Thankfully, Daisy fled to Wales, where she met Lady Tennyson, Edward’s second mother and a darling friend to the heartbroken Daisy. She started working for Lady Tennyson and they became close over the years.
He lived his life much better than many people with the same circumstances, he was sure. Edward had been educated to be a Lord in all but title. He never experienced hunger. He always had a roof over his head and no one knew he was a bastard.
Aunt Tennyson, as he called her, had arranged a fake marriage license for his mother and a death certificate of her ‘husband’. Daisy Taunton became Daisy McAlister and Edward had a name and a father to speak of.
He knew now that he should not have been so harsh on his mother when he discovered the truth and he would forever feel responsible for her death, but he also understood that he couldn’t bring her back.
Edward closed his eyes and saw many of the ghosts from his past, but he could see, as a beacon of light, Selina, smiling at him, blushing because of their forbidden kiss.
Once, he promised to never meet the man who fathered him, but for Selina, he would break that promise. He would meet the vile man and he would reclaim his right.
Bastard or not, they shared blood and by the way Selina had described the heir of the Dukedom, Edward Egremont, the Duke of Bellford, needed a new heir.
Lucky him. Edward had been raised to be just that.
* * *
“His Grace, the Duke of Bellford, is waiting for you, sir.” The household butler said to Edward, who had been waiting in the library for a few minutes.
Every inch of his body reacted to that horrible place – not the house, of course; it was well kept and beautiful, but what happened between those very walls years before.
He wanted to leave. He wished he had never come in the first place, but he had a chance to be with Selina with her father’s approval and he needed to try. A scandal wouldn’t be good for neither of them, but Edward would recover. Selina, maybe never.
What a cruel society they lived in.
The walk to the Duke’s office was silent as the old butler led the way. He knocked before going inside, bowing and announcing Edward.
“Mr. Edward McAlister, Your Grace.”
As etiquette required, Edward bowed just long enough and then looked up to see the man who had haunted his mother, and Edward himself.
“Thank you, Mr. Potter.” The Duke said to the butler and then turned to Edward, offering him a hand. “Nice to meet you, Mr. McAlister.”
“Likewise, Your Grace.” Against every instinct of his body, Edward shook the man’s hand.
“Please, do sit down.” His Grace motioned towards the beautiful dark grey couch and started to walk towards it. After he sat down, Edward did the same at the opposite couch, a tea table between them.
“I must say I am surprised to have received your letter, sir. I have heard of you through some mutual friends of mine and I was even tempted to contact you for some business, but I am an old man now. The new scares me,” he chuckled.
Edward studied the older man’s face with interest. They looked so much alike it was uncanny. The jaw, the cheekbones, the chin, the light brown hair which had started to get silver at some places, the striking shade of his green eyes. It was quite an unusual color.
So that was why his mother sometimes would look at him with pain and love in her eyes; he was a younger version of the Duke. He had read in one of the letters, but didn’t believe how much they were alike until that moment.
“Are you well, sir?” the Duke asked when Edward failed to speak to him.
Of course. He must look crazy, staring and most likely glaring as well. It was surreal to see the Duke for the first time; he couldn’t deny it.
“Yes,” Edward cleared his throat and tried to compose himself. “I apologize, Your Grace.”
“It is no trouble.” The older man offered him a nod. “Do you want something to drink? You look like you might need it, although I haven’t the faintest idea why.” One of his eyebrows was raised, much like Edward did time to time.
“No, thank you,” said Edward as he narrowed his eyes a little, looking at the Duke. “You do not know who I am?” he finally asked.
The Duke frowned slightly, confused with the question. “I am sorry, sir. Have we met before and I do not remember? If so, I apologize. Age comes for us all, I’m afraid.” It was his evasive answer. “I do know you are a very successful businessman, though. Your reputation precedes you.”
“I see,” Edward said clearing his throat. It was going to be harder than he thought then. Edward assumed the Duke knew the name of his bastard son, at least, but it appeared Edward meant so little to him, the name had been forgotten.
“I am confused, though, to why you wanted to see me,” the Duke questioned. “I don’t believe we have any business in common.”
Edward took a deep breath. “No, we do not have any common business and I am not here for it, either.” He stopped for a moment to think. “No, that is not right. It is business, but a personal one.”
“Oh?” he sounded intrigued.
“I trust you remember a letter you received from Daisy Taunton, a few years ago.”
The Duke looked confused and surprised at the same time. “Daisy Taunton?” He whispered, almost to himself. “I haven’t heard that name in decades. Dear Daisy.” He looked lost in thought for a moment and then his expression turned confused again. “A letter, you say? From Daisy? I highly doubt, sir, as she did not know how to write.”
Edward gritted his teeth. “She asked a friend to do it for her. In that letter, she mentioned me.”
