Cole chuckled. “I have a large herd of sheep to the north,” he said. “I could cull the herd and send some your way.”
“I accept.”
Cole grinned and Julian mirrored the gesture, actually looking his brother in the eyes. He seemed to loosen up a bit, simply by his expression, and Cole nodded his approval.
“That is what I like to see in you,” he said. “Like the Julian of old.”
“What do you mean?”
Cole snorted softly. “I thought you might have forgotten how to smile, you do it so rarely anymore.”
Julian’s smile faded. “I have not forgotten.”
“And you love me still?”
“Of course I do.”
Cole’s smile faded as well. “Good,” he said. “Because I have something I must speak to you about, but not in front of Mother.”
Julian looked at him curiously. “What is it?”
Cole glanced over his shoulder to make sure there was no one within earshot of them, or at the very least, not paying attention to them. He lowered his voice.
“I received a missive last week from de Lohr,” he said.
“Christopher?”
Cole nodded. “The Earl of Hereford and Worcester himself,” he said. “It was about… Cassian.”
That was the magic word with the de Velt family.Cassian.It was a subject so painful that it was rarely brought up and certainly not in front of Kellington. Cassian de Velt, the youngest de Velt son, had been serving at Lioncross Abbey Castle on theWelsh Marches for many years. He’d been sent there to foster at a young age but ended up remaining because it was well known that he was in love with one of the de Lohr daughters, Brielle.
Of course, Jax had never faulted Cassian for staying where his heart was, but shortly after Jax’s death, Cassian disappeared on his journey north to pay his respects to his father. Both Cole and Christopher de Lohr had sent out scouts and soldiers to search for Cassian when he never showed up at Pelinom, but no trace of him had ever been found. Not only had Kellington lost her husband, but her youngest son, as well.
The de Velt family was still reeling from the blows.
That was why Cole didn’t speak the name of his youngest brother lightly. Julian was looking at him with great curiosity and perhaps even great dread. He knew Cole wouldn’t tell him until they had more privacy but he couldn’t wait that long. Anything to do with Cassian had his great interest.
“What is it?” Julian finally hissed, pulling himself out of the escort and pushing his brother to the side of the road as the escort continued towards Woolmarket Street. “Tell me this instant, Cole. What about Cassian?”
Cole let the escort pass by, making sure the wagon was far enough away, before he answered. “I’m not quite sure how to tell you this and I’m certainly unsure how to tell Mother,” he said. “But de Lohr wrote me on a serious matter.”
Julian’s dual-colored eyes were blazing. “God, what?” he said. “Have they discovered something about Cass? Have they located his body?”
Cole shook his head. “Nay, not that,” he said. “It has nothing to do with his disappearance, but more a personal matter. Something very personal to Cass.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Brielle,” Cole said simply. “We all know that Cass was in love with Brielle de Lohr. They have loved one another since they were quite young.”
“I know.And?”
“And it seems that Brielle gave birth to our brother’s bastard,” Cole said quietly. “A boy she has named Maxim.”
Julian’s jaw dropped. “What?” he hissed in shock. “My God… are you certain?”
“That is what de Lohr says.”
“Cass has ason?”
