The Lady and the Vixen

by KT Grant

  Someone moved next to Tisha. It was Abbie. She knelt in front of Aidan with her head lowered. “Aidan, I’m sorry for what you saw. I never kissed Colby Daugherty. You’re the only one who owns my heart. I would never dare kiss another man.”

  “Abbie.” He said her name like a benediction and lifted her chin.

  She gave him a watery smile when he lightly ran his fingers over her bruise.

  “Oh, my Abigail, forgive me.” He slid off the chair and clutched her to his chest.

  She drooped on his shoulder. Her stare at Tisha was filled with sadness and misery.

  Da approached the three and also knelt down. He and Aidan stared at one another. It wasn’t until the baby whimpered that Aidan glanced away.

  “Aidan.” Da lifted his palm up in an appeal. “It has gone on long enough. I’m going to be blunt here. Your biological father doesn’t deserve you. He left behind the best thing he ever created. All these years you raged at his rejection has rotted you inside. I should have stopped it, but I didn’t. I failed you and your ma. I promised her I would look after you. I thought I did, but I didn’t, and now we’ve come to this.” His eyes watered, and he blinked. “You have at least three people here who love you and only want to best for you. Why not turn away from your hate and forget that rat bastard who may have given you life but doesn’t deserve you as his son?” He tapped his chest with his fist. “I’m your father, not Daugherty. I’m proud to call you my son even though you’re not the child of my loins.”

  Tears fell down Aidan’s face. Da’s cheeks were wet with his. Both men cried together.

  Da held out his hand. “Give me the gun, son. Let’s stop this madness.”

  Aidan wiped his eyes with his sleeve and dropped the gun on the floor. He cried harder and dropped to the floor with his head in Abbie’s lap.

  Da took the gun and rose to his feet. He left the room.

  Within minutes, men wearing black helmets with silver shields rushed in the room, guns raised.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  A clock somewhere in the house struck midnight. Lucy peered through the window at the street. A short time ago, the police left after asking their questions. A doctor inspected Rue and baby Dinah, along with Miss Hale upstairs. She sipped the brandy Chase had given her to settle her nerves. Aunt Sera and Chase talked in low voices while Teague and Tisha sat next to one another in chairs.

  The mood in the room was subdued. It felt like someone had died.

  Tisha gave Lucy a smile that warmed her heart.

  “How are you faring?” she asked.

  Tisha shrugged. “I could be better. I can’t believe this happened. I’d never thought Aidan would do such a thing.”

  “It’s all my fault.” Teague went to the fireplace. He leaned his arm on the mantel and squeezed the bridge of his nose.

  “Sir, I would love to agree with you, but that fault lies with Aidan who took it upon himself to attack my brother and hold my family hostage.” Chase hugged Aunt Sera. “At least no lives were lost.”

  “How is Colby faring? I expected him to come with you.” Lucy wished Colby was here instead of having gone back to his lodgings to rest. The only damage he’d suffered was a headache and bruising on his face from Aidan’s attack.

  “He thought it best if he stayed away,” Chase said. “He feels horrible.”

  “Horrible for what?” Teague scowled. “He had no idea Aidan would react the way he did. I never thought…jaysus, what a mess.”

  “The papers are going to be ruthless,” Tisha pointed out. “Da, can you do anything to keep what happened quiet?”

  He groaned and shook his head. “I would have to go deep in my pockets to keep it out of the papers. Sorry, lass, the next few months are going to be rough, especially when Aidan’s trial starts.”

  “By then, I’ll be at home with my husband, safe in Dorset where people are sane and not prone to madness. If you will excuse me, I’m going to check on Rue and Geoff.” Aunt Sera swept the room with a critical eye, sniffed, then left.

  “Your aunt is something else.” Tisha scowled.

  “Yes, she is. She kept Rue calm when your brother took them hostage.” Lucy wished she had as much strength as her aunt did, even during times of extreme stress.

  “Aidan is more your brother than mine.” Tisha glared at her. “Will you claim him as so, or deny it to save your precious family’s reputation?”

