Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington (Ladies of Deception) (22 page)

She smiled
faintly then, “You don’t have to do a thing, it isn’t your problem to fix.”

“Of course it is.
Anything involving you is my concern.” Just then the carriage door was swung
open. Hope wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand than allowed
Pierce to assist her down from the carriage.

Hope felt
exhaustion overcome her as they entered his house. He led her to the parlor where
he knelt to prod the embers in the fire then turning to her he said, “Have a
seat, I’ll ring for tea.”

“Don’t bother, it’s
the middle of the night and I’m sure your servants won’t appreciate the
imposition.”

“Nonsense, they
are employed by me to do my bidding day or night and right now I’m more
concerned with your well being then with interrupting their sleep.”

“Really Pierce,
I don’t mind. Right now I’d just like some sleep, I feel so exhausted.”

He turned to his
butler, “Please make sure the yellow room is readied for her and that a fire is
going.” Simon nodded and left.

As soon as they
were alone Hope turned to him, “I can’t stay here and you know it, it wouldn’t
be proper.”

“You’re right,
it wouldn’t. I guess you’ll just have to marry me to save your reputation.”

“You can’t be
serious, you know you can’t marry me.”

Pierce was
beside her in two quick steps, “There’s no law against it, and besides, I’m a
grown man who can and will make his own decisions.”

“But the scandal
it would cause—“ He cut her off by placing one finger over her parted lips.

“I told you, I
don’t care. The scandal will be nothing in comparison to living forever without
you, I won’t do it. I love you Hope.” And then to prove it, he bent down and
replaced his finger with his lips on hers, kissing her with all of the emotion
he felt inside for her.

As always she
willingly participated, seeking out his shoulders with her hands as she reached
up and wrapped them around his neck. He wrapped his own hands around her waist
and pulled her flush with his body, marveling at the differences between them.
He was much taller and larger than her but she still fit perfectly in his arms.
Her body was supple and soft and filled with delicate curves while his was hard
and muscular. He had never kissed someone with so much longing before and he
knew if he wasn’t careful he’d give into his intense desires for this woman
whom he dearly loved. When he pulled away from her satin lips she groaned,
which nearly undid him but he took a step back to distance his body from her
intoxicating charms.

“We’re going to
Scotland tomorrow and I won’t take no for an answer.”

Hope laughed,
“We’ll talk—tomorrow.” She went forward and brushed his strong jaw with her
hand, “I love you Pierce.”

“And I love you,
my minx.” Then he reluctantly showed her to the yellow bedchamber where she could
lock the door against his ardent desires, hoping that would be enough to keep
her safe from him.

Chapter 26

Though Hope was
extremely tired, the minute she was tucked into the luscious butter yellow silk
sheets and her head had hit the pillow, her mind wouldn’t seem to shut down.
She was so disturbed by the accusations the earl had thrown against her mother.
She knew there had to be some mistake because as far as she knew, her mother had
never even been outside of Shepard’s Bush. She had always been a homebody and
somewhat of a recluse, refusing to leave the house unless it was absolutely
necessary. She was friendly enough to their neighbors and she had always been
an adoring mother but that’s where her association with others ended.

Hope turned
restlessly onto her other side, cramming the down pillow further under her head
in an attempt to get comfortable. She eventually turned onto her back and
stared up at the yellow canopy overhead and that’s when she remembered the
letter her mother had written her. She sat up with a start, the night her
mother had given it to her along with the ruby necklace, she had made her
promise not to open it until the time was right, insisting that she’d know when
that was. Hope had tucked it away with the remainder of her few belongings when
she had taken on Noelle’s identity and she regretfully admitted that she hadn’t
given it a second thought since.

She scurried out
of bed and walked over to the fireplace where she grabbed a tapered candle and
bent near the flames to light it. When the candle was lit, she rose and moved
quietly towards her satchel of belongings that represented everything she owned
besides the drab grey dress she had been wearing earlier. When she had gone
back to the inn to get Soren, she had quickly informed Maggie that she had to
leave before grabbing her few belongings to take with her. It didn’t take her
long to rummage through the few possessions she owned to find the letter. She
pulled the slightly wilted envelope out of the bag and held it close to the
light coming off the candle as she turned it over and gently broke the red wax
seal on the back.

She carefully,
almost reverently unfolded the letter then lowered her body into a chair and
began reading:

My dearest Hope,

I know as I
write this that my time on this earth is short. I don’t think I would have the
courage to tell you the truth otherwise. First, I’d like you to know that you
are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and despite my many sins, I
loved you dearly.

