Reese's Bride

“What do you mean?”

“Perhaps you came here to resume your relationship with Reese. Do you intend to lure my nephew back into your clutches?”

“No! I came here because I was desperate. I knew my son was in danger. My family is all gone. Reese was the only person I could trust.”

“Because he is Jared’s father?”

“Because he is a man of honor and strength and I believed he would not turn us away.”

The countess seemed to weigh Elizabeth’s words. “When will you tell him?”

Elizabeth stared off into the distance. She had no idea how to tell Reese a secret so profound. A secret that would turn his dislike of her to hate.

“I need time. I don’t know what he’ll do. I don’t know what will happen to my son once Reese knows the truth.” Tears collected in her eyes. “Jared is already so withdrawn. He is too young yet to understand his true parentage. I’m afraid if the information is handled wrong, it could destroy him completely.”

The dowager said nothing for the longest time. “The boy’s well-being is the most important concern. This wasn’t my business until you came here. Now it is. I’ll give you the time you need. I’ll give you a chance to figure out the best way to handle the matter, but I won’t let you deceive Reese forever.”

Her stomach tightened. She couldn’t imagine the enmity Reese would feel once she told him the truth.

A lump rose in Elizabeth’s throat. “In my heart I knew when I saw them together that sooner or later I would have to tell him. I give you my word that I will. Until then, you have my heartfelt gratitude for giving me the time I need to try to make this right.”

The old woman rose shakily from the bench. “As I said, for now, you may do as you wish. But I warn you, do not test my patience too long.” Leaning heavily on her cane, Lady Tavistock made her way along the gravel path, up the brick steps and across the terrace. She disappeared inside the house and Elizabeth sank back down on the bench.

For now she had the old woman’s cooperation. But dear God, how long would it last?

And how could she explain to a little boy that she had lied to him about the man who was his father?

Eight

Wearing only a white lawn shirt and a pair of riding breeches, Reese sat on a wooden bench in the stable, working his injured leg. He and Timothy Daniels had begun to follow the same routine daily.

“Pull harder,” Reese said, ignoring the sharp pain that traveled up his calf and along his thigh. He needed to stretch the stiff muscles, find a way to make them limber and useful again. “Now the other way.”

Timothy pulled and Reese gritted his teeth at the agony screaming up his leg. He could do this, by God. He would learn to walk without his damnable cane. In time, perhaps he would even be able to ride again.

“Harder, dammit. You’re as strong as a bull. Put that strength to use.”

Timothy looked dubiously at the sweat popping out on Reese’s forehead, but he was a soldier and a soldier followed his superior’s commands. “Aye, Major.”

Reese caught hold of the wooden contraption they had constructed above the bench and Timothy threw his weight against the leg.

Pain shot through him. “Keep going.”

Timothy kept pulling until something made a popping sound and Reese hissed in pain. “Dammit!”

Timothy hovered worriedly above him. “How bad is it, Major? What did I do?”

“You did exactly what I told you to do, nothing more.” Very slowly, he forced his knee to bend, which hurt like the very devil. “I’ll be all right. But I think we’ve done enough for today.”

“Yes, sir.”

“That’ll be all, Tim.”

“Maybe I’d better stay and help you back to the—”

“I said that would be all, Corporal Daniels.”

“Aye, sir.” Timothy snapped to attention, turned and left the barn. Reese caught the glint of the young man’s red hair as he passed in front of the window on his way back to the house.

That was when he spotted the boy.

“Jared,” Reese growled, his leg still throbbing. “I thought you were inside with your mother.”

The boy stood frozen, terrified that he had been caught in the barn. Reese frowned. The boy’s shyness went far beyond normal. He couldn’t help wondering what had happened to make him the way he was.

“It’s all right,” he said more gently, pulling his riding boots back on. “My leg is hurting, is all. Makes me grumpy as a bear.”

The boy said nothing, just stood there transfixed, as if he wanted to turn and run but was afraid of what would happen if he did.

“You pet the mare today?”

Jared started shaking his head. “No, sir, I—I didn’t touch her. I swear.”

“It’s all right. You can pet her anytime you want. As long as you don’t go into the stall, you’ll be perfectly safe.”

Jared didn’t move.

“Why don’t you go on over there and give her this?” Reese pulled a lump of sugar out of the pocket of his riding breeches. “Just put it in the flat of your hand and hold it out to her. Come on, I’ll show you.”

Jared inched forward until he came up beside Reese. The two of them made their way to the stall where the mare stood watching.

“Hold out your hand,” Reese said. Jared didn’t hesitate. Clearly he wasn’t afraid of horses, only men.

Reese set the lump of sugar in the middle of the child’s small palm, then lifted him up so that he could feed the sugar to the mare.

She took it with a soft nicker that made the boy grin. “She likes it!”

“Yes, she does,” Reese said gruffly, setting the child back on his feet. He could still feel the imprint of the boy’s small body against his chest, smell the clean soapy fragrance of his hair. There was a time he had yearned for children of his own. Holding the boy stirred all those forgotten emotions.

Silently, he damned Elizabeth to hell for returning to his life and bringing her young son with her.

“Does your mother know you’re out here?” he asked, focusing once more on the boy.

Jared shook his head.

“Then I think you had better go back in.”

Jared just nodded. Turning, the little boy dashed out of the barn and ran like fire all the way back to the manor.

Reese watched him until he disappeared. He looked up at the sound of Timothy’s voice.

“Sorry to bother you, Major, but Mr. Hopkins said to fetch you. He said to tell you your brother and his wife have arrived.”

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