All for Hope (15 page)

Michelle began to fuss, and Hope jumped at the reprieve, making her way past the men to pick up the baby.

“
Sorry. There are times when she expects to get all of the attention.”

A moment of uncomfortable silence was broken by the old man’s boisterous laughter. Michelle responded instantly with her own baby-giggle.

Hope was never more relieved than when a few moments later, the men told her they should be leaving. Jeremy hurried to the front door, but Mr. Rawley hesitated. She had Michelle cradled against her hip so that she could lead them out.

“
My dear, you have been very kind. Brennan is family, it seems, and I’d like to get to know him. I am an excellent reader of body language and I can tell you don’t believe he’d be pleased by the things we’ve discussed. Be that as it may, I would like the chance to speak with him. Just keep that in mind.”

All she could do was nod as he held out a finger to Michelle. Old man and baby shared a long look before he glanced at Hope, winked and was gone.

Brennan knew good and well something was going on with Hope when he got back to the cottage. She was quiet and pensive, something that in and of itself wasn’t really that unusual. From time to time during their journey, she would have bouts of sullenness. What really keyed him to the fact that there was something strange was her jumpiness.

When Hope knocked over the pan of cleaning water she had left precariously on the edge of the kitchen counter, her lovely face turned ghostly pale and she practically jumped to clean up the mess.

“
Damn, I’m sorry. I’ll get it.”

He went to Michelle’s playpen and picked the little girl up into his arms, nuzzling her belly with his face. While the babe blathered and tugged on his ear, he leaned against the table and watched Hope on her knees, dabbing at the water with a towel. Her rear end bobbed up and down, and he took a moment to enjoy the view before returning to his ponderous thoughts about her behavior.

“
What’s wrong with Mommy?” he said softly close to Michelle’s ear. Apparently he hadn’t spoken softly enough because Hope’s head shot up to look at him.

“
Mommy?”

He chuckled, holding his hand out to help her up. “Just sort of popped out. She needs a mommy, and we’re living like a family.”

“
Yeah,” she nodded, wiping her hands against her thighs.

“
So, what’s going on?” He injected a lace of suspicion into his tone and watched as she drew her brows together and shook her head, preparing to deny it. “Hope, I can recognize a guilty conscience when I see one. I’ve sort of been an expert in that area.”

Her jaw dropped open, and then snapped shut. She glanced at Michelle as if the baby might explain things, then she smiled and looked down.

“
Okay, you’re right. Jeremy was here earlier.”

Brennan’s stomach seized and his smile crumbled away, leaving behind a hard scowl. “What the hell do I have to do to prove I own this place? Tape the deed to the front door?”

His instant rage deflated when she approached him, leaning in close. He held his breath wondering for a moment if she might be going to kiss him. Instead, she slid her hands atop his arms to take Michelle from him. “It wasn’t like that, Bren. He brought his father with him.
James Rawley
. It seems your mother was Mr. Rawley’s sister.”

“
Agnes?”

She gave him a frustrated look, leaning her head to the side. “Yes, Agnes. Why are you calling her that now? It was childish when you were doing it at eighteen, and it hasn’t gotten any less so now.”

“
So, what did they want?” he asked finally.

She smiled through a long sigh before continuing. “I really think he wanted to find out what happened to Agnes.”

“
And did you tell him? How much does he know?”

Her eyes peered down then back up. “I told him vaguely about her. He wants to meet you. You’re family, and he wants to know you.”

The idea of finding his relatives wasn’t nearly as frightening as it had been just a few days ago. He knew the day he heard the name “Jeremy Rawley” that it meant he’d find some of his family here in New Durma. He had to face it at some point, and he was prepared to do so.

That wasn’t what was terrifying him now. “I need some air. Can we go outside?”

She nodded, turning quickly to walk out the back door into the crisp breeze. The weather was heavy with impending rain, and Bren knew a cold front was making its way through. He breathed deep, raising his face to the sky and again had the strangest feeling that he belonged there. It was as if the countryside called to him.

“
So I found this book,” he began tentatively, pausing a long moment as he chose his words. “It’s a book about this place, New Durma.”

He put Michelle on her feet, letting her cling to his fingers, then he slid down to sit on one of two wicker chairs on the back deck.

“
Oh?” Hope murmured, pulling at some weeds along the edge of a stone walkway leading a few feet from the house. “Is it interesting?”

