So why did Bryony and Mikhail look so serious? “That’s all right, love.” He flashed Bryony a smile, trying to set her at ease. “You’re more than welcome to read my mail, either on accident or on purpose. I’m not writing any?—”
His mouth closed the moment he saw the return address on the outside of the envelope. No. This couldn’t be. He’d already gotten Rosalind’s letter acknowledging her donation to the orphanage in New York City this month.
So why was Mikhail handing him a second letter with their return address?
Yuri reached out and took it. Sure enough, the top of the envelope had a clean slice right down the middle.
What did the letter say?
It didn’t matter. He didn’t know what any of the letters said. Just because they were addressed to him didn’t mean theyactually belonged to him. He’d been helping Rosalind with her letters for three years, and he’d never read a single one. That had been her only stipulation when she’d come to him asking for help.
“Are you talking about the letters already?” The study door opened, and Sacha stepped inside.
Alexei followed behind Sacha and sent Mikhail a glare. “I told you to wait for us.”
Mikhail scowled right back. “You shouldn’t have disappeared to the office after supper.”
Alexei didn’t bother to answer Mikhail. Instead he turned to Yuri. “So? What do you have to say for yourself? Why is there a letter addressed to you but clearly meant for Rosalind Caldwell? And why does it mention a twelve-hundred-dollar donation?”
“Twelve hundred dollars?” Yuri squeaked. That’s how much the donation was? He took a gulp of tea, never mind the liquid was still hot enough to scorch his mouth.
“Sit.” Alexei jabbed his finger at the chair in front of his desk. “You’d better start explaining.”
“There’s nothing to explain. It’s not my letter, and I don’t know anything about it. Bryony shouldn’t have opened it, but it was an honest mistake. I’m sure Rosalind will understand.”
At least he hoped she would. Still, it felt like he’d done something wrong. The only thing she’d asked of him was that he not open the letters, and here one had gotten opened, even if it was by accident.
“Wait.” Yuri set his cup on the desk and stood right back up, his eyes narrowed on Alexei. “You just said the letter mentioned a twelve-hundred-dollar donation. How would you know that unless you read it?”
“Of course I read it.” Alexei shoved a hand his direction. “You’re getting mail intended for our enemy but addressed to you.”
“Rosalind’s not our enemy. Her father might be a snake, but she couldn’t be more different from him, and you still had no business reading her mail.”
“I’m the one who read it, at least at first.” Bryony twisted her hands in front of her skirt. “It really was an accident, though. I promise. It was in a stack of other mail, and I didn’t realize it was for you—or her—or whoever the letter’s actually for until I’d opened it and started reading.”
Yuri dropped his head into his hands. “It’s for her. I don’t have anything to do with what’s in the letters. I just mail them and receive them every month under my name and with my address so that her father doesn’t find out.”
“Them?” Alexei snapped. “You mean there’s more than one letter, and you get and send them every month?”
He pressed his eyes shut. Why had he just said that? “Never mind. It doesn’t matter.”
“Actually, I think it does matter.” Alexei took a step closer to him. “Is Rosalind only donating to this one charity, or are there more? And how large are the sums?”
“And why are you involved in any of this?” Sacha scratched the side of his beard.
“Is it her father’s money?” Mikhail asked. “Because if it is, and he doesn’t know what she’s doing with it, and you’re somehow involved, that sounds like a recipe for another lawsuit.”
“Or maybe Caldwell will find a way to skip the lawsuit and toss you into jail like he did with Sacha and Mikhail,” Alexei muttered.
Yuri gripped the back of his neck. It wasn’t as bad as all that, was it?
“We’re looking at this two different ways. You’re seeing it as a harmless donation receipt and a thank-you note for monies donated throughout the year, but it doesn’t change the factthat you’re sending and receiving these letters in secret for the daughter of someone who wants to ruin our family.” Alexei pointed back to the chair in front of the desk. “Sit back down and start talking.”
Yuri glanced around the room, taking in his brothers and Bryony, who was standing against the wall, as far away from the commotion as she could manage. They weren’t going to let him leave until he told them everything.
Perhaps it was because they loved him. Perhaps it was because they were a close family that always tangled themselves in each other’s lives. Or perhaps it was because they weren’t a family that carried secrets.
Whatever the reason, he saw no way out of this—other than starting at the very beginning.
