Page 75 of The Rules of Courtship
Father huffed, his cheeks mottling red. It was clear this woman posed a great threat to his imagined inheritance, and hewas panicking. “Why did you not admit the truth when we arrived to bring him home?” he asked.
“It was not my place to share. As I told you, William informed his mother of our marriage. She was displeased, finding him disloyal to Diana’s memory while they were in the middle of making everyone believe he was Oliver’s true father. She asked he keep it to himself until she could contrive what was to be done. Initially, we believed a year needed to pass and then we could announce our marriage, but as we already had a daughter, we did not know how best to handle it.”
“It does sound like a complicated situation,” Uncle Charles said.
Esther gave him an appreciative glance. “Years passed without William’s mother giving us her blessing. She did not see how announcing our marriage would do anything but cast a light on Oliver, as he and Arabella were born within a month of one another. William decided a split from his family was the best thing for us. Only out of respect for his sister Diana, whom he adored, did he maintain a relationship with Oliver.”
“Yet he wanted to return to Boone Park when he was dying,” Oliver said.
She turned compassionate eyes on him. “Only so you could be told the truth. He felt it needed to come from him, or you may never learn of your true parentage. We have been caring for him for months.” She glanced at her daughters. “We intended to accompany him when he came here, but Penny was ill, and I feared she had contracted William’s illness. We did not wish to spread it to your family.”
“You are well now?” Oliver asked the younger daughter—their cousin, by all accounts.
Miss Penny nodded. “Indeed. It was only a cold, but we did not know that at the time.”
“We had not been aware any of your family was ill,” Father said skeptically. “Seems rather convenient to me.”
Esther straightened her spine defensively and glanced toward Samuel’s father. “We did not inform you. We feared it would impede your decision to bring William here.”
“You must be tired,” Ruth said, stepping forward. “It is a long journey from Thistledale, I believe.”
Esther shot her a grateful smile.
“Forgive me. Of course.” Oliver drew in a breath. “I hope you will stay with us here.”
“We do not wish to impose. Mr. Dale asked us to arrive tomorrow for the reading of the will, but we felt it was important to come early and explain.”
Father made a grunt, which everyone ignored. Samuel’s neck heated in embarrassment, but what could he do about his father’s childish behavior?
“It is no imposition,” Oliver promised. “We are glad to meet you. I will see to it that rooms are prepared straight away.” He glanced at Samuel, his eyebrows raised, and Samuel nodded in return. He was happy to find the housekeeper and pass on Oliver’s instructions.
Samuel faintly listened to the conversation continue as he left the room and located Boone Park’s housekeeper. She had already begun preparing rooms, assuming it was the way things would be.
“Thank you,” Samuel said, leaving her to return to the drawing room. He turned the corner and came upon his father, veritably seething.
“She is here to take it all,” Father hissed. “We cannot allow it.”
Unease roiled low in Samuel’s gut. “What do you intend to do? You cannot fight a legally binding document.”
“We can prove coercion or lunacy. He has been with them for months. How do we know this woman did not plant the idea in William’s mind and conceive the entire plan?”
“A certificate proving her marriage, I suppose, would do thetrick,” Samuel said. His father didn’t have a leg to stand on, and his antics were growing old.
“I refuse to allow her to steal what is rightfully ours.”
Samuel shook his head, turning to walk away. “None of this is rightfully yours,” he muttered.
“What did you say?” Father asked.
“You are wasting your time.”
Father laughed darkly, walking toward the door. “We shall see.”
Samuel watched him go. He had a terrible feeling his father was up to something, but he had no idea what it could be.
When he turned back toward the drawing room, he nearly collided with Ruth. She glanced down, pink bleeding into her cheeks. “Forgive me. I should not have come, so I am trying to make a quick retreat and find my father before he joins us.”
“You will nearly be part of this family, Ruth,” Samuel said, proud of how level his voice sounded. “You are more than welcome here. It is good that you see some of our faults, so you understand what your future will hold.”
