’s staying at Tyreham. With me.”
Trenton’s jaw tightened. “Does anyone know this?”
“Other than those in this room and our friend Sully, no.”
“Sully?”
“Sullivan,” Dustin supplied. “He’s the jockey I told you about. The one Archer and Parrish thrashed in an attempt to find out where Aldridge was.”
“He told them nothing,” Nicole inserted loyally.
“Parrish?” Trenton swooped down on the name. “I thought all we had was the name Archer.”
“Until this morning, that was true. But Nicole and I both heard Archer call his cohort Parrish. So we now have his name as well.”
“How did Nicole happen upon you during your beating?” Trenton asked. “You’ll forgive me, but I’m beginning to doubt it was mere coincidence.”
“It wasn’t,” Nicole answered honestly. “It was a combination of tangible misgivings and emotional instinct. You see, I was the last one to see Dustin before he was attacked. He came to my cottage before dawn to tell Papa and me about the telegram you’d received and to ask our permission to reveal the entire truth to you. We agreed. As he was leaving, he said he’d meet me at the stables at six. I assume he intended to use the intervening time to speak with you. When he didn’t arrive, I knew something was wrong. Gut instinct compelled me to ride Blanket through the woods toward the cottage. That’s when I heard those men. I made as much noise as I could to scare them off. It worked.”
Trenton cleared his throat. “Forgive my abruptness, Nicole. I don’t mean to interrogate you. It’s just that …” He glanced at the wriggling child in his arms.
“You needn’t explain, Your Grace. I fully understand. That is why I agreed to divulge the truth to you about my identity and Papa’s. We’ll do anything we must to keep your son safe.”
An unsteady nod. “Thank you.” Trenton’s glance shifted to his brother. “So all we’re really sure of are the names Archer and Parrish, and the fact that they have a scarred associate. We won’t know another thing until Saxon returns.”
