The Marquess Who Adored Me

by Rachelle Stevensen

  So, he pulled the stack of letters his way, and lit a candle. Aidan still slept, and Cole knew that he had snuck out sometime in the night to be with Rhia, which made Cole smile. But the small flickering light didn’t disturb him.

  Cole opened the first letter to see it was much like the first few, where nothing happened, just Edward ranting that he had to face the injustice he had while sitting in Newgate.

  He wrote to the woman that Cole assumed was Braddock’s mother, and told her that he would find a way to get out, and get back to her, come hell or high water.

  Edward said he would do what was necessary to live the life he was meant for.

  Cole sighed, and reached for the next letter. Again, much the same, but towards the end, Edward started telling Carolyn that he had figured out a plan, and that he would need her help.

  Cole’s eyebrows drew down in confusion, but he pulled the next letter out and started reading, and what he read made his stomach drop.

  Carolyn,

  I have finally figured out the perfect plan to get me out of this hell. I said as much in my last letter, but I am going to spell it out for you. It will take a bit to execute my plan, but I believe this will work. The first thing that I need you to do is send me some more money. I need to keep bribing the guard, otherwise my letters will stop. I am not allowed outside correspondence and the only way these have been coming to you is because of the bribes. Second, I need you to write a letter to my brother. Much as it pains me to have him help, he is the person I need the most. And he is essential to my plan. You are to tell him that you know all the information about me that no one should know. That if he doesn’t come to your house, you will sell the story to the highest bidder and that will ruin my family and their perfect reputation. You know that my father proclaimed me dead and had a grave for me. All to protect his good name because of my crimes. Well, Jacob will do anything to not let the story out. He will try to protect Harold at all costs. When he comes to your house, you need to do something that will make him become unable to leave. Hit him over the head or give him some laudanum if you must. After he is unable to leave, you need to chain him up in one of the rooms you have. Make certain they are thick enough to hold him. He is strong and will fight you. So, they need to be strong enough that he won’t be able to break free. If he does, we are all doomed. He will need a gag as well. I have no doubt he will be noisy. He will whine and cry to get you to let him leave. I just know it. You will only feed him once a day, you are not allowed to let him bathe, and after a few weeks, he will look a lot like me. I will pay the guard to cut my hair shorter, as well as my beard. In order to really get the man on our side, you will come in all your charms to fuck him. He said he would help us switch places, but he wants a good fucking first. I know you will please him well. Because I know you like all sorts of men, and he is a beast of a man. I will be in contact. Watch for my letters.

  E

  Cole was breathing hard when he finished the letter. He pulled the next one to him and opened it. His stomach in knots and it dropped as soon as he read the letter.

  Carolyn,

  The last letter you sent is good news. Knowing you have my brother and how much he looks like me still, is wonderful news to me. I worried we would change a little bit in looks, but it appears as if we are still as identical as ever. Which is a very good sign. This is my last letter, and my last instructions for you. I told you in the last letter, but I will tell you again, so we make no mistakes. Make certain you bring me a new set of clothes. I cannot look like a prisoner when I leave. I need to look like the gentry I am. As soon as I am out and he has taken my place, we will be free. I will take you and my son to somewhere you will not be known. I will get back at my brother in the worst way I know. You don’t need all those details, not yet anyway. You just need to be ready on the 6th day of May. William will be waiting outside your house, and when the time is right, he will get Jacob. He will have a drug to make certain Jacob stays quiet, and you will accompany him. You will bring my clothes, and my son and I will be going after to see my father. After I kill him, and become the Duke, then we will take over London. I will get my revenge on my brother and my father. Finally.

  Edward

  Cole felt his stomach drop. So, this woman had helped Edward escape. They switched Edward and Jacob places, so Jacob was in Newgate, serving Edward’s sentence and Edward was free to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting people Jacob loved. Cole pulled more papers toward his candle and read more.

  Carolyn,

  I know I told you a long time ago that we would marry, but if I am to become Jacob, then we cannot. As he is already married. You will have to be happy being my mistress. I just know that you will be happy with that arrangement. As I will not change it. Since I am relieved that killing my father went off without a hitch, I will be more lenient that you have thrown a fit about our marriage. He truly had no clue what hit him. And having my son there to see his final days and help me with his death? It makes all the waiting and planning worth it. My father believed I was Jacob at first. Until he saw Braddock at my side. By then it was too late. You don’t know all the details, so I am writing you to let you know them. It was truly a beautiful sight to behold. When he got to Harold’s house, we overpowered him and tied him up in his room. Over the next few days, I told him what happened to his favorite child and how he would rot away in that prison in my stead. Oh, his cries and wails about that injustice was so wonderful to hear. We slowly poisoned his food and each day he grew more and more weak, until the last day, where I suffocated him in his bed. He was too weak to fight back and feeling his breath and the fight leave his body was the justice I needed. He wronged me, so I wronged him. I stole his life, and Jacob’s identity. I am not sorry. If they had just let me live my life, they would have theirs. But seeing as they were the ones who turned me in? And forced me into that prison? They can thank themselves for their sadness and pain. They are the ones who will suffer for their involvement. Now, I am the Duke. It is a wonderful feeling being free to wreak havoc on the ton. London will never know what hit it. Neither will Jacob’s wife or children. They will suffer for ever wanting what should have been mine. And my sons. Jacob’s sons will be ruined, and his wife will be the one to suffer for her choice of husband. You will come with me and we will show her who is in charge from here on out.

