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S haken by their visitor’s hints that they knew everything about her situation with Benny, Ella had trouble processing the woman’s words, and it took two nudges from Leo and an apparent repetition by Alicia Wallace for her to gather herself.

“Re… reintroduce?”

The older woman smiled. “I wouldn’t expect you to remember, you were quite young.

I am your mother’s cousin, quite removed biologically—third cousin—but as girls we were rather close.

Like sisters. Until we had a falling out.

” Her voice dropped. “And then of course, there was the terrible accident.”

It took everything ounce of self-control Ella possessed to remain focused but to retain her wits enough to follow the conversation. “Yet you didn’t think to make contact with me—us—until now?”

She sighed. “It was difficult, which is probably not an excuse. My husband was very unwell…”

“Alicia’s life has not been easy, Ella.” Her father placed a hand on Alicia’s knee as he’d defended her, which answered at least one of Ella’s questions.

Alicia and her father were together. More importantly, he was happy—judging by how much more relaxed he looked—and that made her happy, because despite all his marriages and amours she hadn’t really seen him happy for years.

Alicia folded her hand over his. “Nicholas has been very open with me about the— the other women —and the effect that may have had on you, and I agree those were not his finest years.” Suddenly wistful, she added, “Perhaps if he and I had reconnected sooner… I wasn’t able to have children; I would have loved a daughter… ”

Ella swallowed the lump that had threatened to choke her, almost hearing the shattering of her defenses as they crumbled around her—and as though he knew, Leo’s arm slid around her, offering his strength, his comfort.

It was the final glance at her father that brought her completely undone. His eyes… Actually, seeing his face, hearing his voice after years of separation… She’d missed him. He’d not been the most attentive father, but he’d always been kind, loved her. Despite his faults, she knew that.

As if sensing the change in Ella, Nicholas rose and moved tentatively toward her, his eyes never leaving hers, his arms outstretched.

So much rolled through her head in the moment, but the overwhelmingly loudest one was that she wanted that hug. Longed to be gathered into him once more and just for the teeniest minute, be his little princess.

Rising she went to him, let herself be wrapped in a lifetime of memories.

It was her father who broke away first, holding her at arm’s length.

“Darling, we’d like you to come home—back to Thornvane—we can care for you and Benjamin.

You have no need to work. Benjamin would be able to attend the right schools and—”

Ella shot from him embrace as though propelled backward, Hi words hit her like a punch to her solar plexus and felt so real it almost doubled her over. “Leave—”

Her eyes went straight to Leo, but his face told her nothing. His expression set, he simply stared at her, his eyes flat, waiting for her response.

But what response would she give? Could she give?

Return to the home she’d known? To the only place she’d felt any connection to her mother?

To the life she knew well? In a weird way it made sense.

Yet, to do so would mean having to walk away from Leo and Mia?

Leave what had been, without doubt, the happiest time of her life? Take Benny away? From Mia? From Leo?

Her heart fluttered, banged, and stalled in turn. Obviously it was as confused as her head. She didn’t want to leave, but what would become of her if she stayed? And worse, what if Leo finally did find true love? Where would that leave her and Benny?

One thing she knew to be true. She could not, and would not , stand by and see another woman in Leo’s life. It would destroy her, it would—it would… All the despicable, painful, destructive things it would do suddenly all blurred and faded…

It would do them all, because she loved him.

Ella Staunton Hawes loved Leo Halligan.

Oh my giddy aunt…

She loved him? Yes, she loved him. Passionately. Every bit of him. His smile, his laugh, his humor, his wit, his honor, his loyalty, his ethics, his trust… And his shoulders, Oh, how she loved those shoulders. His thighs. His face, and the way his eyes twinkled. And the damned hat.

“Gabriella?” Her father’s voice reached her as though it were projected down a long tunnel, barely penetrating.

At the same time, she vaguely thought she heard a phone ping a message. Heard Alicia say, “The lawyer has arrived.”

Heard her father add, “Darling, I know we’ve taken liberties—”

“Pardon?”

“Gabriella, sweetheart,” Alicia began, “as soon as we learned the truth we put things in motion. Yes, we may have overstepped, but now you will be out from beneath the pain and fear you must have been living with these past two years. You should never have been placed in this situation.”

