It felt odd to wish for that, knowing it would mean Lady Colette and Lady Celeste would not exist. But Dietrich couldn’t stop feeling that if he had only known better, he could have changed everything.
He shifted his gaze to the late duchess, tilting his head as he inspected the portrait closer. There was something so familiar about her face—more familiar than simply remembering her as a kind figure from his past, or from seeing this portrait before.
She suddenly seemed familiar in a way that felt different.
He’d seen eyes like that recently.
His own eyes widened as it hit him.
He had seen those eyes in the face of another woman—his mother’s neighbor, Ella.
But it couldn’t be.
He looked back at the toddler in the painting and narrowed his eyes as he studied her face. It was impossible. She couldn’t have been taken as a child and come back as an adult with no knowledge of who she was to the very town where she had been kidnapped. And if she had been kidnapped, would they not have changed her name to something less similar than Ella?
But as he studied the portrait, he grew more and more sure that the girl who had brought his mother a loaf of bread was none other than the missing Lady Eliana.
It seemed impossible—but so did another girl who looked just like the late duchess and had the same eyes and such a similar name.
But who would believe him?
He scarcely believed it himself.
He had to see her again, and maybe he would find something that would either confirm his suspicions or show him that it was a false hope.
He would find a way to go home as soon as possible, ask his mother what she thought, and perhaps—somehow—find a way to confirm it.
He hadn’t thought to ask his mother about Ella’s home life, and now he was wondering if she was entirely alone in the world.
Was she just as confused as he was? Was she wondering who her family was? Did she have a suspicion that something in her life was missing?
Did she know she had a family? Or was she lost, searching for someone to call her own?
He couldn’t decide which possibility would be worse, and he felt a surge of emotion as he thought about a life where he didn’t have his mother to love him.
He needed to find out right away if she knew she had a family or not.
The housekeeper left Duke Vaughn’s study and gave him a smile as she returned to her duties.
It was his turn. Dietrich knocked on the door.
How could he tell the duke what he suspected? It would be cruel to bring up hope for the first time in years when he had no idea if it was true or not.
Not yet.
“Come in,” the duke called out.
Dietrich took a deep breath and entered the room.
Even though he was not afraid of the duke, it was always intimidating to have a meeting with one’s employer—especially when you were considering the possibility that you might know the location of his long-lost daughter.
“Dietrich,” the duke said with a smile. “It is good to see you again.”
“It is good to see you too, my lord,” Dietrich said with a smile, and he genuinely meant it.
“I wanted to ask if you will be needing more help in the stables now that I’ve brought more horses to take care of.”
“You brought some beauties with you,” Dietrich said as he took the seat the duke gestured to. “I was hoping to discuss hiring some more staff.”
