The Shocking Secret of a Guest at the Wedding (Millworth Manor) (8 page)

“Goodness, Camille.” Beryl sighed. “Why do you think he went to New York?”

“I don’t know,” Camille snapped. “Why does anyone go to New York?”

“I went to meet my son, of course.” Basil frowned at the twins. “And I brought him back with me.”

Bernadette’s eyes widened. “You what?”

“He’s here?” Camille stared. “He came to my wedding?”

“I do hope he brought a nice gift,” Beryl murmured.

“Yes,” Basil said in the hard, quiet, commanding tone that had once made grown men shake. “I brought him to Millworth to make the acquaintance of his family. To his cousin’s wedding.”

“Excellent.” Nigel beamed. “When can we meet him?”

“I sent a footman to fetch him.”

An awkward silence fell over the group. For the first time in Basil’s memory, none of the female members of his family had anything to say. Although their faces clearly gave away their thoughts.

“There is nothing that makes me more uncomfortable than when we’re all thinking a myriad of different thoughts and yet none of us have the courage to speak them aloud.” Beryl rose to her feet. “Well, I for one, think it’s splendid, just splendid.” She directed a brilliant smile at her uncle. “Congratulations, Uncle Basil, on the birth of your son.”

“It’s not quite that easy,” Bernadette said thoughtfully. “There will be a great deal of talk, you know.”

“Gossip.” Delilah sighed. “Again.”

“Oh, we have certainly weathered gossip before.” Bernadette waved a dismissive hand. “And emerged none the worse for it really. Delilah is the only one who has ever been especially bothered by it. And Basil.” She smiled at her brother-in-law. “You have my heartfelt congratulations as well. I too think it’s splendid that you have found your son.”

“Besides,” Beryl continued. “This is exactly the sort of thing expected from our family.”

“She’s right.” Camille ticked the points off on her fingers. “Why, we’ve had Father come back from the dead. Mother has always had various deposed noblemen in residence at Millworth at Christmas. And there’s been all kinds of other assorted scandalous behavior through the years.”

“Not from me,” Delilah said under her breath.

Mr. Russell choked back a laugh.

“Why, for this family, a long lost son is scarcely worth mentioning at all.” Beryl grinned.

“Even if he’s American?” Basil pinned Delilah with a firm look.

Delilah glanced at Mr. Russell, then managed a weak smile. “I’m certain that will only make him more interesting.”

“You’ll accept him then? All of you?” Basil’s gaze circled the room. “As a member of the family?”

“Of course we will,” Nigel said staunchly.

“And with a great deal of enthusiasm.” Bernadette nodded in a firm manner.

“I look forward to welcoming him into the family.” Camille cast her uncle a bright smile.

“As do I.” Delilah heaved a resigned sigh, then smiled. “He is half English after all.”

“I told you,” Mr. Russell said under his breath to Grayson.

“The real question, Uncle Basil, isn’t whether we’re willing to accept him,” Beryl said thoughtfully. “But is he willing to accept us?”

 

 

Jack followed the footman out of the ballroom and down the stairs to the ground floor, through the gallery that opened up off the main doors, past several parlors to a closed door.

The footman glanced back at him. “I’ll inform Colonel Channing that you’ve arrived, sir.”

“If you must.” It took Jack an instant to realize he had said that aloud. “Sorry, of course.”

The footman cast him a curious look, obviously wondering why the colonel and his family had left the festivities to gather in the dining room. And what part this American stranger played in it. Not that every servant in the house probably wouldn’t know the answer by morning if not sooner. Jack suspected that servants here were no different than those in his grandfather’s house. No one knew more about what went on in a residence than its servants.

The young man nodded, knocked sharply, then opened the door and stepped into the room. He cleared his throat and his voice drifted back to Jack. “I beg your pardon, Colonel Channing . . .”

This was absurd. Jack shouldn’t be nervous about this. Absently, he adjusted his necktie. He was about to meet his family after all. Nothing terrifying about that. Aside from the fact that they were about to meet a relative they had no idea even existed. A stranger, a foreigner, who stood to inherit all they held dear. He groaned to himself. Oh, no, nothing to be anxious about at all.

