“That will be difficult for the family.”
“Indeed.” But he decided to offer her some better news to cheer her up. “But you will be glad to hear that Lily has agreed to marry me.”
As he’d hoped, Charlotte’s face lit up with joy. “Oh, my dear. I am so pleased for you both.”
He nodded, and his mother went on about wedding plans and asking when the ceremony would be. “I have to ask Lily and consult with her on her wishes.”
“Right you are.” But it did seem that his news had brightened her day, and he was glad of it. His mother patted his hand, and soon enough, he heard a knock at the door.
Matthew went to answer it and saw Dr. Fraser had arrived. The doctor carried a black bag, and his face held a somber expression. “It’s glad I am that you’ve come, lad, I know your visit has done your mother good. She has pined for you for several weeks now.”
Matthew lowered his voice. “Will she improve?”
The doctor sobered. “I believe so, yes. But she must rest and not go out for some time. Excitement would do her more harm than good. Her heart troubles came about by a shock of some kind. The servants found her in a faint.”
Likely from news of Sarah Carlisle, Matthew thought. “Is Cousin Juliette with you?” he asked.
“Aye, she’s downstairs. I asked her to wait until I’d examined Charlotte, and she would come up afterward. I know she would enjoy your company.”
“I’ll go and speak with her,” he offered. To his mother, he said, “I’ll let Dr. Fraser examine you and will return shortly.”
He walked down the stairs and found his cousin in the library. She was studying the rows of books, and her face lit up when she saw him.
“Why, Matthew! I am so glad you’ve come home.” She embraced him, and he returned the hug. “Tell me all the news.”
He did, but after he revealed his engagement, it occurred to him that his cousin might have heard stories about what had happened so long ago with Sarah Carlisle. Juliette was in her mid-fifties and had likely been a young lady when Charlotte had gone into her confinement.
Juliette continued to gush on about the impending wedding and then broke off with a thoughtful expression. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said, have you?”
“Forgive me, but no,” he admitted. “I’ve other things on my mind just now.”
“Is something the matter? Don’t you want to marry Lily?” Juliette bade him to sit down, and her green eyes held worry. His cousin studied him, waiting for him to speak.
“My distraction has nothing to do with the wedding. It’s more about my mother.” He wondered how to begin with a secret that Charlotte would not want him to share. Perhaps it was better to cast hints and see if his cousin knew anything.
“I’m certain she will heal in time,” Juliette reassured him. “Paul will see to it.”
“She had a visit from a woman named Sarah Carlisle,” he said.
His cousin’s expression grew stricken and pale. Her reaction struck him as odd, for how would she even know the woman? Though Juliette tried to gather command of herself, he saw that her hands were shaking.
He didn’t know what to think, but he had a feeling she would avoid all questions about the woman. Instead, he tried a different tactic. “I think you know why it upset my mother.”
Juliette didn’t speak at all. Her eyes remained frozen with fear, and tears gleamed within them. Her reaction was so swift, so visceral, it felt as if he lost any ability to breathe. She never voiced a single word, but her silent tears cut him to the bone.
There was no reason for her to be afraid—none at all, unless she was part of the terrible secret.
“I’m sorry,” Juliette whispered, reaching for his hand. “So very sorry. I wanted to tell you, for so long. But I had to keep the secret.”
Matthew stared at her, noting the shape of her nose that was so similar to his own. Her hair held the same color as his, and he suddenly guessed the truth she had not spoken.
“It was you, wasn’t it?” He moved closer and knelt down beside her chair. “Youare my true mother.” He kept his gaze fixed upon hers, now understanding why Charlotte had taken him in—to protect her niece from scandal. All his life, he’d had a special bond with Juliette, never realizing that she was his true mother, not merely his cousin.
But there was another piece to this puzzle that was missing. “How do you know Sarah Carlisle?”
Juliette closed her eyes, as if pushing back the pain. “Your father’s name was Brandon Carlisle, the Earl of Strathland. Sarah is his sister.” A darkness slid over her face, and she admitted, “He…violated me, and I became pregnant from it.”
He squeezed her hand, deeply troubled by her confession. The thought of someone hurting this kind-hearted woman brought out a flare of rage. He knew that Strathland was dead—but it didn’t diminish the dark fury Matthew felt at knowing he’d been sired by such a monster.