I’m at a loss
for words as I try to tell you something I have never shared with another
living soul and rarely thought of over the last twenty and one years of your
precious life. I tried to forget about it completely as to not let it consume
my happiness and fill my life with guilt, but despite my best attempts, I find
that as I face the end of my life that no amount of ignoring the circumstance
of your birth can cause me to forget that you were never truly mine, that you
never really belonged to me.

Hope had to stop
reading as she blinked in shock. She felt as if she was living a nightmare as
she read her mother’s dreadful words. After a few minutes she began reading
once more.

Growing up you’d
often inquire about your father and I would always try to deflect you but you
never gave up. I eventually told you that he died before you were born and that
it was too painful for me to talk about but that wasn’t true.

Before you were
born I was working as a midwife and would often help assist in the deliveries
of nobleman’s children. One such night I was summoned to the house of Lady
Brattondale, Fiona Parrish, she was to deliver her second child and her labor
had been long and intense. After many hours of pushing (the baby had been
breech) she delivered a healthy baby girl. It became clear to us all then that
she had lost too much blood and suffered too much because of the painful and
complicated delivery. She was weak and as her maid was seeing to the child and
helping Lady Brattondale view her new daughter, I continued to attend to her.

As I waited for
her to deliver the afterbirth, I was shocked to see that she was actually
birthing another child! She was so weak that she barely realized what was going
on. I had always wanted a child of my own, having had the chance to witness the
miracle of birth hundreds of times I longed with all of my heart to get to
experience the love of a child for myself someday. Circumstances being what
they were, I was getting along in years and knew that I would most likely never
have the opportunity to marry and have children of my own.

In that moment a
temptation came over me like none I have ever known before or since. I was
alone in the room with a despondent Lady Brattondale while her maid had gone to
inform the earl of the birth of his daughter. I knew that nobody would ever
have to know about this second child and that if I was careful, I could claim
it as my own.

Please don’t
hate me for my admission and for the horrible deed I did in taking you. It was
a moment of great selfishness as my emotions warred within myself. I knew it
could be the only chance I’d ever have to be a mother and my heart longed for
that as it had longed for nothing before or since. I continued to do battle
with myself, not sure what the outcome would be but as I watched Lady
Brattondale slowly deteriorate and eventually slip away into death, my decision
was made; I would not leave you to be raised motherless, no, I would raise you
as my own.

It wasn’t hard
to hide you, you were a weak and sickly little thing who barely made a peep. I
wrapped you in a blanket and hid you in the armoire while I continued to see to
my duties. The household was in an uproar over the unexpected loss of its
mistress so when it was time for me to go I was able to quickly and quietly
sneak you out hidden amongst my basket of linens and supplies.

Though I’ve
regretted my deceit and know I have sinned greatly in taking what was not mine
to take, I have never regretted having the opportunity to be your mother. You are
a real lady, Hope, and though circumstances were meager, I tried to raise you
as such—requiring you to learn to read and write and learn all the proper
etiquette befitting a true lady.

When the
opportunity arose for you to become a lady’s maid for your sister, Lady Noelle,
I was fearful but I knew I couldn’t refuse. It was the closest you’d ever be to
the life you were born to live. My only hope was to be able to disguise you so
they wouldn’t see the truth.

I hope that you
don’t hate me for my admission of wrongdoing. I hope that somewhere in your
heart you can find to forgive me and to know that despite my horrendous
actions, my intents were pure. I wanted so badly for you to have the love of a
mother and I knew I could offer that to you, but you my dear child, offered me
far more in return. You are the pride and joy of my heart and the love of my
life.

One last thing,
the ruby pendant belonged to your mother, your real mother. She was wearing it
the night she gave birth to you and Noelle and when she died I removed it from
around her throat and placed it next to you in my basket. I wanted so badly for
you to have something of your real mother. She was an angel who sacrificed her
life to give you yours. In light of stealing her child, I figured stealing her
necklace was the lesser sin.

Love,

Your mother

Hope’s tears
were flowing freely now, she was horrified to realize her whole life had been a
lie. She wondered now how she could’ve foolishly accepted the fact that she and
Noelle were almost identical in appearance without become suspicious of the
resemblance. And why didn’t Noelle find that abnormally odd as well?

