“Yes, Finn decided to invite a few people to the house party and he’s one of them.” Drew stuck out a hand. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you. I suppose we could ask the good doctor if he’d consent to examine her while we’re here for confirmation.” Brand clasped his brother’s hand. “Nearly four months along now, I’d wager.” Then his world spun, and he released Drew. “Good God, a baby this summer. I should return to Ipswich and throw all my energies into the shipping outfit I’ve entered with my mates. Babies require care and feeding—”
“All in good time.” Finn snorted, and when Brand glanced at him, happiness mixed with a trace of jealousy and sadness in the blue depths of his eyes. “You can tarry here with us. Business can wait.” He offered a grin. “I’m glad for you. Both of you. It will be interesting to have babies in the family. I hope you two chaps catch up on your sleep now.”
Brand shared a look with Drew. “I hadn’t thought about that either.” Did that mean he’d fail as a father? He put a hand to his tightening chest. “I have to be a better parent than Father was with us. No teaching how to have a stiff upper lip or keep secrets that will harm the family.”
“Agreed.” Drew nodded. “We have to work at it, but Sarah says that doing so puts us on the right path already.” Then he flashed a grin. “Finn has some news as well.”
“Oh?” Brand glanced at his other brother. “Is your wife—”
“No. Nothing like that.” Finn waved a hand. Sadness flitted over his face once more, gone with his next blink. “We don’t know if such a thing will be possible. However, I’ve been accepted with a London publisher and will have a book out in shops sometime around the birth of Drew’s child.”
What the devil?“Since when are you a writer?” His brother had never shown such a proclivity before, though he had been the more sensitive of the three of them.
A wash of color infused Finn’s cheeks. “Since meeting Jane.”
“Ah.” Brand flicked his gaze to their wives, who’d taken themselves off to whisper among themselves while the remainder of the guests talked with boisterous animation. “I look forward to it, Finn.” Then he grinned. “It seems we’ve managed to turn our lives around.”
“We have indeed.” Drew’s chest swelled, not with anger this time, but with pride. “I think Father would have been happy for us.”
The excited chatter took Brand’s attention. “What’s going on here? Everyone is practically chomping at the bit as if there’s a game in the offing. Shouldn’t there be rich foods and enough punch that we all find ourselves near foxed before midnight?” A rumble ripped through his belly to add testament to the fact he hadn’t eaten since breakfast.
The Storme brothers laughed.
“I promise all of that, but we’re involved in a treasure hunt of sorts.”
Finn nodded. “Apparently, Father had left instructions and clues for us years ago in the hopes we would have mended fences with our cousins. Sadly, William only just discovered the introductory letters tonight.”
“Damnation,” Brand breathed. “So much wasted time.” But the thought of a game left him curious. “Who’s winning?”
Drew snorted. “We seem to be evenly matched.” He gestured with a hand toward a man and a young lady coming toward them. “Let me introduce you to Cousin William and Cousin Isobel.”
As soon as they were acquainted, Isobel—who was a fetching thing with mischief and scandal in her eyes—gave Brand a hug, which earned him a frown and narrowed eyes from his wife.
“I’m so glad for this chance to become reacquainted with you,” the young lady enthused. In her features he caught shades of his father. Oh, she’d be trouble for the Stormes, he’d wager. “I remember chasing you about the estate and playing pranks on our brothers.”
“Yes, well, I haven’t grown out of that. Ask my mates.” He shared a laugh with his cousin, and when he happened to look at Elizabeth, he nearly laughed out loud at the annoyance lining her face. Ah, she was a darling to show jealousy when there was no need. Didn’t she realize by now how much he loved her and only her? “Until I married Elizabeth, I was no stranger to scandal.”
“So I’ve heard through the rumor mill.” Isobel laughed, and she was probably the gayest of all the collection of people assembled in the hall. “Do you want to help in our treasure quest? We’ve only just found the most recent clue.” Her eyes twinkled, and he once more marveled that she wasn’t quite finished causing havoc for the family.
What does Drew think of her?
“I’d be delighted, but first, let me introduce my wife to the rest of the company, and I need to find Mother and greet her.”
Another few moments passed in laughter and excited conversation. He met Doctor Marsden with enthusiasm and a discreet promise to examine Elizabeth during a quieter moment on the morrow. Then there was another red-haired man, who was yet another brother to Finn’s petite, beautiful wife. He’d lost an arm in a campaign against Napoleon, and immediately they fell to discussing the war and swapping stories before Drew ordered him to the drawing room.
“I’d rather like to get on with the treasure hunt and this interlude is delaying things,” he said and for a moment had returned to the pompous brother Brand remembered.
A murmur of agreement went through the guests. Obviously, they’d been at the business of solving the riddles for some time.
Ah, but it was lovely to have people and life filling Hadleigh Hall again. “Hullo, Mother,” Brand said upon arriving in the drawing room where a cheerful fire blazed. A sleek blue-gray cat lounged upon one of the chairs. He pulled Elizabeth into the room behind him while the rest of the house party awaited them near the stairs. “You remember Lizzy?”
“Of course.” His mother—the unfailing rock of the Storme family—sprang up from her sofa. A bit of handiwork tumbled to the Aubusson carpet, and he raised an eyebrow, for it was a baby’s gown. “How wonderful to see you both again.” She hugged them in turn. “I assume Andrew has caught you up on what’s happening?”
“Oh, yes.” He bussed his mother’s cheek and then couldn’t resist whispering into her ear. “Elizabeth is increasing, Mother. Expect a June baby if all goes well.”
“This is beyond wonderful!” She hugged him again and then took Elizabeth by the hand and lead her to the sofa she’d just vacated. “Tell me everything. How are you feeling?”