  She was startled by Tisha’s vehemence. She tried to think of a response but was at a loss of what to say. She looked to Chase for advice.

  “Ah, I better go check on Rue and the others upstairs. Excuse me.” He got up and hastened from the room.

  Tisha tapped her fingers on the arm of the chair, still staring at Lucy.

  “What do you want me to say, Tisha? It will be rough on us all. The gossip—”

  “The gossip?” Tisha laughed harshly and jumped up from her seat. She crossed her arms and glared at her. “Why do you care what the gossips will say? You’ll run back with your aunt to your quaint little town and hide like you’ve done for the past few years.”

  She held out her hand in a plea, but Tisha backed away and walked to her father.

  Tisha was correct. All she wanted to do was forget everything that had occurred during the past week and return home to her cottage where she was protected from the outside world. But it would mean leaving her family during their time of need and that of Tisha, with whom she longed to have a relationship. As to what type of relationship, she couldn’t say. Were they friends or more than that? How could they continue on as either after all the drama between them? And what of her past when she trusted another so-called friend whom she gave her heart to, which had been torn apart by mistrust and lies?

  Perhaps it was for the best if Tisha thought she was selfish and only cared about her reputation. It would be better to break things off between them. What type of future could they possibly have together?

  “Da, we should leave. We’re no longer welcome here,” Tisha practically growled in Lucy’s direction.

  She bit the inside of her cheek as she resisted the urge to take Tisha in her arms and admit all her fears, as well as what lay hidden in her heart.

  Teague gave Tisha a sad smile. “We will shortly, but first I have something else I must admit. I’ve kept it a secret for far too long and now all must be revealed.”

  He motioned for Tisha to take a seat. Lucy expected her to sit next to her, but instead she’d sat on the empty couch. Tisha studied her father who scraped the toe of his boot along the rug.

  “Mrs. Endcott, you and Tisha will bear witness to my offense. I committed a horrible sin years ago because of greed and retribution owed.” He frowned. “I don’t expect your forgiveness or to understand my motives, but I must get this off my chest, in light of recent events.”

  “Mr. McGrath, I won’t judge. I have no right to since I’m guilty of acting selfish on more than one occasion,” Lucy admitted, more for Tisha’s benefit than his.

  “I will never forgive myself for not stopping Aidan. But I was consumed with making a name for myself and building my own empire where my children didn’t have to suffer like I did the first few decades of my life. The way I succeeded was with Geoff Daugherty’s help, or rather, by coercing him.”

  A huge lump formed in her stomach. “Sir, are you saying—”

  “Mrs. Endcott, the reason I have Pythos and own and operate many other businesses in London is because of your father.” He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his forehead. “Geoff approached me right before he married your mother. He had no choice since his father threatened to cut him off without a shilling. Although he cared deeply for Maire, he didn’t feel it was right to keep her as his mistress because of his impending marriage. He asked me to take care of her and Aidan while he began a new chapter in his life. He offered me a great sum of money and gave me his blessing to marry Maire and claim Aidan as my own son.” He turned to Tisha. “I was very lonely after you moth
er died. She’ll always have a special place in my heart, but Maire was my first love, so when Geoff offered a way for her to be mine, I took it. The incentive was too good not too accept.”

  “Oh, Da.” Tisha shook her head and hugged her chest.

  He bent down in front of Tisha and lay a hand on her arm. “I was weak and blinded by greed. I told Daugherty I would care for Maire and his son, but he had to buy my silence. Once a year, we would meet and he would give me my payment and inquire about Maire and Aidan’s care. But it all came at a price. I never told either one what Geoff offered, and because of that, I lost so much. Maire still died from a broken heart, and Aidan—well, we all know how he turned out.”

  “Mr. McGrath, how long has this…arrangement gone on between you and my father?” she asked, shaken at the lengths her father had gone to in order to keep his past transgressions hidden from not only from his friends, but his family.

