Daisy’s heart swelled. She seemed to have her old brother back. The one she trusted, who always had her welfare at heart and who made her feel safe. She had missed him dreadfully when he had distanced himself from her.
James was waiting for them in a small drawing room overlooking the park. The morning room, his butler called it. Daisy was relieved that there was no sign of Joseph. James appeared to have grown in stature overnight. The butler addressed him as ‘my lord’ and his expression was grave. Abel Shipton waited until the ladies were seated. The gentlemen chose to remain standing.
‘My lord,’ Abel began, ‘you were correct in your assumption that I knew your mother. I had planned to enlighten all concerned last evening, but events for which we are deeply sorry overtook me. I must not keep silent any longer and I sincerely hope that what I have to say will not cause prolonged distress. I have been anxious to be relieved from the burden
of my knowledge and yesterday at the folly my anxiety escalated.’
He paused to exchange a querying glance at the assembled party.
‘Your information concerns my mother?’ James prompted.
‘And Miss Higgins.’
Daisy wished she was sitting next to Boyd on the couch instead of Mrs Stanton. Nonetheless she reached across her full skirts and took hold of the older woman’s hand resting on her lap. Mrs Stanton gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze.
James responded, ‘I understand why Stanton might wish to separate us. But you, sir, have no such allegiance.’
Mr Stanton went to stand beside James as though he were his protector. Daisy could not see Boyd. He had moved to the rear of the chamber.
‘I have, my lord,’ Abel replied. ‘I have made a promise to your mother. She is well and resides at High Fell Farm.’
‘You are acquainted with my mother? She is not mad?’ James was visibly shaken and took the chair offered by Mr Stanton.
‘She has been very ill, so ill that for a time all hope of a normal life was lost. But she has received the best medical attention and is blessed with a sound constitution.’
‘My father did not speak of a physician for her.’
‘No, sir.’ Abel hesitated. ‘I believe he did not know of her treatment for he never visited.’
James turned to his steward. ‘Stanton, did you know of this?’
‘I did not, sir.’
‘You must have! My father did not ask me to pay for her physician and who else would foot the bills?’
‘High Fell Farm has income, my Lord,’ Abel answered. ‘The land is leased to Fellwick Hall.’
‘But you have said the farm is yours,’ James stated and demanded, ‘Who are you, sir, and what are you to my mother?’
Daisy noticed that, underneath his beard, Abel’s features were pale and strained. She knew him from his acquaintance with the Farrows and at the hunt as a man who was self-assured in all levels of company. But he was finding this interview difficult and his response was sharp.
‘I am her friend, my lord, and nothing more. Without any support from your father, the restoration of your mother’s strength has been a long and painful process.’
‘Guard your words, sir. My father is not yet buried.’
Abel closed his eyes briefly. ‘Please accept my apologies, your lordship. I wish only to emphasise your mother’s resilience. She is recovering well and I believe she will benefit all the more by seeing you, my lord. Indeed, I promised that I would find you for her.’
‘And so you have. I shall bring her here. We have a Dower House empty and waiting.’
‘She may not wish for that, sir. You must give her time to adjust.’ Abel inhaled deeply. ‘Were you aware, from your late father, that you had a sister, my lord?’
‘A sister? No, I have no sister.’
‘You have, sir.’
‘Then I do not know about her. Does she live with my mother?’
Unusually, Daisy thought, Abel was at a loss for words. She was beginning to feel very uneasy about sitting here listening to an exposure of the Redfern’s private lives and wished again that Boyd was next to her instead of hovering somewhere at the back of the chamber.
‘Your mother was obliged to give her up when she was born.’
James began to frown. ‘There are not many reasons for that. Was she sickly or was she—’ The furrows on his brow deepened. ‘Dear God, no! Is that why father would not have her in his house? She took a lover.’ He stood up and stepped towards Abel. ‘So that is your interest in Redfern Abbey. You are saying that my sister – my half-sister, that is – is –’
James could barely say the words but Daisy knew what he meant. She stared at Abel and finished James’s sentence in a whisper. ‘Yours?’
‘No, ma’am, I am not. My lord, I am most definitely not saying that.’ It was the first time Abel had raised his voice. ‘But your father believed she was my child and would not be persuaded otherwise.’
‘You will have the grace to answer me truthfully, sir! Was he correct?’ James retaliated.