The older man looked confused. “I am sorry. Are you a relative of Daisy’s?”
“Yes. She was my mother.”
“Was?” The Duke asked quietly, and if Edward didn’t know better, he identified sadness in his expression. “When did she…?”
“Ten years ago. A few months after she sent you that letter and you replied.” It came out much more poisonous than he liked, but Edward couldn’t help himself.
All his preparation for it to be just like any other business transaction seemed to fly out of the window.
“I am afraid you are mistaken.” The Duke told him. “I have not seen Daisy since she left to marry someone and went to Scotland.” He was clearly bitter.
Edward frowned. His mother never married, despite of the false marriage certificate, nor went to Scotland once in her life.
The men had been so engrossed in the conversation that they missed the light knock on the door and it being opened. “Darling, please, do not forget the dinner with the Thompsons tomorrow-” The woman, Edward guessed was the Duchess, was about the Duke’s age. She had bright blue eyes, dark hair and Edward bet she must have been very popular when younger, as she was still very beautiful even in her dark mourning clothes.
Both men got up. “Oh, I apologize, I had no idea you had a visit…or...” She trailed off the last word once she looked at the visitor.
She paled and took a step back, eyes wide while staring at Edward. “It can’t be.”
“Darling, do you know Mr. McAlister?” the Duke asked, clearly confused with her reaction. “Are you well? You look pale.”
Her Grace did not seem to hear her husband. Instead, she kept looking at Edward. “Are you…?”
She didn’t need to finish the sentence; Edward knew what she was asking. “Yes.”
“Oh, no.” She whispered to herself and used a chair to support herself, a hand over her eyes. “What have you told him?”
The Duke walked towards his wife. “Anne?” He asked in a whisper. “What is happening?”
“I think she realizes who I am, Your Grace, since we are much alike in looks.” Edward had his arms crossed on his back and tried to look as calm as he could with the people who ruined his mother’s life, so close. “I am the child you and Daisy Taunton had together.”
Confused, the Duke shook his head. “No. That cannot be true. Daisy left to get m
arried.”
“You know this isn’t true-” Edward tried.
The Duke’s expression hardened. “I will not hear it. I do not know what game you are playing, sir. But I never had a child outside my marriage.” He didn’t deny the affair though.
“Maybe you heard about my daughter passing away and saw an opportunity. Why now, only heavens know, but I refuse to hear this. Yes, we do look alike, but so do many other men. If you are after my money-”
Edward studied the man in front of him: he was as confused as he could possibly be. Either he was a very good actor, or he had no idea who Edward was.
Looking past the Duke, he eyed the Duchess, who still looked as if she saw a ghost. The guilt in her eyes, the fear and hurt. Was she afraid of Edward?
No. She took a quick glance at her husband and Edward understood, then.
“Your Grace.” Edward said, locking eyes with the Duchess. “You know the truth. He does not. Does he?”
The Duke frowned and looked at his wife and if possible, she trembled even more when he spoke with a firm tone. “Anne. What is this young man talking about?”
“Dear.” She finally said with a shaky voice. “You must understand I was desperate. You were in love with that… that… maid.” She all but spit the word. “I kept losing our babies and I could not see her bear you a child, as well since she already had your love then.”
“Anne.” The Duke’s voice was barely louder than a whisper. “What did you do?”
“Tell him.” Edward gave her the opportunity. “Tell him who I am.”
Being put to a corner, the Duchess couldn’t flee or deflect the situation. She managed to keep the secret for decades, but not anymore. Not with Edward under her roof.
She took a deep breath and, as if the words were poison, she said, “He is your son, Your Grace.”
Chapter 12
Miss Selina Clifford
Selina couldn’t believe her father. He was treating her like a child, sending her away to Bristol to keep her away from Edward.
Her Uncle had clear instructions to send Selina back in case Edward returned to Bristol, but while he was in London, Selina wasn’t allowed to be as well.
Before leaving, she managed to send him a letter through Vivian, her maid and confidant, and she hoped he understood why she had to leave. Her heart ached for it, but she couldn’t fight her father on this.
She couldn’t fight her father in much these days.
Of course he was trying his best to protect her, but his mind was so narrow towards the title, Selina didn’t know how else to convince him other than Edward confronting his father about it.
What if, though? What if he couldn’t get it? What if her father arranged her marriage with Lord Ainsworth? It was all but signed, at that point; they were just waiting a respectable amount of time to arrange it.
The carriage stopped as they arrived at Crawley Manor and Selina sighed. When she opened the door to get out, she spotted her cousin waiting for her. At least she had Matilda. She would understand.
“Hello, Tilly.” Selina’s smile was sad and suddenly, her eyes started to water.
