Page 33 of Tempting a Lonely Lord (The Rakes of Mayhem #6)

Bridgewater Manor

The next morning

“Uncle Stephen! Good morning! Would you like a cup of tea?” Bella asked, surprised to see her uncle up so early. He usually slept in until late morning.

Stephen slid into the seat across from her, offering a warm smile. “I’d love some tea, Bella. It’s nice to have a quiet moment—just the two of us.”

She set a steaming cup in front of him and he added a spoonful of sugar.

His gaze shifted to the tray of fresh pastries, and his smile widened.

“I see Mrs. Bisque has made her famous apple cinnamon scones—my favorite.” Taking one, he took a bite and let out a satisfied sigh. “Mrs. Bisque never disappoints.”

Bella grinned. “I agree. I asked her to make an extra batch for Michael, William, and the duke and duchess.” She reached for a scone herself. “I thought I’d take a basket over when I meet with Harriett. We’re going over fabric swatches for the parlor at Cliffton Abbey.”

Stephen nodded. “Ah, sounds like a productive morning. Are you walking over right after breakfast?”

“I thought I’d go out to the stable first and spend time with Winterborne.

Ever since Michael identified what had been wrong with him, I’ve felt a sense of relief but also guilt for not realizing just how deeply the loss of my father had affected him.

That he’d basically lost his best friend.

Animals bond with their humans and aren’t able to flip their feelings on and off any faster than we can.

While I was mourning my father’s death, with my family’s support, poor Winterborne was left to grieve essentially on his own, with no one to help him through it. ”

“I’m sorry to hear that Winterborne was suffering so deeply,” Stephen said.

“I hadn’t realized it either. We think of animals as property, but they are so much more.

” He looked over at Lacey, who was seated at Bella’s feet.

“Take Lacey and Garrett, for example. We all hope they can somehow overcome this rift between them. Still… it’s over apples,” he said, his lips twitching.

Bella tried not to giggle as she thought about the butler and her dog squabbling over treats for her horse. “Yes, sometimes conflicts that can be easily handled are taken too far. I agree.”

He cleared his throat. “That reminds me. There’s something I wanted to share with you—about the conflict Miles and I once had.”

She hesitated. “You don’t have to, Uncle. I… I know you and Papa argued before his death.”

Stephen exhaled. “We did, and I shall carry that regret for the rest of my life. But… perhaps your father and I have come to a sort of understanding.”

Bella frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”

He met her gaze. “Miles visited me in a dream. And it was not an easy dream to have.”

She set down her teacup, all thoughts of breakfast forgotten. “What did Papa say?”

“In the dream, Miles took me on a journey—down into the tunnels—to tell me about the treasure. And before you think it too far-fetched, what he revealed to me did come to pass, almost exactly as he described.”

Bella sat perfectly still, her pulse quickening. A dream about her father? And the tunnels?

“Miles wanted me to understand several things. At first, he was frustrated with me—and rightfully so. I had failed you in ways no decent parent would forgive. I let the baron gain the upper hand, and that devil demanded I betroth you to him. Your father was furious. He didn’t raise his voice, but there was no mistaking his ire. ”

Bella’s fingers tightened around the edge of the table. She had always known her uncle carried regret, but hearing it now, spoken so plainly, made her throat tighten.

Stephen reached for her hand, his grip firm but warm. “But believe me, Bella, he was no angrier than I was at myself. I resisted the baron’s demands, but I was too lost to my vices—gambling and drinking. I had no way out. No way to protect you, no way to save myself.”

Bella swallowed hard, her father’s presence in the room suddenly palpable. Whether a dream or something more, the idea of his still watching over her sent a shiver down her spine.

“Miles told me that there was treasure, and I needed to find it—but he didn’t say what kind, just that it would take care of us.

He guided me through the tunnels and told me I had to complete the journey myself.

And the next day, when Michael and I explored the tunnels, it was as I remembered it from my dream!

Your father made certain we’d find the treasure, I’m sure of it.

But the dream… It was the most amazing experience I’ve ever had in my life, and I was sober ! ”

They both chuckled lightly at that.

“I’ve heard back from the solicitors—the map is authentic. We can begin exploring the copper veins… if that’s what you want. The property is rightfully yours.”