Abel looked angry and took a moment to compose himself. Daisy wondered warily who James’s sister might be and if Abel wasn’t her father, why he appeared to be so involved with her.
Abel continued. ‘It has taken me a long time to trace your sister. The Reverend Milo was instrumental in placing her as a newborn and if you do not believe me he will verify my searches.’ He reached for a pocket inside his coat and withdrew a letter. ‘This is a sworn statement of his actions at the time.’
Stanton came forward to take the folded paper and moved to the window to read it.
‘So where is she, this half-sister of mine?’ James insisted.
The silence in the room lengthened and grew heavy. Stanton appeared satisfied with the contents of the letter but his wife had not lessened her grip on Daisy’s hand and was as curious as she to know the answer to James’s question. ‘Well, sir?’ James pressed.
Abel took a breath and said, ‘She is not your half-sister, my lord. She is your full blood sister.’
‘You must be mistaken. Father never spoke of her.’
‘He did not believe the truth when it was presented to him! The truth is—’ Abel inhaled again. ‘The truth is that Miss Higgins is your sister.’
‘No, Mr Shipton! I cannot be!’ The strangled cry of disbelief came from Daisy. ‘You are incorrect, sir!’
Abel turned to her. ‘Why do you say that, ma’am?’
‘I cannot be James’s sister. It is not possible for we are the same age.’
James added to this denial. ‘That much is true. Daisy was born in the same year as I,
in the same month, even
. We cannot be brother and sister.’
‘My lord, please sit down and calm yourself.’ Mr Stanton gave his shoulder a gentle push and James retreated to his chair.
‘You are, my lord,’ Abel insisted. ‘I have collected papers and affidavits that prove it; that the Reverend Milo has read and verified. Miss Higgins is your twin, sir. By some fate of nature she was born more than a week later than you and – and that caused the doubt in your father’s mind.’
Daisy was stunned. She gazed at James whose face was distorted with distress. Her instinct was to rush across the room to him and she started to rise but Mrs Stanton kept a firm hold on her hand and tugged her back saying, ‘Stay where you are, Daisy.’
‘But we love each other,’ she anguished.
James gazed at her with an unspoken agony in his eyes. ‘It’s true,’ he murmured. ‘I love her.’
Mr Stanton broke in. ‘I believe you do, my lord. I noticed that there was an attraction between you from the very first day I saw you together and I remember my unease.’
‘Then you knew about her? You knew she was my sister?’ James cried.
‘Never! My concern was due to the difference in status alone.’
James covered his face with his hands and croaked, ‘I feel ill.’
As Daisy realised what they were on the point of doing last night, she felt a nausea rise in her throat and choked, ‘James is my
brother?
’ A turmoil of emotion swirled around her. She had fallen in love with her own
brother.
‘I want –
wanted –
him,’ she whispered.
A glass of water appeared in front of her. ‘You didn’t know.’ Mrs Stanton was speaking softly. ‘How could you? You are not to blame and neither is his lordship.’
‘I love him. I do,’ Daisy whispered.
‘Of course you love him. He is your brother,’ Mrs Stanton continued. ‘Had you been brought up as brother and sister you would love each other just as much, but in a different way.’ She exchanged a glance with her husband who appeared as shocked as she and went on quickly, ‘We have found out in time and we must thank God for his mercy.’
Daisy gulped at the water, spluttering it over her gown. She could have – they could have – Her stomach churned and she swallowed to quell the acid in her throat. Dear Lord, if this was true Abel had found her only minutes before – before – A horrified shudder ran down her back. Abel had not known of her secret liaisons with James and, surely, he had not suspected it? So why had he come to Redfern Village in search of her? What was she to him?
‘Daisy?’ James whispered. He was distraught. Daisy tried to get up to go and comfort him but Mrs Stanton restrained her. He cleared his throat and addressed Abel. ‘You did not
answer my question, sir. Was my father correct about your relationship with my mother?’
Daisy held her breath as she waited for his reply. Was it possible that Abel was her father? Certainly he had always behaved in a civil manner towards her. He seemed to be a good man and she would, she realised, welcome him as a parent. She watched his face contort as he wrestled with his answer and could bear it no longer. ‘Are you my father, sir?’ she cried.
