Page 42 of The Scandalous Love of a Duke (The Marlow Family Secrets #6)

‘Why do this tonight, John? It is Mary’s evening. She has waited years for this.’ Bitterness and disgust burned in Edward’s voice.

John stood up straight. ‘While I have waited all my life … I did not plan for this to happen tonight. Harvey just turned up. He did not know about the ball.’

John picked up the glass his mother had not touched, and held it out to Edward, who accepted it. He picked up his own. ‘But there is a reason why I needed to know now. I sacked Mr Wareham.’

Edward sighed. ‘And what does that have to do with it?’

‘He has been fleecing Grandfather for years, he has stolen thousands. Harvey has not found the money yet, so Wareham has not been charged. But he is greedy and malicious. Since I sacked him, he has been trying to blackmail me with the knowledge of Mama’s past, saying if I did not give him money he would make your history public.

How would you rather I found out the truth, from you or from the broadsheets?

’ John looked at his mother. ‘I admit, I was hurt by the fact he could threaten me with something you had not cared to share. And you would not even tell me when I asked.’ He looked back to his father.

‘But I did not pick tonight to tell you. Harvey just happened to obtain the information today. I am sorry, but having read it, I could not go back in that room and pretend I had not seen it.’

He looked at his mother.

Her gaze softened, and instead of anger and disappointment he saw pity. But when she approached him to offer comfort he leaned away.

Her hands dropped to her sides. ‘He did not give me a choice, John. When your father died, I was stranded on the continent. I had no money to bring you home. Your grandfather had disowned me. I wrote, begging him and your father’s family for help.

My father came. But by then a man was supporting me.

It was innocent at first. I thought it was kindness.

I had not realised there was a price, but I could not live on the street.

My father took you away from me and told everyone I was dead.

But you knew I was not, John. I ensured you knew.

In the beginning, when I managed to get back to England, I wrote to your nursery maid, who had looked after me too, and she would bring you to meet me.

That was why my father sent you to a boarding school, because he found out.

But then you were old enough for me to write, and I wrote to you all the time. ’

John finished his drink and set the glass down, then opened his arms to her. She came into his embrace, and he held her tightly. His grandfather would think this weakness. John no longer cared for anything that man had said.

Her fingers brushed John’s hair off his brow as she pulled away, as she had done when he was small.

He took a deep breath. ‘I am sorry.’

She smiled tentatively, tears on her cheeks. ‘It was not your fault, John. I never wished to speak of this with you. But it was not your fault.’

He kissed her cheek. ‘I am glad I know, Mama, so I can understand.’

She nodded, her tears spilling over again. She wiped them away. ‘I shall go and freshen up and then return to Mary. I will not have her know something is wrong.’

John nodded.

She looked at Edward.

‘I will be with you in a moment,’ he said. ‘I have something else to say to John first.’

When the door closed behind her Edward looked at John.

‘Will she be well?’ John asked.

‘I will ensure she is.’ Edward rested a hand on John’s shoulder. ‘I know this news must be hard for you to hear, son, I understand your anger, but the shame, and her memories, make it too hard for your mother to speak of it.’

His hand fell away.

‘How long was it after you met her that you came to fetch me? I remember you married as soon as we reached Uncle Robert’s.’

Edward gave him a sour smile. ‘A month or so, not long. I did not even know you existed until that night. She would not leave Lord Gainsborough. It was not until I saw you that I understood why. What your report probably does not tell you is that Gainsborough had forced her to stay with him by threatening you. He told her he would abduct you if she ran away, and blackmailed your grandfather with the threat of revealing her existence.’

John’s eyebrows lifted as shock lanced through him.

‘Now you know a part of it, you may as well know it all. Though, do not speak of it to your mother. Gainsborough beat her too. But she was too afraid to run and she had nowhere to run to until I met her. She had felt trapped.’ Edward glanced up at the old man’s portrait.

‘We fought hard to get you back.’ He looked back at John and drained his glass of brandy, then added, ‘For God’s sake, stop modelling yourself on him.

And take that bloody picture down. I have too many awful memories of both him and this room.

’ Then the muscle in his cheeks set hard.

‘Now you may tell me where to find Wareham, and I’ll settle this. I presume you know where he is.’

John nodded, smiling slightly as he watched the change from amiable family man to formidable leader. No wonder Edward had won out against John’s grandfather.

John had been forced to follow his grandfather’s education, but surely the better role model stood before him. ‘I will come with you.’

‘No,’ Edward said, firmly. ‘You would be missed. Go back to our guests, keep Mary happy.’ Too emotional to argue, John gave Edward the address.

Edward looked back before he left. ‘If your mother asks, do not tell her where I have gone. I will return quickly.’ Then he added, ‘Would you ask your Uncle Robert to meet me in the hall? I will take him with me.’

John agreed but before Edward could turn away again, he asked, ‘What happened to Lord Gainsborough? Should I…’

Edward smiled. ‘Your Uncle Robert killed him. It was self-defence, though. He tried to kill your mother.’

With that, Edward left.

John looked at the old man’s portrait.

His father was right, John would take it down and the one at Pembroke Place.

‘You bastard!’

If John wished to marry Katherine, he would marry Katherine. Sod the opinions of others. She was what mattered. Everyone else could go to hell.