Little Lost Lord (The Shady Side of the Law Book 3) by Susan Varno

Author:Susan Varno [Varno, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing, LLC
Published: 2023-04-18T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

A Dead End?

Monday, May 14

Their trip to London consumed two more days with overnight stops at Northampton and Luton. As much as Jesse enjoyed travel, driving four horses in harness from a driver’s seat was uncomfortable. And he was separated from Lucy. She barely knew these people, yet she must make conversation. He admitted, he missed her.

At noon, they arrived in St. Albans. Jesse escorted Dame Pembroke to her castle door. Yes, she lived in a castle, a strange edifice, which included a wall and the depression of a former moat. This meant the two Willoughbys, all four Fitzhenrys, and Lucy Campbell must travel in one carriage. To relieve the crowded interior, Ben shared the driver’s seat with Jesse.

He enjoyed the lad’s company. They chatted about this and that. The boy was really a man now. He was cheerful and often whimsical.

They’d discussed all Jesse could think of when Ben asked, “Do you think my pa will come back from the United States?”

Jesse didn’t want to be responsible for his brother’s behavior, but his nephew deserved an answer. “He said he would. He has no reason to stay.”

“Then what?”

Jesse remembered Caleb’s promise when they’d celebrated at Rockhurst Hall. Should he repeat his words lest Caleb failed to carry it out? “Before he left, your father said he intends to move to London near where you, your mother, and your sister live. He will take employment, I can’t vouch for what, and provide for your family. He wants to see as much of his children as Beatrice will allow.”

Ben looked straight ahead. “You think he will?”

“He’s failed you in the past. I don’t know the details, but he abandoned his responsibilities in pursuit of easy money. I know he misses all of you.”

“Sometimes when he calls on us, Ma keeps him away.”

“She has that right.”

“When he visited with us the past few days,” Ben said, “I wanted to ask why he treated us like he did. Does he care about us? Is he really going to change his ways? But something always kept us from having time alone together.”

“You are entitled to answers.” Jesse said. “These last years, I haven’t seen much of my brother. I trust him, though I don’t like his choice of occupation. It’s too close to being illegal. I know he wasn’t around when your mother needed him.”

“My pa doesn’t know what he put her through. I don’t want to be angry. There’s no use trying to change the past. But . . .” The lad’s voice caught.

From a young age, Ben carried the burden of taking care of his mother and sister, the duties his father had shirked.

“You have the right attitude,” Jesse said. “Some of Caleb’s failings come from how we were raised. Our family history of dabbling in crime goes back generations. I escaped, so did my mother, and Ruth has married a future duke.” Jesse didn’t consider it a crime when his sister had masqueraded as a German princess. She’d taken the job to raise money to defend his life.

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