  J.

  Cole put his head in his hands. Unable to stomach anything he had just read. Unable to wrap his mind around all the secrets that had been revealed. His stomach rebelled and he retched into a bucket in a corner.

  Edward was even more twisted and evil than anyone had realized. Wanting to have what he believed he should have. And seeing it written on the pages was a horrible thing to see. Knowing that his dear grandfather, while not innocent of his wrongdoings against Edward, didn’t deserve his death. Lydia had said it was heartbreaking to find out her dear father in law had died in his sleep.

  She was very fond of him, and knew he was tormented about something. She just never knew what. She had said the same about Jacob when they had first gotten married, but Jacob had let it drop and then he switched from her sweet husband to the devil.

  Cole knew now. And she would find out as well. He felt a touch to his back and turned to find his brother standing behind him. “Are you all right Cole?”

  Cole shook his head, and Aidan handed him a wet handkerchief, which Cole used to wipe his mouth with.

  He stood and walked to the desk, where the letters still sat, open, full of hate and pure evil, and the information Cole had wanted, but never knew he didn’t need to know.

  He loathed Edward with every fiber of his being. The man had ruined his family, their lives were forever scarred, and broken because of his hatred and his skewed belief that he deserved the best of everything and didn’t have to be held accountable for his actions.

  Because he was so evil, and so twisted in his thinking that Edward had stolen Cole’s and Aidan’s childhood, his mother and father’s happy and
loving marriage.

  And Edward had stolen his grandfather’s life. The man would have probably been alive today had Edward not done what he had.

  Cole didn’t remember their grandfather, was far too young when he had died, but knowing that his life was ripped from him when he was still perfectly healthy, made Cole want to vomit again.

  Reading the letters and knowing that his father, their true father was innocent of all the evil deeds they accused him of and was now rotting away in Newgate was horrific to Cole.

  And if they weren’t in the middle of the ocean, trying to save his woman, Cole would have stormed Newgate prison to find his father. To see if he lived or not.

  Aidan cleared his throat and Cole looked up at his brother’s face. His scarred visage looked like his own, but Aidan had been through hell and survived. “What happened Cole? Are you seasick?”

  Cole shook his head and pointed to the letters. “No, I am not seasick. I am sick because of what I read in those letters. It was horrifying Aidan.”

  He proceeded to tell Aidan what he had read, and he watched Aidan’s face as it lost every bit of color.

  The blood drained completely from Aidan’s face and he looked green. “All of that was in those letters?”

  Cole nodded, and rubbed his chest. “Edward was eviler and more twisted than we realized. Than we could have even imagined Aidan. What he did to his own father is horrific, but I don’t know why I am surprised. He did the same kind of things to you. To mother. When we were completely innocent of everything. All of us should have never even met the man, or known about him at all, he should have been locked away, but instead, he ruined all our lives. Ruined the best thing that happened to mother and I am afraid to read more. I don’t want to, but I need to.”

  Aidan nodded, “I don’t want to know either. But we have to Cole. We are too close now to knowing everything.”

  Cole hung his head, and sighed. Then he nodded and looked at his brother. “You are right Aidan. I am just struggling.”

  Aidan clapped him on the back, “I know brother. I am too. With this, and your woman being taken, it isn’t easy, and I understand. I don’t know how you aren’t going completely insane with worry. If Rhia had been taken, well, I just know that it wouldn’t be pretty. That’s for certain.”

  Cole chuckled darkly, “It isn’t fun. I am trying to keep my mind off it. If I think too much, then I will pull my hair out. I am so angry about it.”

  Aidan nodded, “Let’s see what else we can find out. I am right here with you.”

  Cole swallowed hard, and nodded, “Let’s see what other dirty deeds Edward enacted.”

  Together, they reached for the letters and Braddock’s journal. Aidan pulled the journal close, and Cole opened the next letter.

  Carolyn,

  I know you have been upset, and rightfully so. That stupid bitch sent you from your house. Or what should have been your house. I understand. But, if you ever try to keep my son from me again, I will kill you. Do you understand? Let that bitch have the house in the country. No one goes out there anyway, and I will get you the biggest house in London. You can go with me to all the events and be showered in jewels, and the finest gowns. Lydia will have to stay where she is, she is being punished after all. She is too willful, and for her to try to escape me by running to her parents has sealed their fate. I am off to get rid of them. I promise when I return you will be getting a rather large diamond necklace. Look forward to it.

  J.

