her anger. “Why?
Because prestige matters more to you than your own child’s
happiness? That’s demented.”
“It’s practical.”
“So you’ve known,” he accused. “All this
time, you’ve known about your grandchild but never said anything to
Chris, or to me.”
“I thought the babe died with her, and don’t
you dare refer to that wench’s offspring as my grandchild! I won’t
have it.”
“I don’t feel as I know you at all,” Brendan
said. “I knew you and Father were proud, but I never thought you’d
stoop to this. Why did you let Millie hire Shannah at all, then? I
would think you’d want any reminders as far away as possible.”
“I had to keep an eye on her, make certain
she didn’t fill your head with a lot of nonsense,” she stated. “The
girl seemed content to keep her mouth shut, and I was content to
let her. How would I know that you would start poking into
the past?”
Brendan drew himself up. “I’m glad I did. You
had no right to keep any of this from Chris! If it were up to me,
you wouldn’t be having a birthday banquet this year.”
She laughed at him again. “Now you’re going
to punish me, like I’m some sort of wayward child. I am your
mother, and you would do well to remember that.”
“Yes, to my shame, you are my mother. But you
would do well to remember I hold the purse strings on your
allowance.” Brendan came dangerously close to shouting.
“You wouldn’t dare!”
He shook his head. “No, I know how much you
value money. But rest assured any further birthday celebrations
will not be paid for by me. I would also recommend you decide which
of our other properties you like best, and remove yourself there
with all possible haste.”
She gasped. “You’re throwing me out? After
all I’ve done for this family? All I’ve done for you?”
Brendan raised an accusing finger. “You’d
better just be grateful I don’t tell all of your friends about all
the things you’ve done for this family! If you are still
here two days after your banquet ends, I will throw you out
myself.”
He spun on one heel and stormed from the
room, ignoring her protests and shouts. The slamming door
effectively cut her off. He hurried down the hall and to the top of
the stairs. Sounds drifted up from the foyer, children’s voices.
Brendan took a deep, cleansing breath as he felt his anger subside.
Shannah was down there, and at last he knew exactly how he felt
about that.
CHAPTER 14
Brendan managed not to run down the
staircase, but it was a near thing. Matthew spotted him first, then
Kora. Shannah was knelt over baby Royce, struggling with something.
He’d almost reached them when she straightened, folding a small
brown coat in her hands. Brendan wanted to smile at her, to welcome
her to his home, but he stole a glance and the baby and understood
why she’d fought so hard to keep him hidden.
Royce had Wyndham eyes—identical to his,
Christopher’s, and their late father’s. Deep set, rich chocolate
brown, and framed by thick, dark eyelashes. No one would doubt his
parentage—no one could.
He tore his gaze away to find Shannah
watching him intently. “Hello, again,” he said, his heart pounding
unexpectedly. “I’m glad you made it back so quickly.”
“We had a time finding Royce’s coat,” she
said. “I didn’t want you to worry that we’d drag our feet.”
“Mister!” Kora tugged at his pant leg.
“Up.”
“Kora!” Shannah reprimanded her. “That’s no
way to talk to Lord Brendan.”
Kora tugged again. “Up, please.”
Brendan laughed, joy filling him. He bent and
lifted the girl into his arms. “Of course, my lady. Will there be
anything else?”
“I hungry,” the little one said.
“Kora!” Shannah looked scandalized.
“We had to leave our stew half done,” Matthew
explained.
“Matthew!”
“It’s a terrible business,” Brendan agreed
with a short bow. “If you will follow me, I’ll show you to the
nursery. I believe
Because prestige matters more to you than your own child’s
happiness? That’s demented.”
“It’s practical.”
“So you’ve known,” he accused. “All this
time, you’ve known about your grandchild but never said anything to
Chris, or to me.”
“I thought the babe died with her, and don’t
you dare refer to that wench’s offspring as my grandchild! I won’t
have it.”
“I don’t feel as I know you at all,” Brendan
said. “I knew you and Father were proud, but I never thought you’d
stoop to this. Why did you let Millie hire Shannah at all, then? I
would think you’d want any reminders as far away as possible.”
“I had to keep an eye on her, make certain
she didn’t fill your head with a lot of nonsense,” she stated. “The
girl seemed content to keep her mouth shut, and I was content to
let her. How would I know that you would start poking into
the past?”
Brendan drew himself up. “I’m glad I did. You
had no right to keep any of this from Chris! If it were up to me,
you wouldn’t be having a birthday banquet this year.”
She laughed at him again. “Now you’re going
to punish me, like I’m some sort of wayward child. I am your
mother, and you would do well to remember that.”
“Yes, to my shame, you are my mother. But you
would do well to remember I hold the purse strings on your
allowance.” Brendan came dangerously close to shouting.
“You wouldn’t dare!”
He shook his head. “No, I know how much you
value money. But rest assured any further birthday celebrations
will not be paid for by me. I would also recommend you decide which
of our other properties you like best, and remove yourself there
with all possible haste.”
She gasped. “You’re throwing me out? After
all I’ve done for this family? All I’ve done for you?”
Brendan raised an accusing finger. “You’d
better just be grateful I don’t tell all of your friends about all
the things you’ve done for this family! If you are still
here two days after your banquet ends, I will throw you out
myself.”
He spun on one heel and stormed from the
room, ignoring her protests and shouts. The slamming door
effectively cut her off. He hurried down the hall and to the top of
the stairs. Sounds drifted up from the foyer, children’s voices.
Brendan took a deep, cleansing breath as he felt his anger subside.
Shannah was down there, and at last he knew exactly how he felt
about that.
CHAPTER 14
Brendan managed not to run down the
staircase, but it was a near thing. Matthew spotted him first, then
Kora. Shannah was knelt over baby Royce, struggling with something.
He’d almost reached them when she straightened, folding a small
brown coat in her hands. Brendan wanted to smile at her, to welcome
her to his home, but he stole a glance and the baby and understood
why she’d fought so hard to keep him hidden.
Royce had Wyndham eyes—identical to his,
Christopher’s, and their late father’s. Deep set, rich chocolate
brown, and framed by thick, dark eyelashes. No one would doubt his
parentage—no one could.
He tore his gaze away to find Shannah
watching him intently. “Hello, again,” he said, his heart pounding
unexpectedly. “I’m glad you made it back so quickly.”
“We had a time finding Royce’s coat,” she
said. “I didn’t want you to worry that we’d drag our feet.”
“Mister!” Kora tugged at his pant leg.
“Up.”
“Kora!” Shannah reprimanded her. “That’s no
way to talk to Lord Brendan.”
Kora tugged again. “Up, please.”
Brendan laughed, joy filling him. He bent and
lifted the girl into his arms. “Of course, my lady. Will there be
anything else?”
“I hungry,” the little one said.
“Kora!” Shannah looked scandalized.
“We had to leave our stew half done,” Matthew
explained.
“Matthew!”
“It’s a terrible business,” Brendan agreed
with a short bow. “If you will follow me, I’ll show you to the
nursery. I believe