The footman returned, gave Jack a slight encouraging smile, then took his leave. His father stepped into the corridor an instant later.

“I’ve broken the news to them.” The colonel studied his son closely. “They took it quite well. There’s no need to be the least bit apprehensive.”

“Oh?” Jack’s brow rose. “And you weren’t apprehensive when you faced them?”

“I was bloody well terrified.” His father chuckled. “But it’s turned out quite well really, you’ll see.” His father’s firm gaze met his. “Trust me on this, my boy.”

“All right.” Jack took a deep breath and followed his father into the dining room.

His immediate impression was of a very grand room, a table far too small for the room although he suspected it expanded, and eight faces turned toward him expectantly. He recognized nearly all of them from the wedding ceremony. The bride and groom of course, Camille and her new husband, Grayson. The attendant who looked exactly like the bride was Camille’s twin sister, Beryl, which meant the other young woman in the room was the younger sister, Delilah. He couldn’t fail to recognize Lord Briston, his uncle Nigel, even if he hadn’t seen him at the ceremony as it was clear he was his father’s twin. The older woman was obviously his wife, his aunt Bernadette. He had no idea who the unidentified man was but the other was an American, Samuel Russell, a successful entrepreneur and industrialist. A voice in the back of his head, that might have been his grandfather’s, pointed out what a coup it would be to get this man’s holdings, as well as Mr. Elliott’s, firmly in the vaults of Graham, Merryweather and Lockwood. He dismissed the thought. Now was not the time for business. They moved closer to the table.

“Allow me to introduce Jackson Channing.” Pride sounded in his father’s voice and eased Jack’s discomfort. “My son.”

Unfortunately, no one had told his new family how impolite it was to stare in silence. Fortunately, it lasted less than a moment. Those sitting rose to their feet.

Lord Briston stepped forward and clasped his hand. “I can’t tell you what an unexpected pleasure it is to meet you.” His uncle smiled into Jack’s eyes. “Welcome, Jackson, to Millworth Manor.”

“Jack,” Jack said without thinking, then realized he had never introduced himself as anything other than Jackson before. At least not since he was a very small boy. His father’s influence no doubt.

“Jack it is then.” His uncle’s smile widened. “Allow me to introduce you to your aunt Bernadette.”

“Good Lord, you look exactly like Basil and Nigel looked at your age.” Astonishment shone on her face. “There certainly isn’t any doubt as to whose son you are.”

One of his cousins groaned. “Mother.”

She cast an annoyed look at her daughters. “Come now, we were all thinking it.” She took Jack’s hand, leaned forward, and kissed his cheek. “How very good it is to meet you, Jack.”

“Thank you.” He smiled, relieved to note his apprehension had, if not gone completely, then certainly lessened.

The next few minutes were filled with introductions. The man he didn’t know turned out to be Lionel, Lord Dunwell, Beryl’s husband and a member of Parliament no less.

“We’ve met, haven’t we?” Mr. Elliott said, shaking Jack’s hand.

“We have.” Jack nodded. “But it wasn’t until today at your wedding that I realized that. My father said his niece was getting married but I don’t think he ever mentioned the groom by name.”

“We had a great many other things to discuss,” his father said quickly.

“I don’t doubt it.” Elliott studied Jack’s face. “I’m rather disappointed that I didn’t make the connection myself. The resemblance, you know, and of course the name. And I daresay you’ve met Mr. Russell.”

“Once or twice.” Jack shook the other American’s hand.

“I’ve had business with your bank on occasion,” Russell said with a smile.

“And were we helpful?”

Russell grinned. “Not always.”

Jack laughed, marveling that he was at ease enough to do so.

“Really, Jack,” Camille said, taking his hands in hers. “I can’t tell you how very happy we are to meet you and we all want to get to know you better, but at the moment . . .” She glanced at her new husband. “We should return to our guests.”

“Of course.” Elliott nodded.

“Teddy will be furious if we don’t return at once,” Delilah said. “If she isn’t already.”

“Teddy?” Jack said without thinking. “Is that the beautiful red-haired woman?”

