The Marquess Who Adored Me

by Rachelle Stevensen

  Cole laughed, “That’s true. Who knew that sailing would come naturally to us?”

  Aidan chuckled, “Not me, that’s for sure.”

  Cole sobered, “I didn’t like what we found out though. I am not looking forward to telling mother.”

  This stopped the girls’ giggling. Eden looked at them, “What do you mean?”

  Cole had forgotten to tell Eden and regretted it now. He ran his hand through his hair, “When we get back to the townhouse, our family needs to have a discussion.”

  The girls nodded, and before they knew it, they were pulling up to the front of Cole’s large townhouse.

  Cole jumped down first, and then helped Eden down. Aidan helped Rhia down, then lifted her into his arms. “Aidan, I can walk up the stairs by myself.”

  Aidan pulled her closer, “You can, but I wanted to carry my wife.”

  Rhia giggled and put her head on his shoulder. Cole laughed, and he opened the door.

  His small staff was there, and they were all smiling and clapping when he walked in the house.

  He smiled at them, “Everyone! This is Eden, you met her already, but she is now my wife.”

  Everyone cheered again, and Eden went red. “Thank you.”

  The staff disbursed and Cole said, “I would like a bath brought to my quarters for my wife and me. And one for my sisters, and the Duke. Please.”

  His sisters and mom just walked in the door. “We need to talk, when everyone has had a bath.”

  Rose and Lily nodded, and Lydia turned to his housekeeper. “Can you prepare our dinner and bring it to the sitting room? I think the dining room isn’t the place for a discussion that Cole wants.”

  His housekeeper nodded, “Yes, ma’am.”

  Cole walked up to his quarters with Eden and shut them inside. “I love you.”

  She kissed him, “I love you too. Are you all right? I know that whatever you have going on, I am here for you?”

  Cole went to her and pulled her close. “Yes, I do know that. Let’s take that bath, so we can get this over with.”

  Eden giggled, and they took their bath.

  When they made it downstairs, Cole felt his stomach start to cramp. He knew this would ruin things for his mother. It would rip her apart, and he hated Edward even more.

  Taking a deep breath, Cole walked into the room with his family. Eden was seated next to Rhia, Lily and Rose were on the settee next to theirs, and Lydia was on a chair by herself.

  Aidan looked up at Cole from his chair behind Cole’s desk. Cole looked at his older brother and knew that Aidan dreaded this as much as he did.

  Cole let out a quiet breath, and Aidan nodded at him. He turned to look at the women. “When we were on the ship, Aidan and I were able to read the letters from Edward, and Braddock’s journal. What we discovered was horrible, and I still don’t believe it.”

  Rose let out a shaking breath, and Lily looked over at her. Rose shook her head, and Cole continued. “Rose knows, as does Rhia what was in the letters, but I never told Lily, or Eden. I am scared to tell you mother.”

  Lydia stood from her chair and walked to him. She put her hands on his face and looked into his eyes. “Cole, whatever it is, I can handle it.”

  Cole shook his head, “I don’t think you will be able to mother.”

  She dropped her hands, and Cole helped her sit back down. He knelt in front of her, “If this information wasn’t necessary for you to know, I wouldn’t tell you. Any of you.”

  He stood up, and pacing, he told them what he learned on the ship. Lydia went pale, all the blood draining from her face. Lily started crying. Rhia and Eden held onto each other for support.

  Cole told them the whole sordid tale, and when he got to the part with Lydia’s parents, she cried out and started sobbing.

  She had buried her face in the chair and was wailing. Aidan rushed to her side and pulled her into his arms.

  Cole could only watch and hated that he had to tell her the news. Aidan had calmed her down, only just.

  The girls rushed her, and they all just hugged each other and cried. A knock sounded on the door, and Cole walked over and opened it.

  His butler stood there, “Pardon the interruption my lord, I know this isn’t the right time, as there is a discussion going on, but there is a man at the door insisting on speaking with you. He says it is urgent, and that he has waited to talk to you for a long time.”