  “The last time we met was six months ago. He was aware Aidan was trying to ruin Colby and wanted me to stop to it. I told him my hands were tied and perhaps he should finally reach out to Aidan and talk to him before everything came crashing down.” His shoulders drooped. “I recommended he should rebuild a relationship with Aidan now that his wife and Maire were gone and his other children were adults. He wouldn’t listen, and now here we are.”

  “Because of my father’s enmity and refusal to admit his wrongdoings and welcome Aidan back in his life, the decades of secrets unraveled,” she said, saddened her father had been so callous in nature.

  “It appears so. I also warned him Aidan was growing more incensed, and ignoring him wouldn’t make the situation disappear.”

  “Then Aidan sent a letter to your father, which precipitated the chain of events that led us to now,” Tisha interjected in a weary tone.

  “Until Father awakens, we won’t know what was written in that letter since he burned it. Unless you ask Aidan,” Lucy suggested.

  “Lucy.” Chase appeared in the doorway. His eyes were glossy with tears.

  Her heart drummed. She went to her brother’s side.

  “Something bad has happened? Is it Rue or the baby?” she asked.

  He took both her hands in his. “Father’s gone. He’s not breathing. He’s dead.”

  A shrill whistle filled her ears, and the room spun. Tisha called out her name and rushed to her side.

  Then nothing but total darkness.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  The urge to cry came upon her, but Lucy held back. She had to be strong for her sister and brothers, all of whom stood at their father’s grave and said their final goodbyes. Rue cried silently with Freddy beside her. Aunt Sera held baby Dinah, who didn’t fuss. Chase and Colby were on either side of Lucy, staring at the grave as the coffin was lowered into the ground.

  She stared out at the mourners, at least thirty in total. Viola and Polly had come with their parents, as well as their two older brothers and their wives. Many friends and acquaintances of the family had also come to give their condolences regardless of the past few days where the Daugherty name was smeared in the papers. Her father had been well liked and respected by most of London society for over five decades, and something as tawdry as mention of an illegitimate son out for revenge didn’t stop the support as was shown at the funeral mass and now at the cemetery.

  When the priest said the final blessing, the crowd dispersed. A few close friends talked with her siblings while she studied her father’s final resting place next to her mother. A pang of anguish hit her. Both her parents were dead. She had never made her peace with her father. He died unaware of all the heartache he caused during his life.

  A wave of dizziness came upon her, and she closed her eyes. She had passed out only once in her life. That was three days ago in the drawing room when she first heard about her father’s passing. When she woke up, she was in her bed and Aunt Sera was by her side. She found out later Tisha had caught her and refused to leave until she knew Lucy was well. Her father had to drag her away.

  Tisha. Would she ever see her again?

  Something brushed her elbow, and she opened her eyes. Turning, she swallowed back a gasp of astonishment at the woman standing before her.

  “Irena, what are you doing here?” She walked a few steps away where no one could overhear them talking.

  “You didn’t see me at the church and among the rest here?” Irena pouted.

  She gritted her teeth. How dare Irena show her face? “You shouldn’t be here.”

  Irena’s bottom lip poked out. “I’m here to pay my respects as a friend of the family.”

  “Friend? Now is not the time or place to be funny.” She turned to leave, but Irena’s arm shot out, blocking her exit.

  “We need to talk. I won’t let you leave until we do.” Irena motioned with her chin toward Lucy’s siblings who still chatted with the mourners. “I would hate to cause a scene. Don’t you agree?”

  She still thinks she can manipulate me. She thrust aside Irena’s arm. “Let’s talk under the tree near the edge of the path.”

  She stomped away without waiting for an answer. When she reached her destination, she stared ahead, refusing to look at Irena.

  Irena scowled. To anyone else, she appeared sullen. To Lucy, it was all an act to gain sympathy.

  “I’m giving you five minutes at the most. Your time starts now.” She took out her pocket watch.

  “Someone has finally grown a backbone after all this time,” Irena murmured.

  “Insulting me is not helping your case. You now have four minutes.” She willed the time to move faster.