‘I wish I were.’ It took him a few moments to compose himself. ‘It would be so easy for me to say that I could be and I should like nothing more than to claim you as my daughter. But it would be a lie and it would defame your mother’s reputation. She was a faithful wife to Edgar Collins and he is – was – your father.’
The small drawing room fell silent again as this devastating revelation was absorbed. Finally James stood up and announced, ‘I shall visit my mother immediately. Mr Shipton, is she well enough to see me?’
‘I believe she will be greatly improved when she is reunited with you and your sister, my lord.’
Mr Stanton too sprang into action. ‘I shall have a carriage and four ready after luncheon.’
But James was impatient. ‘A carriage will take too long. I should prefer to ride and arrive before nightfall. Will you be my guide, Mr Shipton?’
‘Of course, my lord.’
Daisy looked around for Boyd. His face was impassive as though he had no reactions to this devastating news. But she knew her Boyd. He had stifled his feelings for the present to deal with at another time. She must speak with him soon and asked, ‘Boyd, will you come with me in the carriage?’
Mrs Stanton answered, ‘My husband and I shall travel with you. There will be an overnight stop at an inn, my lady.’
‘My lady?’ she repeated in a whisper.
‘Yes, my lady. We shall take footmen to attend to your comforts on the journey.’
Her husband added, ‘Boyd has duties in the stables, my lady.’
Daisy appealed directly to Boyd who had moved closer to the couch. ‘Please come with me.’
Abel interceded to support her. ‘Boyd has been a part Lady Daisy’s life as Miss Higgins. She cannot sever all ties immediately.’
‘Or ever, ma’am!’ Daisy protested. ‘Nor should I wish to.’ She appealed to Mr Stanton. ‘The stables can spare him, surely?’
‘If that is your wish, my lady.’
‘It is.’
‘Then it is settled,’ James stated. ‘We have much to prepare.’
Boyd spoke directly to James. ‘I’ll take one of the hunters if I may, sir, and ride with the carriage.’
Daisy recognised a firm tone in Boyd’s request. A nod and wave of James’s hand was enough to silence the Stantons. She believed that Boyd would have taken the horse anyway with or without permission. He would not have let her travel without
his
protection. She was lucky to have such a brother. Except that, dear heaven, if she was James’s sister she could not be Boyd’s sister too, could she? Maybe she was his half-sister? That didn’t make sense either, for he would be half-brother to James and, surely, Abel would have told them that too? Daisy’s confusion returned. If James was a full brother to her, then Boyd – Boyd couldn’t be.
Boyd had said little during Abel’s speech and had
returned to the grave, distanced man she was becoming accustomed to, until this morning when he had supported and cheered her during the walk to the Abbey. She drew him aside as the others discussed the journey.
‘Are you not happy with this news,’ she asked. ‘You seemed more cheerful earlier.’
‘Abel had given me reason to be. He had told me that neither of us was a true child of the parents who had raised us. That alone cheered me as they were such awful people. I asked him about you but he would not be drawn except to say that you were not my true sister.’
‘And that gave you joy?’
Boyd took a breath and opened his mouth to speak but no words came out.
‘Well, your joy has certainly disappeared now. You are frowning at me,’ Daisy commented.
‘I don’t mean to, but I fear our lives will be so very different now that you are a lady.’
Daisy was astounded. ‘Abel said it and I echo it now. We cannot ignore our past. You will continue to be a part of my life, and I a part of yours.’
‘That may not be possible.’
‘Boyd, you are talking nonsense. Nothing will change.’
‘Don’t be naive, Daisy. Of course your life will change. You are the sister of a lord and I am a stable hand.’
‘Now you are being ridiculous.’
She would have carried on the argument with him if Mrs Stanton had not tugged insistently on her arm, urging her to return to her home and prepare for the journey. She glanced longingly and ruefully at James in conversation with Abel and as she did James moved away. ‘I should like to speak with Daisy before I leave.’
His steward replied, ‘Come, gentlemen, we shall make ready the horses. My wife will chaperone her ladyship.’ He gave a formal bow, added, ‘My lord,’ and left the room.
Abel and Boyd followed, leaving Daisy with James and Mrs Stanton who went to stand by the window. James held out his hands uncertainly but Daisy stood still and shook her head. She dared not even touch him until her head was clearer about her feelings for him and – and for Boyd.