  Cole’s eyebrows went down in confusion. “He cannot wait until the morning? This is really important, and we shouldn’t be interrupted right now.”

  His butler shook his head, “I apologize my lord, but he says it cannot wait. That he has already waited long enough. He needs to speak with you and Aidan.”

  “Aidan? How did he even know Aidan was here?”

  His butler shrugged. “I do not know my lord. Should I send him away? Or send him in?”

  Cole pinched the bridge of his nose, “This is not what we need right now. But, send him in. I will meet him in my office with Aidan.”

  Cole stepped back into the room, “Aidan, I need to speak with you.”

  Aidan looked up from where he was watching over the girls. He gave Cole a look of confusion, his eyebrows drawn down, but followed him.

  The girls never even saw them leave. “What is going on Cole?”

  Cole shrugged. “I don't know. My butler told me a man has requested to see me. He says its urgent. And that he has waited a long time to speak with me. He wants you there as well.”

  Aidan still looked confused. “That doesn’t make sense. Who even knows I'm here? We got here so quickly and left just as quickly.”

  Cole shook his head, “I know.” They walked to Cole's office and when they went inside, a man was standing by the desk, his hands clasped behind his back.

  Aidan stepped forward first, being the Duke, he outranked Cole. “Aidan St. Andrew. At your service.”

  The man shook his hand and Cole held out his, “Cole, but I am guessing you knew that already.”

  The man nodded, “Jack McKinnon. It is a pleasure to meet you. Your grace and my lord.”

  Aidan sat behind the desk and Cole loved seeing him be the one in charge. He didn’t do it often, but when he did? He was a sight to behold. There was a good reason Aidan was the Duke, aside from him being the first born, Aidan had an air about him. Aidan gestured for the man to be seated, and he did.

  “I am certain you are wondering what I am doing here, and who I am. Why this was so urgent.”

  The brothers nodded but said nothing. “I will explain who I am after you read this letter. It has been in my possession for a month now, and I have been waiting to give it to you. You both went out of town rather unexpectedly.”

  Aidan nodded, “Yes, we had business out of the country. We apologize for the inconvenience.”

  Jack waved a hand at them. “I understand. Things happen.” He pulled the letter out of his jacket pocket. “I was given instructions that I need to stay here until you have finished reading it and get a reply.”

  The brothers looked at one another, and Jack handed Aidan a letter. Cole went behind the desk, and watched Aidan pull his knife out to cut through the crude wax seal.

  Aidan unfolded the letter and Cole read over his shoulder.

  My dearest Lydia, and my boys.

  I hope this letter finds you well. That probably isn't the best way to start a letter, but I truly hope you are well. That you still live and have led happy lives. I have thought about you every single moment of every day for years. I miss you more than I can possibly describe. And I am writing this to you with hope in my heart for the first time in all these years. After my brother switched the two of us, I have been allowed no outside communication. Not to my family, or to anyone. Trust me, I have tried. But, getting beaten over the slightest infraction like that makes you wary. So, I never tried again. I have written to you still though, every day. I just keep them in my cell and read them in my darkest moments, imagining your response.
I want you to know my Lydia, my life, that I am sorry. From the depths of my very soul that I could be so stupid. I just wanted to save my father from the scandal, from my brother’s evil deeds once again and instead I ruined our lives over it. I was shut away in this cell and left to rot in this prison, and I don't even know if my brother hurt you or did something worse to you. And I hate the not knowing. All I do know is that he wanted to. Longed to, all because you wed me. And, that is something else I regret. If you had never married me, Lydia, you would have been safe from him. I didn't know that he would stoop to such a level, but I should have known better. He is an evil man, and he has only gotten worse as the years pass. I am sorry for that as well. I pray every day that you are well, and that my boys have grown into the men I wished they could be. They are truly my greatest gift, and I hated that I missed them growing into those men. Aidan is going to make a wonderful Duke someday. He has always had it in him. He was strong and kind, even when he was small. And Cole, he will be a great Marquess. He always had greatness in him. I hope you know that I tried to get out. To see you, to get back to you. But my brother did some horrible things in his life and it has come back to haunt me. I was the one who found him doing the horrible deeds that send him here, but I ended up being the one to serve his sentence. Knowing you have no idea about my brother, and probably think he is me, hurts me deep inside. And knowing you have no reason to doubt him, or know that I am here, right under your nose is difficult as well. You will probably never realize the switch, but you are smart. You would know that I would never treat you the way he would. And again, I hope that you never have to find that out. I just want you to know that I am alive. That I sit in this jail cell day after day and pray to a god that doesn't hear me. But I still pray, nonetheless. I must tell you that I love you my Lydia. You are the reason I still breathe, the reason I keep going, even when I wish to give up. You, and my sons. You all are my entire world, even though I missed everything about you. Know nothing of you. You are everything to me. You are my hope and strength. My boys, if you are reading this, I loved you. From the moment your mother told me she was expecting a child, I loved you. And when you two came screaming into the world, you both became my world. I hope one day you will forgive your old father for his stupidity. Live your life, love, be happy and be the men I know you to be. I love you, my wife. My beautiful bride, the mother of my children. I have missed your touch, your light and your warmth for all these years. Forgive me love and live your life as well. Thank Jack for me. He truly is a good friend.