“Oh, Lily.” Without any further notice, Matilda embraced her cousin and it seemed it was all Selina needed to finally fall apart and let her tears fall.
* * *
Selina had skipped dinner. She was in no mood to pretend everything was fine when it wasn’t, but Matilda had snuck into her bedroom later, when everyone else in the house was asleep.
“I knew the two of you were falling in love.” Matilda confessed in a whisper. “Mr. McAlister is such a gentleman; polite and with an abundant income. I never thought Uncle would not approve. I wouldn’t have encouraged you had I known you would suffer this much.”
“Thank you.” Selina smiled sadly and reached for her cousin’s hand. The only source of light in the room was the fireplace, but she could see Matilda’s expression. “I do not regret though. Mr. McAlister is a good man and falling in love with him has been… an experience, that is for sure.”
Matilda turned her whole body and stared at Selina. Even with the darkened room, Matilda’s expression was clearly of surprise. “An experience? Selina Clifford, what has happened that I do not know about?”
For the first time in days, Selina smiled. She copied her cousin and turned her whole body her way. “You mustn’t tell anyone!”
“I would never!” Matilda said in offence. “Tell me!”
Feeling her cheeks get warmer, Selina whispered, embarrassed. “We kissed.”
“What?”
“Shhh.” Selina put a hand over her cousin’s mouth, which Matilda pushed away and then spoke much quieter.
“You kissed him? When? How?” She stopped for a moment. “I know how, but how?”
Selina giggled. “It was the night he went to have dinner with us. Granny asked Papa for help to get to the small library and told us to go ahead. We talked and he asked if I would accept him courting me.”
“Oh, dear.” Matilda was positively buzzing in excitement.
“I told him yes. He told me to call him Edward and I did the same, then… we kissed.” Selina had to hide her face behind her hands to hide her embarrassment with Matilda’s quiet squeals of happiness. The mattress shook while her cousin kicked it to express her feelings somehow. “Tilly!”
“I am sorry, but this deserves a celebration and I can only do so much in silence!” Matilda giggled and so did Selina. “How was it? Was it good or gross? I have heard both from my friends.”
“And just who are you friends with to have shared this information?” Selina asked, playfully.
“Clearly enough and now I can add my own cousin to the list of harlots I know!” Matilda answered playfully. “Now tell me! How was it?”
Selina bit her lower lip for a second. “It was great, Tilly. Oh, it felt so good. I know we heard it was gross, but his lips were so soft, but firmly on mine. It was quick, of course, since Papa and Granny were due to arrive at any second, but at that moment I could swear to you my blood turned to liquid fire.”
Matilda put a pillow over her face so she could squeal better and Selina covered her mouth to muffle her own giggles.
“You are so lucky!” Matilda said once she was done. Her cheeks, much like Selina’s were flushed. “I wish I could fall in love.”
“You will, Tilly.” Selina told her. “And trust me, not everything is well.”
“Of course,” she sobered up. “Uncle needs to let you two marry. Has he seen you together? I have and I had no doubt of Mr. McAlister’s devotion for you and that was before all this happened.”
Selina sighed. “Papa wants a title for me and Mr. McAlister doesn’t have one… at the moment.”
The last words caught Matilda’s attention. “At the moment? What does that mean? How could he get a title?”
“If I tell you, you mustn’t repeat it.”
“Selina! You know I would never. Whatever you tell me, it is between us only.”
She nodded and said to her cousin, “Mr. McAlister is the son of the Duke of Bellford.”
Matilda stayed still for a few seconds, trying to make sense of the words. “What…? But…Just a moment.” She thought it over for a few seconds. “Your current suitor is the future Duke of Bellford.”
“Yes.”
“He is the heir because the current Duke does not have sons and his daughter died a while ago.”
“Correct.”
“How…?” Matilda finally caught up with the story. “Oh! Is… Is Mr. McAlister a bastard?”
“Don’t call him that,” Selina reprimanded her. “He was born outside wedlock, yes.”
“I’m sorry. I won’t say it again.” Matilda gave her an apologetic look. “So is this his plan? Is he trying to get the Duke to make him his heir?”
“I believe so.”
Matilda scrunched her nose. “I do not believe Lord Ainsworth will enjoy it much, if this happens.”
“Well, if Edw- I mean, Mr
. McAlister is chosen to be the heir, then there’s little Lord Ainsworth can do.” Selina shrugged. “He will hate it, that is true. Much of who he is, is defined by the fact that he is the heir. If he loses it, though, I am afraid of what he might do.”
Matilda studied her cousin’s expression. “Do you really loathe that man so much, Lily?”
Selina bit her lower lip nervously. “I do, Tilly,” she finally answered. “You have not met him yet, but when you do, you will see. He fakes everything.
A Hidden Duke For The Passionate Lady (Regency Historical Romance) Page 8
