Page 11 of Defending the Duke (The St. Clairs 4)

Her grandmother wrapped an arm about Laurel. “You have a home now, Miss Wright. You are a St. Clair. You will never lack for anything ever again. You will live with us and come to know everyone.” The old woman stroked her cheek. “What is your Christian name, Child?”

“Laurel,” she said shakily.

“Oh, that’s a lovely name.”

“But I’m not a true St. Clair,” she protested. “Not a real brother and sister. Only a half-sister, I suppose.”

The earl roared with laughter. “We’re all halves around here, Laurel.”

His words confused her.

“My mother was the first duchess,” the duke explained. “When she died in childbirth, Father wed again.”

“That would be my mother, the old sod’s second wife,” the earl continued. “When my mother died in childbirth, Father married again, Rachel’s mother. She, too, died in childbirth. So you see, Laurel, we’re all half-brothers and half-sisters.” He looked to the duke. “Long ago, though, when our Father died, Jeremy became as a father to Rachel and me. He decided that it was ridiculous to think in halves. We became full brothers and a sister at that point.”

“And we have remained that way ever since,” the duke proclaimed, “adding more to the fold with our two wives and Rachel’s husband. They are also siblings to us, as is Catherine’s sister, Leah, and her husband, Alex.” He beamed at her. “Today, we add another St. Clair to our family. I feel I should call for champagne.”

“I’ve never had champagne,” she blurted out. “I didn’t come here today to ask you to take me in, Your Grace.”

“You need a place to live,” the duchess said, clasping Laurel’s hand gently. “We want you here. Not only for you to get to know your brothers and sister, but you also have nieces and nephews, as well. Please say you’ll come live with us, Laurel. You are wanted—and loved.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks again. “That would be lovely. But... I haven’t told you everything, Your Grace,” she protested.

“We have the rest of our lives to hear everything,” the duke proclaimed. “Besides, enough of this Your Gracing. I am Jeremy.”

“I still have to tell you something,” Laurel said. “It’s not only me.”

The room fell silent as everyone stared at her.

“I have a twin brother. Hudson.” The rest came out in a rush. “We’re eighteen. Nineteen come October. Hudson is very, very smart. So smart that we’ve hoped he could win a place at university. On scholarship.”

“Where is Hudson now?” her grandmother asked, her eyes bright with interest.

“At work. Days he’s a coal porter and nights he’s a waterman. He doesn’t even know I’m here. I didn’t tell him about finding the duke’s note to Mama.”

The duke—Jeremy—took Laurel’s hands and brought her to her feet.

“Hudson will be as welcomed as you are, Laurel. I’ll send for him now. Is he at the docks?”

She nodded.

“He’ll be here in an hour’s time,” the duke promised. “Excuse me.” He signaled his brother and the two men left the room.

Everton returned a few minutes later. “Don’t despair, Laurel. All will be well.”

They talked for half an hour, Laurel learning small things about this new family of hers, glad they didn’t press her for more details of her life. Then the door flew open and a woman with raven hair and St. Clair eyes burst into the room, followed by a quiet blond and two other men. Luke St. Clair trailed behind them and she decided the duke must have sent his brother to retrieve the rest of the family and explain the situation to them.

The woman dashed across the room and pulled Laurel to her feet and then hugged her so tightly Laurel feared she might never let go. Finally, she released Laurel.

Smiling, the woman said, “I am Rachel, your sister.” She gestured for the others to join them. “My husband, Evan. My best friend and Catherine’s sister, Leah. And this is Alex, Leah’s husband.” Rachel beamed. “Oh, we have so much to talk about!”

Suddenly, a familiar voice said, “What in the bloody hell is going on?”

She turned and saw Hudson standing in the doorway. He looked very out of place in such an elegant room, his face and hands smudged with coal, his workingman’s clothes rumpled and stained. She also knew he was angry and bewildered at being summoned to an elegant Mayfair townhouse and finding her there.

Laurel went to him and sensed others following at a distance. She reached her twin but his eyes looked past her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the three St. Clair siblings had joined her in a show of support.

Looking back at her brother, she saw his jaw had dropped. No words emerged until he finally said, “They look like us, Laurel. They all have our eyes. It’s... like looking in a mirror.”

The duke stepped forward and offered Hudson his hand. “That’s because we’re all St. Clairs, Hudson.” With a broad smile, he added, “Welcome to the family.”

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