She wanted so
badly to be angry at her mother, no not her mother but Matilde, but she
couldn’t find a place in her heart for anger past the hurt and confusion she
felt. She agreed full-heartedly that it had been a grave sin for Matilde to
steal a child from its home and rightful place in society, but she couldn’t say
that she regretted her choice to do so. Because of her, she was raised by a
woman, though not her mother by blood, but a mother in the truest sense of the
word. Matilde had shown her unconditional love and acceptance and taught her
that the character of a person was far superior to any title or wealth. Without
her intervention, Hope would’ve been raised a Parrish, a spoiled daughter of
the Earl of Brattondale.

The last thought
made her shudder; the earl was her father! She couldn’t wrap her mind around
the fact that a man she barely knew and barely liked could be her father. And
if he was her father that meant that Devon was her brother and Noelle was her
sister, her twin. The thought of her newly revealed place in the Parrish family
made her head spin. She wished she had someone to talk to, to sort through all
of the confusion with. Then she remembered Pierce and knew she had to tell him
at once.

            She grabbed the candle and
quickly went in search of Pierce, making sure she tread lightly so as not to
arouse the servants. Once in the hall, she was grateful that he had had the
foresight to tell her which room he was in incase she needed anything. She went
to his door and knocked lightly with her free hand, her heart pounding loudly
in her chest. When he didn’t answer she decided to knock harder, feeling slightly
guilty about waking him but feeling more anxious to talk to him.

            When the door finally swung
open, Hope felt herself blush and tried to avert her eyes as she noticed he was
wearing nothing but a pair of snug breeches he must’ve managed to pull on after
he had heard her knock.

            “Is everything alright,
Hope? What’s the matter?”

            Hope looked up into his
handsome face, his hair ruffled from sleep. He looked so warm and sleepy that
she had to fight a strong desire to touch him, to curl up with him in bed and drift
into a peaceful slumber. She was surprised at the inappropriateness of her
thoughts and quickly gathered them back to the present.

            “No Pierce, nothing’s
alright, everything is wrong.” Her lower lip trembled at her admission.

            He reached forward and
pulled her into the privacy of his bedchamber and shut the door behind her then
gathered her into his arms. He was every bit as warm and delicious as she had
imagined he would be. His naked arms engulfed her and stroked her back causing
her to almost forget her reasons for coming to him in such an improper manor.

            “You still love me, right?”
Pierce asked, knowing that she must or she would never be standing in the dark
with him alone in his room allowing his half-naked form to be holding her so
tightly while she wore nothing but a thin linen nightgown.

            “Of course! But there’s
something you must know.” She pulled back and thrust her mother’s letter at
him. “Read this, it explains everything.”

            Taking the letter and candle
from her hand, he led her to a small table and chairs sitting in the corner of
his room and sat while he read the letter. Hope watched him, wishing she could
see better his expressions as he read the letter that had just devastated her
so completely.

He read it with
amazing speed and when he looked up at her he said, “Incredible! This explains
everything. We must inform the earl at once that you are his daughter.”

“Oh must we?
It’s all so shocking, isn’t there anyway we can pretend like it’s not true?”

Pierce was
thoughtful for a minute before he spoke. “Yes, if that’s what you’d like then
that’s what we’ll do. But, you have a family now Hope. Don’t you want to know
your brother and sister, your father?”

“You forget, I
already do know them.”

“But not as a
part of their family, your family.”

“Are you sure
you’re not just trying to coax me into claiming my place as Lord Brattondale’s
daughter so that you can marry an earl’s daughter, a real lady to save your
reputation?”

Pierce laughed
at her indignant expression then pulled her down onto his lap. “Of course not
you silly minx. I thought I had made it quite clear that I’m marrying you,
whoever you are, however you are.” He leaned in and placed a warm kiss on the
curve of her neck and she sighed. “Besides, I’ve already bought you a wedding
present and it can’t be returned.”

“Really, you got
me a present?”

“A beautiful
writing desk where you can write all the fantastical stories your little heart
desires. It’s downstairs in the parlor waiting for you.”

 “Oh Pierce,
it’s beautiful! I saw it when we were in there tonight but I never imagined it
was for me.”

“I tried to give
it to Noelle when I thought she was you. You should’ve seen the look on her
face when I presented it to her.” Hope smiled, pretty sure she could conjure up
a pretty accurate image.

“You do realize
that you’ll have to forgive her now that she’ll be your sister-in-law don’t
you?”

Pierce growled,
“But it doesn’t mean I have to like her.”

“Oh don’t be so
hard on her, she has a good heart she’s just never been raised to think of
anyone other than herself. And besides, if she hadn’t concocted her foolish
scheme, you would be married to her right now and we would never have met.”