Bella shook her head. “No, Uncle, this treasure belongs to both of us. We can put that in writing.”

Stephen studied her for a long moment before nodding. “I don’t want you to feel obligated to share it with me. But we can discuss the details later.”

She took a slow sip of tea before setting her cup down thoughtfully. “Papa once told me he believed in your talent as a painter.”

A flicker of something—surprise, perhaps even gratitude—passed across Stephen’s face. “That means more to me than I can say… to know that he had faith in me.” He let out a self-deprecating chuckle. “Though I’m not sure I ever deserved it.”

“Why didn’t you pursue it?” she asked gently.

He sighed, rubbing his jaw as if trying to put years of regret into words. “That’s a good question. One I’ve been asking myself a great deal lately. Painting was the only thing that ever truly brought me happiness—well, that and Lizzy. When I stopped, I became… unmoored.”

His gaze turned distant as if he were looking into the past. “My father was a difficult man. He thought painting was a foolish pursuit, even for a second son. He wanted me to be more like Miles—practical, sharp-minded, capable of shrewd investments. He never hesitated to tell me so, and in time, I let his voice shape me. I tried to be more like your father. But the truth is, I never wanted to be the earl. I never coveted his title. Miles was born to it, and he carried it well.”

Stephen swallowed hard, his voice rough with emotion. “I loved your father, Bella. I would give anything to have him here again. But abandoning my passion—trying to force myself into a role that never fit—made me bitter. Resentful. Angry at my father, at Miles… and, in time, at myself.”

He hesitated, then continued. “And then I lost Lizzy. She married a man with a title, a man who could give her everything I couldn’t.

I turned to drink. I let jealousy fester—jealousy that Miles had married for love, that he had you, a daughter he adored.

He surpassed even our father’s success, and yet he remained good-humored, devoted to his family, and endlessly kind.

My brother was everything I was not. And I resented him for it. ”

Bella’s chest ached as she listened, the weight of his regret settling between them.

“Then Miles died,” Stephen went on, quieter now.

“And suddenly, I was forced into the very role I had spent my life avoiding. Becoming the earl only made me more of a stranger to myself. I blamed everyone else for what my life had become. And I fell deeper into vice, into anger, into the clutches of men like the baron.”

He let out a breath, shaking his head. “I see it all now—how lost I was. Thanks to your grandmother’s kindness and forgiveness, thanks to Miles’s visit in my dream, and to Lizzy’s unwavering spirit, I am beginning to find my way back.

But Bella, I must ask for your forgiveness as well.

For the way I treated you. For not being there for you in your grief. For allowing the baron into our lives.”

“Thank you, Uncle Stephen. You have my forgiveness—you always have. And my support. My love.” Bella’s voice softened. “I only ever wanted you to see what we all see—that you deserve happiness, too.”

Stephen’s expression was unreadable for a moment before he reached out, patting her hand. “Thank you, Bella. That means more than you know. You are every bit Miles’s daughter. I know how proud he was of you.”

She sniffled, dabbing at her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t seem to be able to stop weeping.”

Her uncle chuckled and handed her his handkerchief. “Well, your father was known to get dust in his eyes from time to time as well.”

A soft woof sounded under the table, and Bella looked down to see Lacey placing a gentle paw on her foot, her soulful eyes filled with quiet concern.

Bella giggled, reaching down to scratch her dog’s head. “You lovely, sweet girl. Thank you, Lacey.”

“There’s one more thing, Bella,” Stephen said, his voice turning grave. “Before your father faded from my dream, he told me his death was not an accident.”

Bella’s breath caught, her eyes widening in shock.

“I—” She swallowed hard, her mind racing.

“That is a shock to hear, but… I’ve begun to think the same, Uncle.

Especially after what happened the other day—Winterborne saved me from the traps.

He put himself in danger rather than let me fall into one. ”

She shook her head, the weight of realization settling over her. “We misjudged him—all of us. I know, in my heart, that he would have done everything possible to prevent Papa from falling, to keep him safe. Even if we never learn the full truth, I believe that much.”

Stephen nodded, his own eyes gleaming with unshed tears. “Perhaps one day, we will. I want to look into it—and with William’s help, maybe we can find out who was behind this vile act.”