  Carolyn,

  Well, it’s done. I didn’t kill her parents, though I wanted to. I didn’t need someone looking into their death, and having the trail lead to me, so I did what I do best, and made them disappear. It took longer, because I had to make certain they wouldn’t return. I personally escorted them to their ship, and watched it depart. It is going to be sweet, sweet justice letting Lydia know her parents will never be seen or heard from again. They know they aren’t to contact her or give her any indication they still live. Because I told them I would kill Lydia and her sons if they did try to contact them in anyway. They left without a second glance, and Lydia will not know what really happened. All she will know is that her parents disappeared. It will look like that’s what happened. And, I cannot wait to see her face. She dared to defy me. She tried to leave and thought her parents would protect them from me, but she will learn that nothing gets in my way. And now she will know without question what will happen to those who defy me. I am so excited about how well my plans are falling into place, I will be there to see you sooner, rather than later.

  J.

  Carolyn,

  Those stupid boys are going to be the death of me. I hate them and how much they look like my brother. They are the perfect specimens for me to mold and change to be my own personal demons from hell. But they resist me. Aidan tries to keep Cole from me and will always take the beatings meant for Cole. That boy is strong and if I can beat it out of him, he will be my perfect candidate. I know Braddock already is my son through and through, but Aidan will be the actual heir. I will break him if it’s the last thing I do.

  J.

  Carolyn,

  It has been a while since I have had to write you letters. I have had to stay longer out in the country. You know that people in the ton were starting to get suspicious of me, and they thought to try to pin that murder on me. That stupid bitch of Lord Marshall’s needed to learn that lesson. She thought to tangle with me, and tried to talk back to me, what an idiot. So, I killed her. She was too nosy for her own good. I had to leave for a while before they named me in the investigation. Good news for me though, I raped Lydia so often, that I think she is pregnant now. She is still much to willful and those stupid boys will never be the sons I need them to be, so here’s hoping that the baby she has will end up being my prodigy. It feels good knowing that I will finally have the real heir I was supposed to have. I might have to kill Aidan and Cole, but it will have to be later. Not when everyone is suspicious of me.

  J

  Cole held his breath and let it out, slowly. His vision was red, he was so angry.

  Not only had his uncle stolen his father’s life, ruined their lives, and their mother’s life, he had done more by threatening Lydia’s parents.

  She had thought them dead with how quickly they vanished. She paid great sums of money to find them, to no avail. It had broken Lydia, and in the end, had not fought against Edward as much. She had lost all that she held dear, and while she still had her children, she had no escape from anywhere.

  Cole shut his eyes and rubbed them. The injustice he felt on behalf of his mother was great. Almost too much so. He felt ill.

  Knowing how she suffered and had no one to turn to at all, and all because of Edward. It made Cole wish he could bring him back, so he could kill him himself.

  His death was too easy, too fast and he hadn’t had enough pain. But Cole felt grateful his mother had been the one to end him. She had deserved to get her justice. Was meant to be the one to kill him. And she had.

  Cole looked at Aidan and cleared his throat. Aidan looked up from his reading and Cole said, “I found this last letter. It makes me sick, Aidan.”

  Aidan’s eyebrows drew down in confusion, “What happened?”

  Cole looked down at the letter in his hand, “Do you remember how our grandparents went missing? And how mother searched and searched but never found anything? Finally believing they died?”

  Aidan nodded, “Yes, I do. I don’t remember them, but I do recall that mother searched for years and with each year, she grew more and more discouraged. Until she finally just gave up. Why?”

  Cole carefully put the letter on the table between him and Aidan. “Apparently, they aren’t missing Aidan. Or dead. Edward sent them away to America and threatened us and Lydia’s life if they ever came back or gave her any indication, they were alive.”

  Aidan growled, “Are you serious?”

  Aidan shook his head, “Don’t answer that, of course you are. I ju
st cannot believe that he would do that to mother. She was innocent of anything, had never even known about him, and yet he treated her like the scum of the earth. I hate him Cole. For everything he did.”

  Cole nodded, “I know brother, trust me. I know. I think we need to take a break. Go up and get some air. I cannot keep reading things right now. It is too much, and we need to tell Rose and Rhia what we learned.”

  Aidan nodded, and stood. Together the brothers went up to the deck and out into the light. Cole took a deep breath of the salty air and wished again that Eden was in his arms.

  He needed her strength right now. He needed her smiles and love. He just needed to hold her. To kiss her and love her. And he could only pray that she was all right. That she would be unharmed.

  He watched Aidan go to Cabe’s large cabin and walk Rhia out on the deck, kissing her as he did so. He carried her in his arms, and she was laughing.

  Cole found Rose speaking with one of the crew of Cabe’s and saw Cabe staring at Rose. He knew that look and choked on a laugh.

  Cabe was in trouble if he kept looking at Rose that way. Cole knew that Cabe wasn’t unaffected by his sister and Cole loved it.

  Cabe deserved some happiness after everything he had suffered. Just as he did. As Aidan did. As Burk did.

  And he knew there wasn’t anyone better for his friend than his dear sister. Cabe saw him coming his way and he took a few steps back from Rose.

  Cole saw his face grimace and looked down to see his leg catch on an uneven board. Cabe quickly righted himself, and Cole watched him mouth a curse.

  His face went red and he excused himself. Rose watched him go, and her face fell. Cole cleared his throat and she blushed when she turned to see him. “Are you all right Rose?”