His Sudden Bride (The Brides # 1) COMPLETED

Chapter Five, Part One

CHAPTER FIVE

Boston, Massachusetts

So far, as this visit was going, Edward was enjoying himself immensely. For one, Aunt Hestia had a way with his father. Never mind that Horace was the Duke of Wellington. To her, he was her annoying younger brother. She had a tendency to order him about ignoring the fact that he was a guest. Horace muttered and glared at her and privately wondered if Hestia wanted him to come to America to boss him around.

"I am such an idiot," said Horace one evening as he retired into the drawing room.

Edward cocked an eyebrow at his father. Reading the latest of Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer, an American classic that he absolutely adored, Edward hardly paid attention to a word his father was saying.

"Did you say something?" he asked Horace.

Horace glared at him, and sulked at he took another cup of his coffee. While Edward was reading, he heard doors opening and voices emerging, and the peace was gone when the study's door opened and Laura poked her had and entered.

Laura Young, the former youngest child of the family was no more than seventeen years of age. She looked very much like Hestia with her dark brown hair and dark hazel eyes. She was one of the three children to resemble her mother, the others being Madeleine and Theodore.

"There you are," she said in her American accent, "Mother has been looking for you."

"Has your father arrived?" Horace asked his niece.

Laura shook her head, her dark curls bouncing from side to side. "No," she replied, "Papa is not here. He telegrammed that he was to be late for dinner."

Horace sighed his disappointment and stood up. Placing his book down, Edward stood and followed them. When they joined the family table for supper, sitting on the chair beside Madeleine there was a girl, no less than twenty years of age, who looked by God, a girl, no less than eighteen years of age, who looked by God, exactly like his father. Edward turned to his father, and saw that his face was narrowed with suspicion

Horace's eyes narrowed when he saw the child. It was strange. The girl looked exactly like him and Edward. She had the appearance of a Wellesley. She had dark hazel eyes under her long dark lashes; her hair was a dark chocolate brown that tinted over black. Her skin was pale and ivory, and she wore a burgundy dress. The girl, who was talking to Madeleine laughed and said, "I don't think you have to worry, Maddie."

So who was she? Horace knew that in his short marriage to Charlotte that she had been unfaithful and had lovers. So could this child be the result of one of his former wife's liaisons.

"Who is she?" Edward whispered.

Horace shrugged, "I have got the faintest."

The girl then stood up and it was that that moment that Hestia chose to enter. She looked to see the girl, and smiled at her. She asked the girl, "Phoebe dear, how nice to see you. How is your father?"

The girl smiled sadly and shook her head, "Father is still bedridden. I'm praying that his health will improve."

"Dear havens," said Hestia, "I'll pray for him."

Phoebe thanked and turning to Madeleine, she said, "I best getting going. Mr. Crass is waiting for me."

Madeleine nodded.

She moved away and said her goodbyes, and a male voice from the hallway said, "This way, Miss Abernathy."

"Abernathy," Edward said. "Is she related to Watson Abernathy?"

Madeleine snapped her head in his direction and said, "You mean, you don't know?"

"What do I not know?"

"About the opening of Abernathy hotel in London? Apparently Mr. Abernathy and his partner, Mr. Kenner have decided to expand the Abernathy hotel branch to Britain."

"Abernathy hotel? You mean the Abernathy hotel? The one that the Prince of Wales and other members of the aristocracy stay on their trips to America?"

"The very one, and no, Phoebe isn't Mr. Watson Abernathy's daughter. She is his stepdaughter."

"Stepdaughter?" Horace asked.

"Yes," said Madeleine, in a matter of fact tone, "Her mother was pregnant with her when she married Mr. Abernathy. She doesn't know who her father is."

"So she is not your sister?"

"Phoebe?" Madeleine exclaimed. "I think of her like her a sister, but she is not my sister."

Edward pursued his lip. Phoebe Abernathy was mystery h e wanted to solve. It was rather strange that someone looked like the member of the Wellesley family and not be a member of it? There had to be answers