  My Love, My Life

  Jacob

  Cole's knees buckled. He dropped to the floor behind Aidan's chair to his knees and just knelt.

  His father was alive. Still.

  And he was the man he always dreamed he could have been. Kind and loving.

  Aidan pushed out of the chair and helped Cole to his feet. His eyes were red, as were Cole's and he hugged Cole tightly.

  Jack still sat in the same chair, and the brothers turned to him. Aidan spoke up, “He lives? Our father? You know this with certainty? This letter wasn’t written years ago and just delivered today to hurt us?”

  Jack nodded. “Aye, he does. I saw you Cole, when you came to the prison. You didn’t see me, and I couldn’t risk speaking with you. I couldn't tell you then that his name isn't Edward St. Andrew. Not in there. He was put in prison under a pseudonym.”

  Aidan and Cole looked at each other again, “A pseudonym? I knew it.”

  Jack shook his head, “Your grandfather didn't want the shame on his family name.”

  Cole let out a breath, “I guessed as much. Assumed it was what happened. It was why I found a grave that I knew was empty.”

  Jack nodded. “Jacob told me everything. How they were switched, all of Edward’s dark deeds, everything. I have worked in the prison for a very long time and when Edward was first brought in, he was horrible. Killed a few inmates, and for a few years we had to watch him closely. Then, he stopped. Gained our trust, until he did kill a guard. He was watched carefully, but something happened. After that, he changed again. He was nice to everyone, polite. But we didn't want to believe it. Not again. But he seemed different to me. Not as crazy. And I watched him, carefully. For years. He was sent to the hulks for longer than most men can survive, and almost died. But it was part of his imprisonment that he wasn't supposed to die that way. So, again. I watched him. And he was still kind. To every guard. Finally, I talked to him. He was wary at first, but I finally gained his trust. And he told me the story. I told him to write the letter and that I would get it to you.”

  Cole ran his hand down his face. Aidan pinched his nose, “We need to show mother. Would you mind joining us Jack?”

  Jack nodded, “I was told to wait.”

  Cole led the way and when they got to the sitting room, the ladies were talking, still somber. But, not crying. It wouldn’t take long before it would start again though.

  Cole felt his stomach drop again. “Mother, we have someone we would like you to meet.”

  Lydia stood, and they introduced her to Jack. Aidan put his hands on Lydia's shoulders. “I know this night is a lot, and a lot has been revealed, more information than we were expecting, but there is more.”

  Lydia shook her head, “I don't know how much more I can take Aidan.”

  Aidan hugged her quickly. “I know, but this is important.”

  Lydia took a deep breath and let it out. She nodded, and Aidan sat her at the desk. “Read this please.”

