Page 44 of His Sinful Touch

Lilah looked at her sympathetically. “I’m afraid your father died of apoplexy when we were around twelve or thirteen. He named Mr. Dearborn as your guardian, along with your mother, of course.” She paused. “I should start earlier than that. It will be more understandable. You see, the three men were all friends—Niles Dearborn, your father and my father. Indeed, their fathers were friends before them. You and I grew up not far from each other.”

“In Wells?”

Lilah looked startled. “Near there. Do you remember that?”

“No, not at all. It was just, um...” Sabrina found herself reluctant to tell this obviously very proper woman that she had broken into a house and discovered the picture.

“It was a clue we came upon,” Alex said, coming to her rescue. “We thought it was possible she had come from Wells.”

“Niles Dearborn, Peter’s father, came to visit my father and yours frequently, and he brought his son, so the three of us were friends. However, Peter was a year older than you and me, and he came only now and then, so he was not as close as you and I were. You and I also went to Miss Angerman’s school together.”

“We did?”

“Yes, we quite enjoyed it—although you, of course, were more enamored of learning the subject matter than I, I fear.” She smiled, and Sabrina was struck again at how much the smile warmed her friend’s face. Lilah was an attractive woman, but there was a certain cold symmetry to her features that changed into real beauty when she smiled. “That was when you were older—we were fifteen when we went to the school. It was right before—” She stopped and cast a hesitant glance at Sabrina, then said, “Before your mother passed on.”

“My mother is dead, too, then.”

“Yes, I’m sorry. She died when you were at school. We were sixteen. It was very hard for you, of course.”

“She and I were close?”

“Yes. She was always so sad after your father died. Both of you loved him dearly. Mr. Blair was a very kind man. He loved to read. You used to say you got your love of books and learning from him.”

“It’s so strange to have you tell me what I am like, the things I said, what I enjoyed. You know me better than I know myself.”

“You know yourself,” Alex told her. “It’s only the details that have escaped you.” He looked at Lilah. “With Mrs. Blair’s death, then, Mr. Dearborn was Sabrina’s sole guardian?”

Lilah nodded. “Mr. Blair appointed him mostly because of the business affairs, you see, to manage the estate Sabrina inherited and so on, but of course she lived with Mrs. Blair. Peter and his father continued to come to visit frequently, just as they had in the past. He wanted to keep an eye on things and to help Sabrina’s mother. She was—Mrs. Blair was always very anxious, very concerned about Sabrina’s health.”

“I was sickly?” Sabrina asked, startled.

Lilah laughed. “No. You were healthy as a horse. I think it was just that Mrs. Blair was so distraught by your father dying that she was fearful something would happen to you, too. She wanted to keep you close, and, of course, since you were shy, you didn’t really mind staying home with your books.”

“I’m shy?” Sabrina glanced at Alex, who looked as surprised as she did.

“Well...yes, you don’t much like meeting people. You didn’t want to come to London and make your debut. And you know how often I’ve invited you to—well, no, I suppose you don’t—but I asked you to come visit me in London many times, and you never would. Sometimes you seemed to want to, but in the end, something always came up.”

“Oh, dear, I sound quite dull.”

“No, not all! You are very enjoyable company. Why else would I have wanted you to come visit? Or trek to Dorset to see you?”

“Dorset? I thought we lived near Wells.”

“No, you haven’t lived at Carmoor—that’s the name of your estate—in years. After your mother passed on, you went to live with Mr. and Mrs. Dearborn. You were only sixteen, after all. You’ve lived there ever since.”

“So it would appear I am quite close to Mr. Dearborn.”

“I always thought so, yes.” A small frown formed between her eyes. “Sabrina...”

At that moment voices sounded in the hall, followed by rapid footsteps, and a man rushed into the room. “Alex, what is this Phipps is say—” He stopped short. “Oh.” His eyes swept the room, taking in the two women, and his cheeks reddened slightly. “I beg your pardon, ladies.” His eyes went wonderingly to Alex.

Sabrina stared at the intruder. The man’s hair was wildly tousled, but that was the least of the oddities in his appearance. He wore a loud yellow-and-brown-checked suit and carried an ornate cane. His mustache was waxed into stiff horns ending in upturned curls, a foolish look only intensified by a set of muttonchop sideburns. Sabrina’s first thought was that he looked absurd. Her second was the startled realization that underneath the silliness he looked like Alex.

“Hallo, Con,” Alex said easily, a grin breaking across his face, and he went forward to shake the man’s hand. “Ladies, this odd character is, alas, my brother Con. Con, allow me to introduce Miss Blair and her friend Miss Holcutt.”

“Ladies.” Con made a flamboyant bow to them. “I am most honored to make your acquaintance, Miss Blair.” With a wary glance at Lilah, he added, “Miss Holcutt and I have already met. Though, of course, I am eager to renew my friendship with you, Miss Holcutt.”

“Lord Constantine.” Lilah’s nod was crisp, her expression cool. “I would not think our acquaintance would rise to the level of friendship.”