“S-situation?” Her eyes flew to Leo as Alicia’s earlier words crashed through the fog, obliterating it, blowing it away like a bitter north wind. We know a great deal more than you’d imagine… Surely, they didn’t know? How? And if they did? Not now, not now. Not now!

Fear threatened to cut off her air supply, her heart was pumping too fast. Turning back to her father she struggled to get out her words, wanting to swallow them back, wanting to stop time.

“Dadd… Father, what have you done?” Her whispered question carried all the fear and dread surging through her.

Her father smiled. “Don’t look so panicked, darling, it’s all going to be all right now. Emile had started proceedings, and we’ve located Benjamin’s mother and she’s signed the papers. It’s all been taken care of. No one can take him away.”

“ What the—? Benjamin’s mother ?”

Leo. At first, she couldn’t bear the incredulity in his voice. Terrified of what she might see in his face, but that had never really been her way.

She sensed he’d risen to his feet and bracing herself she turned, for the first time feeling dwarfed by his towering presence. “Leo, I was going to t—” Her words died. “I can expl—”

But he was shaking his head, his eyes bleak.

“Save it, Lady Gabriella .” Tilting his head back, he scanned the ceiling, huffed out a self-deprecating laugh that broke her heart.

Finally, he returned her gaze. “Just one question. Was anything true? What we had? You and me? Was any of that true? Or have you just been playing a role this whole time? Mia? Was she a pawn in some game you’re playing too?

Are we just a stopgap until your inheritance came through, and then you’d cut out?

” Once more he shook his head. “Well done. I almost feel like I should applaud you. You sure had me suckered.”

He didn’t give her a chance to respond, just turned and strode toward the mud room, where she knew he’d grab his coat and boots. And that hat.

In the silence that followed she wanted to run after him, but Alicia snagged her arm. “Let him cool down, sweetheart.”

“Oh my dear daughter… When you said there were no secrets, I—we, assumed he knew it all. Darling, we’re so sorry. I had no idea you and he—”

Taking charge, Alicia cut him off. “Time for that later, Nicolas. Right now, we have a mission to complete, so go let the lawyer into the house before she freezes—and hopefully something can be salvaged from all this.”

*

Only one thing could take Leo back to the house that night—his daughter.

If not for her, he wasn’t sure where he’d have gone, but it wouldn’t have been back to the place that had finally started to feel like a home.

He could not put himself through even more torture.

Looking into Ella Staunton Hewes’s face would only reopen the wound of her duplicity all over again.

He wouldn’t do it to himself if he’d had a choice.

The sucker punch to that resolve was that he didn’t have a choice.

He had responsibilities—but even knowing he was only delaying the inevitable, he’d checked if Evie could give them some extra time.

He’d then saddled up and ridden as hard, and fast as was possible on tricky, partially frozen terrain.

Not outrunning all that pent-up emotion; burning it up.

But it appeared that nothing was going to blow the last hour out of his head. What had happened?

It almost felt like he’d fallen butt-first into an alternate universe.

Ella was not Benny’s mother. The truth burned so deep and hot he swore he could taste the ash of her lies on his tongue.

The knot in his gut tightened. Visions of Ella’s face swam before his eyes and he shut them tight, grateful that horses, smarter than their riders, knew where to go.

Dammit all! He didn’t want her in his head; didn’t want to care, hating that her betrayal cut so deep.

Hating more the questions that lined up, taunted him.

How could she have lied like that? And been so convincing?

And how did something like that even happen?

How does someone just assume parenthood? Had Ella abducted Benny?

The thought started a sick churning that threatened to empty his stomach, and he slowed Boomer to a trot.

He’d thought he knew her. Hell, just the day before he’d been questioning his hard-held resolve to not allow any woman into his life.

Even wondered if they could make a life together.

Him and Ella. She, Gabriella Staunton Hawes, had broken through his shields as if they were made of nothing more than gossamer.

Though maybe that said more about himself than about her.

Maybe he wasn’t as strong-willed as he’d believed he was.

No. As quickly as it appeared he doused the thought.

This wasn’t about him , it was about her .

He’d trusted her. Put his daughter in her care! Shared things he hadn’t shared with anybody.