  Lydia gave him a questioning look but looked down at the paper. She sucked in a breath and tears started falling down her cheeks.

  Aidan kept his hand on her shoulder and Rhia walked up next to him. He put his other arm around her and whispered in her ear.

  She went pale, and Aidan tightened his hold on her. Eden walked up to Cole. A question in her eyes, “What is going on?”

  Cole sighed, “Let my mother finish, and I will tell you.”

  Lydia was holding a handkerchief to her mouth as she read, and a sob escaped every few seconds.

  The girls were on edge, not knowing what it was that Lydia read, but not happy that their mother was sobbing at the desk.

  When Lydia finished, she stood. She turned to Jack. “He is still in that horrible place, isn't he? Serving a sentence that isn't his to serve?”

  Jack nodded. “Yes, he is. But I know how to get him out.”

  Lydia nodded, “Good. Then that’s all I need to know. Let’s go get my husband.”

  Rose and Lily gasped, and Eden did as well. Jack nodded. “We will. Don't you worry. I have a plan.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Cole

  London, England Nov, 1812

  After they got back and had found out all the things they had about Jacob and Edward, Cole was kicking himself that he never thought to ask the one person who would know all of this. But he thought she had left the continent.

  He found out that wasn’t the case and he asked his lawyer to find Koryn. Which he did. Quickly. Cole rode there the next morning, needing to know if she knew the entire time that her brothers had been switched and why she never bothered to say anything to anyone.

  He walked up to her small flat, that was in a disgusting part of Whitechapel and was in such a hovel there had been several rats that had run past him on his way to her flat.

  He shuddered with disgust but felt nothing for her plight. She had brought it on herself. Knocking on the door, he waited a few moments and when the door creaked open, Koryn peered out. Her eyes widened when she saw who was at her door.

  She sneered at him, “Come to take more from me? There is nothing left. Not even my daughter. Just leave.”

  And she went to shut the door in his face. Cole put a hand out and slammed the door back open, stepping inside the tiny flat and shutting the door behind him. Koryn backed up as he walked in and she was glaring at him.

  “I only came to have you answer some questions for me Koryn. And to tell you the fate
of your daughter.”

  She paled when he said that and sat heavily in the only chair she had in the place. Cole didn’t want to touch anything, so he crossed his arms over his chest and Koryn finally nodded.

  “Ask. Then you need to leave. I never want to see you again.” Cole nodded his assent and said, “Did you know that Jacob and Edward had switched places?”

  Koryn swallowed hard and Cole snarled, “Do not dare try to lie to me.”

  She looked up at him with resignation, “Yes, I figured it out as soon as I saw him. I knew it was Edward because not only was his personality so completely different that Jacob’s, but he also looked different to me. Our father could never tell them apart, but to me they didn’t look the same. Edward was always rougher, had a sharper face that fit with his personality. How evil he was.”

  She shuddered and continued, “He even scared me. He never touched me, but that was mainly because I got married after he first got sent to prison and when he switched places with Jacob, and tried to come around, my husband was there and though he was a quiet man, he didn’t like my brother and never let us visit for long. He would never let him get near me. Or Katarina.”

  Cole didn’t remember his uncle hardly at all, but he could hear the love Koryn had for him in her voice. “I decided that it would be best to not be around your family after the switch. I didn’t want Edward to harm my child. Because he would. He hated women and hurt them whenever he could. Not me, never me. But others. And Katarina was beautiful. So, I kept her away. Didn’t want her around Edward. I also dreaded being around him. He had a taint about him, and it was difficult to be in the same house as him. It was cloying, horrifying. I didn’t want my daughter to be subjected to that. She had once, and that was enough to have my husband put his foot down. He didn’t want us around Edward. At all. And so, we stayed away. Happy to be in London and not in the same circles Edward was in. Then my husband got sick and Edward died. My husband died not long after I heard of Edward’s death and that was why we stayed away as long as we did after both of their deaths.”