Page 78 of The Beastly Earl

"There are a number of reasons she might not." Despair flitted across Argaty's battle-scarred features before his expression became hard as stone except for a tic on his unmarred cheek. "But I will ask her with or without your permission, my lord."

"You're fortunate I value my wife's good opinion of me, Argaty, or I'd drop you where you stand," Sebastian snarled viciously. "If you intend to speak with my sister regardless of what I say, why bother to ask my permission?"

"I know you believe I wronged your sister, and I wish to explain my behavior."

"Then by all means, explain." Sebastian didn't hide his sarcasm or contempt as he met the other man's gaze. A flash of what he recognized as humiliation swept across the man's face, and Sebastian frowned in puzzlement.

"What I am about to share with you is known only to my mother and myself. I know from Louisa that you are an honorable man, and I believe you will keep my confidence." Argaty drew in a deep breath and straightened his posture as if bracing himself for a storm headed in his direction. "I am a bastard and as such, not the true heir to the Argaty title."

For a second time since he'd entered Argaty Keep, Sebastian experienced a moment of stunned amazement as he jerked his head back in disbelief. What the devil was the man about making such a preposterous statement? Quickly recovering his senses, Sebastian narrowed his gaze and eyed the earl with contempt.

"Is this an attempt at humor, Lord Argaty?" his voice harsh with sarcasm.

This time the humiliation darkening the man's face was obvious. For the first time since being shown into the earl's study, Sebastian's outrage cooled to a slow-burning anger. There was something about the man's expression and posture that said Argaty was struggling with a great burden. Perhaps he'd been wrong about the man. Sebastian immediately released an imperceptible snort of disgust at the thought.

"A jest?" the earl said with a mirthless laugh. "Yes, I suppose it could be viewed in that manner, but the joke is on me, and it is far from amusing or pleasant."

Shame swept across the earl's face once more, and his throat bobbed as if swallowing something unpleasant. With a jerk, he turned away from Sebastian and crossed the floor to study the view outside one of the room's tall windows.

"The day before Lady Argaty was murdered by my brother, she informed me that I was a bastard, and that she wasn't my real mother. The revelation was confirmed by the countess's sister."

The silence in the room was thick with tension as Sebastian stared at Argaty's back with a growing sense of bewilderment. The man was as mad as his dead brother. The earl cleared his throat, but didn't turn away from the window.

"It is a story not even the Bard himself could write, but I speak the truth, my lord. My mother is Wallis MacCullaich. She was my father's mistress after he married her sister, Elspeth MacCullaich."

"Good God," Sebastian breathed softly as he slowly began to accept the other man was speaking the truth. If the earl heard him, he didn't acknowledge Sebastian's soft exclamation.

"While the behavior of my parents was disreputable, the reasons for their actions are those I understand, and I cannot condemn them for it. My father convinced Lady Argaty to publicly claim me as her son." Argaty turned to face Sebastian who remained silent not because of his steely self-control, but because he was speechless—a rare occurrence for him.

"Even if I were to share the truth of my birth outside of this room, my words would be met with disbelief as it is Elspeth Colquhoun's signature on my baptism record not that of my real mother."

Sebastian studied the earl's battle-scarred features closely. The veracity of Argaty's confession was emphasized by the humiliation darkening the man's one eye. Even the tight, thin line of his mouth declared the depth of Argaty's shame and embarrassment. As Sebastian struggled to find something to say in response to the man's confession, the earl cleared his throat.

"Even before I knew the truth of my birth, I believed I had little to offer Louisa. But knowing I was no longer the legitimate earl meant I had nothing at all. When I decided to relinquish what was no longer mine, I ordered Louisa to leave."

"And what has changed?" Sebastian mused softly as he narrowed his eyes at the man facing him. The earl's gaze did not waver from Sebastian's.

"Despite being Dougal Colquhoun's bastard, the fact that Elspeth Colquhoun's signature is on my birth record means that for all intents and purposes I am my father's legitimate heir. There are no other heirs to the title, and my mother reminded me that there are a great number of people who might be adversely affected if I left Argaty Keep."

Argaty bowed his head to study the floor, and Sebastian pondered the man's decision. Uncertain as to what to say to the earl regarding his confession, Sebastian frowned slightly as he realized how difficult it must have been for Argaty to explain himself.

"For the most part, I have always believed myself to be an honorable man, my lord." Argaty winced at his statement as he paused for a brief moment before he shook his head and a firm resolve swept across his face. "If I walk away from those whose livelihood depends on Argaty Keep, I am condemning them to a life they don't deserve. I also have Ross to consider."

Sebastian grimaced slightly at the mention of Ross. The boy clearly missed his father, and Louisa had been surprisingly tight-lipped about what had happened at Argaty Keep. She'd shared that the earl was going away, and she'd asked the man to let her take responsibility for the boy's upbringing rather than sending him away to school. A small noise escaped Argaty as he met Sebastian's gaze.

"Has she explained why she took Ross with her?" The resignation in his voice made Sebastian study Argaty with assessment. Louisa assuming responsibility for the boy's care was puzzling, and she'd yet to fully expand on her reasons for doing so.

"For a change, my sister has shown great restraint when it comes to discussing the boy or anything about her time here in the keep." Sebastian scowled at the floor for a moment before he looked up to see a flash of relief lighten Argaty's face and a small smile twisted his lips.

"That is surprising given your sister's tendency to speak her mind." The earl murmured with more than a hint of amusement, and Sebastian chuckled.

"Indeed."

Silence drifted between them again for a moment before their gazes locked once more. Argaty's mouth tightened again until the corners of his mouth were white and a stoic look crossed his battle-scarred features.

"My decision to share the circumstances of my birth wasn't simply to explain why I sent Louisa away, my lord." The earl's gaze did not falter or veer away from Sebastian's. "I believed you deserved to know the truth so you would know the measure of the man who wishes to marry your sister. Retaining my title might not be the honorable thing to do, but I am doing what I believe best for the people who count on me."

Sebastian nodded as his mind sifted through the events of the past few minutes. It had taken great courage on Argaty's part to confess to a situation that was completely out of his hands. While the earl might see his actions as dishonorable, Sebastian knew the man had made the right decision in choosing to remain. If he'd been in a similar situation he would most likely have made the same choice.