“Why, yes it is, Jack.” Aunt Bernadette hooked her arm in his and steered him toward the door. “How perceptive of you to notice. Have you met? Oh, you should meet her. She’s a lovely young woman. Why, I’ve known Teddy—”

“Goodness, Mother.” Beryl rolled her gaze toward the ceiling. “The man has barely arrived in this country. He doesn’t need you interfering in his personal life.”

“Don’t be absurd, Beryl.” Aunt Bernadette cast him an innocent smile. “I never interfere in the lives of my children, Jack. You should know that about me. And I certainly wouldn’t interfere in yours.”

The look the three sisters traded said otherwise.

Beryl heaved a long-suffering sigh. “For all you know he could be married.”

“He’s not,” his father said helpfully.

“Or engaged,” his cousin added.

“No, I’m not married or engaged,” Jack said perhaps a shade quicker than he should. His father threw him a considering look.

“You’ll stay here of course,” Aunt Bernadette continued.

“I have a room in the village.”

“Nonsense,” she said firmly “I—we—wouldn’t dream of you staying anywhere but here. Regardless of the circumstances, this is your family home. This is where you belong.” Aunt Bernadette released his arm and continued toward the door. “I’ll have Clement send for your things at once.”

“In the meantime, we should get back to the festivities.” Uncle Nigel nodded, turned toward the door, then paused. “But it might be best if we all”—he shot a pointed look at Beryl—“refrained from mentioning Jack’s connection to the family. At least for tonight.”

Relief washed through Jack. It was awkward enough to meet his new family tonight. He would prefer to do this as his father had suggested—one step at a time. Being acknowledged publicly as a newly discovered heir could wait.

“Why did you look at me when you said that?” Beryl’s brow furrowed in indignation. “I can certainly keep a secret.”

“Not so anyone would notice,” her twin murmured.

“You are the undisputed queen of gossip,” Delilah said.

“Thank you, dear.” A smug smile curved Beryl’s lips. “Might I point out that all of you are most appreciative of that when you want some sort of information. And might I remind you . . .” Her gaze shifted from one sister to the next. “That there are any number of secrets I have kept quite well. Why, I know all sorts of things about both of you which, if I was not good at keeping your confidences, I might be inclined to reveal. Take, just as an example, the time when Camille—”

“I don’t think any of us need to hear that,” Camille said quickly.

“Or,” Beryl continued, “when Delilah went to—”

“My apologies, Beryl.” Delilah glared at her sister. “I don’t know what I was thinking. Obviously, you can keep a secret.”

Jack stifled a smile.

“I agree, Nigel.” His father nodded. “Now is not the best time to make Jack’s existence known. We should probably write to Cousin Wilfred first. I would hate for him to learn his son will not be the next earl from anyone other than family.”

Jack glanced at his father. They had agreed it would be best not to tell the family that Jack’s future as to whether he would stay in England and eventually take up the duties of the earldom was still undetermined. Regardless of his decision though, his father had explained he would be the earl one day whether he decided to fully embrace all that went with the title or ignore it.

“I would like to settle in first,” Jack added. “Get my bearings, that sort of thing.” He glanced from one face to the next. “I know this has come as a surprise to all of you, a shock really, and for me as well. I’m still trying to accept it myself. I always thought my father was dead.”

“That does seem to run in the family,” Camille said under her breath.

“Besides.” Jack smiled at Camille. “This is your day and your celebration. I would hate to intrude on it. The only reason I’m here now is because my father thought it was a good idea to meet everyone at once.”

Uncle Nigel nodded. “Clever of you, Basil.”

“I have my moments.” His father chuckled and the brothers exchanged looks of affection.

“Now then.” Uncle Nigel gestured toward the door. “Let us return to the festivities before our absence is noted and remarked upon.”

“We wouldn’t want that,” Delilah muttered.

The family filed out the door, chatting about plans and the future and any number of other things judging from the snatches of conversation Jack caught.

Elliott hung back and paused beside Jack, lowering his voice. “I’ve known this family for much of my life. His lordship and the colonel are good men. As for the Channing women, well, they’re lovely and charming and amusing and—”

“Difficult?” Russell joined them. “Stubborn? Opinionated? Demanding?”

Gray chuckled. “On their good days.”

“Do you have sisters, Mr. Channing?” Russell said.