lock of onyx hair away from his eye.
Emma raced towards Eve. “Annie,” she exclaimed.
“Hello, sweet girl,” Eve scooped the little one into her arms and kissed her cheek.
She studied Colin, who had risen and now stood as if rooted in the lush green grass. The rose remained behind his ear, but it was lopsided from playing with his niece.
“My, don’t you look fashionable,” Eve teased, winking at him.
Colin narrowed his eyes as if he were trying to understand her meaning. Eve gave him a hint by motioning to his ear.
“Oh!” Colin plucked the rose, tracing it with his thumb as he responded. “A very special young lady gave this to me.”
His expression grew animated once more as he bridged the gap between them. He touched the tip of Emma’s nose with the petals then offered it to her.
“No,” she gently pushed the rose away while squirming to get down. Eve released the little girl who skipped to the honeysuckle bush, plucking the fragrant flowers and arranging them into a bouquet before rambling back to the main house.
“You are wonderful with her,” Eve told him as she studied the little girl. “It is evident that she loves you a great deal.”
From the corner of her eye, Eve noticed Colin nod.
“She loves you as well, Annie, ” he stressed his final word as if to reveal that he was aware Emma considered Eve to be her aunt but couldn’t quite articulate it yet.
Eve didn’t know why hearing Colin repeat that innocent little word made her stomach churn. For some inexplicable reason, she felt an urgent need to explain.
“The twins have known me as such for their entire lives,” Eve paused before adding, “long before Tristan and I became betrothed. Grandmamma and Sebastian’s mother were close friends. The duke and his family have always been extended family.”
Colin couldn’t help but smile at Eve’s remark. His chest had constricted when Emma attempted to call her Auntie . It reminded him that Eve was betrothed to his brother. It also reminded him that Eve would already be the little girl’s aunt if Colin hadn’t postponed his own betrothal to her.
Touching his chest, he could feel the outline of a folded note in his vest pocket, one of many from his sister over the years. Though no longer crisp and scented, the creased paper possessed the same allure as when he first received it. That’s why he kept it with him at all times, why he had long since memorized the words:
We know why you left, and the truth makes no difference to us. You are our brother, Colin, and we love you.
Please come home.
Gwen
How many times had he folded and unfolded his sister’s letters? Each conveyed the same message – one of a sister’s love and acceptance. Her heartfelt missives were quite convincing. So much so that they caused him to hope that he could reclaim his former life though, in spite of his sister’s declarations of love and understanding, Gwen knew only a mere portion of the truth.
Much had changed since Lachlan MacAlistair announced to his eldest son that he wasn’t his father by blood. Would his sister accept Colin if she ever discovered the unspeakable deeds her eldest brother had committed since learning the truth that redefined his life so many years ago?
No, he was certain that not even his sister could forgive such a man though even if she did, Colin knew his heart well enough to realize that his sister’s acceptance wasn’t that which he sought.
Ever since Colin had learned that Lachlan MacAlistair didn’t sire him and that he was instead the illegitimate son of a man of nobility, his only concern had been for the woman that he loved.
Eve Weston – the Viscount of Haversham’s daughter.
If not for Eve, Colin would have never fled in the first place as he cared little about the opinions of the haut ton . In his experience, most were nothing more than hypocritical, judging themselves and others based only upon social standing and wealth.
Emma raced towards Eve. “Annie,” she exclaimed.
“Hello, sweet girl,” Eve scooped the little one into her arms and kissed her cheek.
She studied Colin, who had risen and now stood as if rooted in the lush green grass. The rose remained behind his ear, but it was lopsided from playing with his niece.
“My, don’t you look fashionable,” Eve teased, winking at him.
Colin narrowed his eyes as if he were trying to understand her meaning. Eve gave him a hint by motioning to his ear.
“Oh!” Colin plucked the rose, tracing it with his thumb as he responded. “A very special young lady gave this to me.”
His expression grew animated once more as he bridged the gap between them. He touched the tip of Emma’s nose with the petals then offered it to her.
“No,” she gently pushed the rose away while squirming to get down. Eve released the little girl who skipped to the honeysuckle bush, plucking the fragrant flowers and arranging them into a bouquet before rambling back to the main house.
“You are wonderful with her,” Eve told him as she studied the little girl. “It is evident that she loves you a great deal.”
From the corner of her eye, Eve noticed Colin nod.
“She loves you as well, Annie, ” he stressed his final word as if to reveal that he was aware Emma considered Eve to be her aunt but couldn’t quite articulate it yet.
Eve didn’t know why hearing Colin repeat that innocent little word made her stomach churn. For some inexplicable reason, she felt an urgent need to explain.
“The twins have known me as such for their entire lives,” Eve paused before adding, “long before Tristan and I became betrothed. Grandmamma and Sebastian’s mother were close friends. The duke and his family have always been extended family.”
Colin couldn’t help but smile at Eve’s remark. His chest had constricted when Emma attempted to call her Auntie . It reminded him that Eve was betrothed to his brother. It also reminded him that Eve would already be the little girl’s aunt if Colin hadn’t postponed his own betrothal to her.
Touching his chest, he could feel the outline of a folded note in his vest pocket, one of many from his sister over the years. Though no longer crisp and scented, the creased paper possessed the same allure as when he first received it. That’s why he kept it with him at all times, why he had long since memorized the words:
We know why you left, and the truth makes no difference to us. You are our brother, Colin, and we love you.
Please come home.
Gwen
How many times had he folded and unfolded his sister’s letters? Each conveyed the same message – one of a sister’s love and acceptance. Her heartfelt missives were quite convincing. So much so that they caused him to hope that he could reclaim his former life though, in spite of his sister’s declarations of love and understanding, Gwen knew only a mere portion of the truth.
Much had changed since Lachlan MacAlistair announced to his eldest son that he wasn’t his father by blood. Would his sister accept Colin if she ever discovered the unspeakable deeds her eldest brother had committed since learning the truth that redefined his life so many years ago?
No, he was certain that not even his sister could forgive such a man though even if she did, Colin knew his heart well enough to realize that his sister’s acceptance wasn’t that which he sought.
Ever since Colin had learned that Lachlan MacAlistair didn’t sire him and that he was instead the illegitimate son of a man of nobility, his only concern had been for the woman that he loved.
Eve Weston – the Viscount of Haversham’s daughter.
If not for Eve, Colin would have never fled in the first place as he cared little about the opinions of the haut ton . In his experience, most were nothing more than hypocritical, judging themselves and others based only upon social standing and wealth.
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