  “There are a million things I want to say to you, but they will have to wait. I never meant to hurt you or your family. Mr. Lovett gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse and I took it. You can’t blame a woman for wanting something better.”

  “Mr. Lovett could give that to you?” she asked, skeptical of Irena’s explanation. More like Irena’s way to keep Aidan in line if one day he decided to reveal her secrets regarding her husband’s death.

  “Yes. I know you don’t believe me, but Mr. Lovett and I had grown close. I was lonely and you were…. I needed companionship, and he was willing to offer me that.”

  The pretext in her voice didn’t go unnoticed by Lucy, but she didn’t want to be bothered with contemplating the reasoning behind Irena’s actions.

  “What does any of this have to do with me? It appears you’ve moved on.” She lifted a finger when Irena opened her mouth. “But you haven’t. You say Mr. Lovett could give you that companionship you lacked or missed, but you also grew close with my father and were courting.” Her stomach rolled at the thought of Irena and her father intimate in some manner.

  “You shouldn’t listen to such gossip. I respected your father, and as I told you, he became a welcomed friend. I-I never got over you. Every day since you made me leave you that summer because your husband—”

  “Stop it! I can’t listen to you talk about Giles that way,” she spat. “He was a good man who I betrayed because I was weak—”

  “You were weak because you still wanted me and loved me.” Irena shifted forward.

  She backed up against the tree and held up her palm to ward Irena off. “Whatever we had is in the past. All I feel for you now is revulsion. You can’t expect me to forgive you after what you did to Colby and then blackmailed me in order to get what you want.”

  “Ah, yes, young Colby’s debt.” Irena frowned. “You’ll be happy to know I no longer have it over his head. A friend who wishes to remain anonymous paid off the debt. It’s now out of my hands.”

  “What? I don’t understand this at all.” She rubbed her forehead where a headache formed. Why would Irena willingly give up something that gave her such power?

  “I would love to tell you who, but I promised that person I wouldn’t.” Irena shrugged.

  “Now, I have to worry about someone else threatening Colby with arrest if he doesn’t pay his due?”

  “Why
should the responsibility be on your shoulders? Colby got himself into this mess, so he should be the one to get out of it. He also has Chase and Rue to support him.” Irena tilted her head, staring in a contemplative way that made Lucy uneasy.

  “I think it’s best if I rejoin my family.” She shifted away, but Irena latched on to her hand. She tugged, but Irena wouldn’t release her.

  “We’re not done.” Irena tightened her grip. “I’ll never be finished with you, no matter how hard you try to stay away from me. Perhaps it’s fate that brought you back to me.”

  “You’ll be very disappointed.” She curled her fingers around Irena’s wrists and drew her near. A pleased look crossed Irena’s face, and her eyes drooped. Lucy lips twisted in loathing.

  “Once and for all, you and I are through.” She lowered her voice and dug her nails into Irena’s hand, enjoying her gasp of pain. “You were a mistake, one I will regret for the rest of my life. From now on, you stay away from me and my family.”

  “Oh, this is rich! Your claws have finally come out,” Irena purred. “I can’t wait to feel your nails on my back while you scratch me as we love one another.”

  She thrust Irena aside and started walking away, but stopped when Irena announced she loved her.

  Colby glanced up from one of the gentlemen he talked to and looked concerned. She smiled and waved. His stare shifted to Irena, and a grimace filled his face.

  “Lucy, we have so much anger between us. I want nothing more than to move past this and move on and forgive and forget.” Irena fitted her front to Lucy’s back, and her mouth brushed across Lucy’s ear. “I admit the lengths I went through were shameful, but all I thought about was having you back with me again. Can’t you give me another chance? No one is stopping us now. We’re free to do whatever we want with whomever we want.”

  A bubble of hysterical laughter almost erupted from her mouth. Irena had to be delusional. She twisted around and faced her nemesis for what she hoped would be the last time. “What, pray tell, do you recommend we do in order to forgive and forget?”