Page 117 of The Make-Believe Marriage
CHAPTER 21
SYD BEGAN TOtremble as Lady Withnall cast her a pained look. “Syd, I truly do not know the answer. What I do know is that Harcourt raised you as though you were his own flesh and blood. Whether or not you are of his blood, he considers you his daughter. I have always believed he cared deeply for you, although his trying to sell you to Sir Henry was not one of his finer moments.”
Syd nodded. “Well, we do know for certain that Lady Harcourt is not my mother. I believe my mother’s name was Catriona Langley. The only question is, which man was in love with her? My father or his best friend, Sutton.”
“Your father was blond and Sutton had dark red hair,” Lady Withnall remarked. “Your father was tall and slender while Sutton was stockier in build. Someone in Miss Langley’s family or in service to her family at the time might know which one of them she was secretly meeting.”
“I plan to engage Homer Barrow to investigate,” Octavian said.
Lady Withnall nodded. “He is a most reliable man. Syd, I see by your stubborn expression that you think to run off and investigate on your own. I strongly recommend against this idea. It will be too hurtful for you, my dear. You do not know how you will be received or what vile things Catriona’s embittered family might say against her. Let Mr. Barrow ask his questions and deliver his report to you. Then you and Octavian can consider what is to come next.”
Syd glanced at her husband, this man who was proving to be a bedrock foundation for her, and arched an eyebrow in question.
He sighed. “I agree with Lady Withnall, Syd. Let Mr. Barrow do his job and report back to us. I’ll get him on the task this very day. Your mother is at a breaking point and will snap soon. Then she will unleash the gossip rags on you and your father.”
“And destroy you as well, Octavian. In truth, you will be hurt most by this ugly affair because you have the most to lose,” Syd muttered. “I meant what I said about protecting you. I could–”
“No,” he said roughly. “I am not ending our marriage or distancing myself from you in any way. Forget it, Syd. And do not bother to ask Lady Withnall for her opinion. I do not care to hear it. My mind is made up. I’m in this with you to the end.”
“Big, stubborn ox,” she retorted affectionately.
“Minx,” he teased her right back and grinned at her with equal affection.
Lady Withnall shook her head. “Your husband is right, Syd. He took a vow on your wedding day to love and protect you, so let him do it.”
Syd did not recall their exchanging anything but their names and a quick ‘I do’ from each of them before they were shoved off to the side and the next couple stepped up. They had said those vows at their second wedding, but she had no idea if that counted as official even under the lax Scottish laws.
“I will also contact some reliable sources of my own and see what I can dig up,” the dowager continued. “If you are Harcourt’s natural daughter, then you will be looked upon with scorn by some. But it is not all that unusual to have a father claim a child born out of wedlock and give that child the benefit of his status. Of course, that child would not be able to claim his title or entailed properties. But what if you were Sutton’s child and he had secretly married Miss Langley?”
Syd stared at her. “Lady Withnall, what are you saying?”
“Any son of yours might not be heir to Harcourt’s earldom, but he could be heir to the Duke of Parkhurst. Would that not be ironic? In trying to hurt you, Syd…it may turn out that Lady Harcourt’s efforts will elevate your status instead of diminish it.”
On that remark, their visit ended.
Lady Withnall hugged her. “Oh, Syd. My dear girl. Whatever will be, will be. You will sail past the malicious gossip, for scandals always blow over. Yours will soon become old news, especially when everyone sees how strong your marriage remains. In all of this jumble, pay attention to all that truly matters. Octavian loves you and you love him. Stand together. Love will always triumph.”
Syd felt drained but also elated.
Her elation had nothing to do with the possibility of her eldest son– assuming she and Octavian had children– being in line for the Parkhurst dukedom. Was this possibility not too farfetched? Of course, it would please her to no end to see Lady Harcourt’s vile attempts to destroy her blow up in the woman’s face. Syd was compassionate by nature, but she was not a saint and that woman was a demon. A little gloating would not be sinful.
Her elation had to do with realizing how precious her marriage was and what a good man she had married. She also realized how much Lord Harcourt, whether he turned out to be her father or not, had done for her. She knew there was a reason why she loved him even though he was such a weasel.
She also gained an appreciation for her friends. Not only Lady Withnall, who had taken on so many roles for her. Friend. Confidante. Grandmother. Benefactor. Same for Lady Dayne. Those two dowagers had been a blessing to Adela and now to her.
She was surprised to find Marigold and Gory waiting for her when she and Octavian returned to the Huntsford residence after making a stop at Mr. Barrow’s office to engage his services. She handed over her pelisse, gloves, and reticule to a maid and hurried into the parlor. “Did I forget a meeting? I’m so sorry.”
Marigold and Gory assured her that she did not.
“Oh, then why are you here?”
Marigold, who was always so sweet and compassionate, took hold of her hand. “We heard you had a terrible row with your parents yesterday. And now there are ridiculous whispers going around. We were worried about you and wanted to see that you were all right.”
Syd hugged them both. “I am now.”
Octavian came in a few minutes later. “Syd, since your friends are here…”
She nodded as he came to her side. “You need to report to the Admiralty, I know. Yes, please do. I’ve distracted you long enough. I will be fine here with my friends.” But she followed him out because she wanted to tell him how much she loved him and appreciated him.