“
Mmm,” he nodded, though she wasn’t looking at him and couldn’t see it. Michelle lurched up and down, excited, testing out her legs. “Seems it was founded early in the 1900s, after the First World War. An Earl–of Arrington, I believe–had lost a lot of money in bad investments, so he had to sell off some of his property in Durma. He had a lot of land here, a huge cattle ranch he’d invested in, and he decided to take a bet on America.”

He watched her kneel and yank at some more long-stemmed plants. Satisfied, she dropped the weeds into a pile on the deck, then came to the empty chair. Before sitting, she wiped her dirty hands on her rear end and he mentally shook his head. His need to touch her was getting overwhelming, her bottom almost begging his hand to grab it.

Get it together, Bren.

She met his gaze, smiling. “I think I’d heard something like that before. America was where the wealth was, so a lot of Europeans came here.”

“
Yeah, that’s it exactly. So the Lord Arrington decided to call this place New Durma and helped establish the town.”

“
Wow. I wonder if the family still lives here? I think you’re going to be glad you came here, Bren. I mean, I know your mom was the world to you, but you never had a full family and finding Iggie’s brother is a start.”

“
Iggie?”

“
Oh, that’s what Mr. Rawley called her. A pet name, I guess.” She chuckled, and for some reason the sound of her laughter made his chest tighten.

Clearing his throat, he continued. “The family, the one that started this place, they kept their citizenship. Even though they came here to America, they kept their titles. Hope--” He spoke her name soft as a whisper, but she glanced up at him with bright, expectant eyes.

“
Lord Arrington’s name was Anthony Rawley.”

She blinked a few times, holding a breath. Her face flushed pink and she shook her head. “Oh, Bren. Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

He slipped one arm in front of Michelle to hold her so he could release his other hand to run his fingers through his hair.

“
I’m pretty sure your ‘Mr. Rawley’ is an Earl.”

“
It’s now or never, Bren. Let's go meet your family.”

He didn't glance at her or acknowledge that she had spoken to him but started quickly up toward the intimidating doors of James Rawley’s home. Before he reached them, a woman in a black servant’s uniform opened the doors, looking down her nose at them.

The bronze sign at the gate when they’d entered the property called it Arrington Manor, and it was every bit as large and imposing as Hope would have thought a “manor” would be. She didn’t know why she was surprised when a uniformed maid answered the door, leading them into an ornate parlor. Mentally she told herself she’d have to keep a close eye on Michelle to be sure she didn’t break anything.

“
I’m so glad you’ve come,” James bellowed when he came into the room. “Welcome to Arrington. I'm James, and I suppose I am your uncle.” He reached his hand out to Brennan who shook it firmly.

That was when Hope noticed Jeremy standing in the doorway. His eyes flitted from James to Brennan then back again before he met Hope’s eyes and inclined his head in greeting. He took a step forward, and a short, pudgy woman came from behind him.

“
What’s all the shouting about?” she asked, wide-eyed and wringing her hands together in front of her.

“
Don’t you remember I told you we’d have guests this afternoon?” The older man grinned, motioning her further into the room. Satisfied, he turned back to Brennan. “This is Jeremy's wife, Margaret. Your other cousin, Kay, is away at law school.”

“
Cousins?” Margaret asked and looked around at the strangers.

“
According to Brennan, he is Aunt Iggie’s son,” Jeremy answered, placing a hand to his wife’s shoulders.

Hope felt Brennan’s tension level rise, but she interjected in order to diffuse the situation. “Yes, Margaret. Bren’s mother left him a home here. We didn’t even realize he had family until Jeremy happened upon us about a week ago.”

Margaret was taken aback, glaring up at her husband with a hurt expression. “You didn’t tell me. This is why you’ve been grumpy and—”

“
Meg.” His tone was a warning for her to be quiet. She did, clenching her still folded hands tighter to her belly.

Hope could see the look behind her eyes was carefully restrained. For all she appeared the docile wife, Jeremy would likely get an earful later. She almost wanted to laugh.

“
Sit, sit,” Mr. Rawley told them all, motioning to the seats around the room. “Lorena will bring in some coffee in just a few moments.” Once every one had complied with his directions, he leaned back in his chair, put his elbows on the arms and folded his hands in the shape of steeple. “Did your mother not speak of us at all, son?”

Hope cringed, worrying Brennan would balk at the endearment “son” but he only frowned and shook his head.

“
I never knew we had any family and I don’t know why, but I never really thought it important to question it.”

He hadn’t questioned it, at least not until Hope did. It was during their initial try at dating, in high school. She couldn’t understand not having grandparents or aunts, uncles and cousins. He always managed to shrug off her curious interrogations with a disarming smile and a kiss.