“I didn’t get a letter until September. I’ve been in Italy and before that in the Ottoman.”
Henry sighed and let go of him. “Everything got bungled. It was just supposed to be for a few weeks. I left for France, assumed a pseudonym, and paid off one of the clerks at Knightsbridge and Co. to keep me abreast of when Rivenhall’s heir arrived.” Henry tugged on his too-long hair. “Julien was supposed to get his letter and be inspired to pursue his dream to get on the boat to South America. I planned to be on it and surprise him. I knew Olivia would be upset, but she is still young; she would be free to find true happiness with someone. This was to give us all a chance for happiness.”
“Upset? She is devastated. They both are. You should know better than anyone that Livvy loves deeply.” Max stared at Henry, taking in his long hair and beard, the rough brown wool trousers and jacket he wore. He looked nothing like his childhood best friend. But he was real, and he was alive. Max closed the distance between them and wrapped his cousin in a hug. “God, I’m so happy to see you alive, you fucking bastard.”
Henry returned his hug before pulling back to grasp Max by the shoulders. “How is it you have gotten better looking as the years wear on? It’s not fair to the rest of us.”
“Damn it Henry, don’t try to charm me. I’m so angry with you. How are you here haunting me in this damn garden?”
“I followed you from the house.” Henry shrugged. “I’ve been looking for the opportunity to get you alone.”
“The house? Aren’t you afraid of being seen by someone?”
“I know every nook and cranny of the Hall, every secret passageway. It’s not so hard to sneak around. Besides, I need to eat.”
“What? Have you been living in the walls?”
“No, I arrived in England shortly before you. I have been hiding at the land steward’s house. It’s been empty for years. It’s far enough from the village that no one ever passes by and sees the smoke from the chimney.”
“Wait, were you there the day of the snowstorm?” Shit, had he been party to their tryst?
Henry shook his head. “No, I was at Belhaven, it was Christmas Day, and I just wanted to be close to him. I spent the afternoon hidden in the passage that goes from the library to the drawing room. Your family played cards all afternoon. Your sister is quite talented at the pianoforte. They sang carols and laughed. Julien looked happy. He never joined us for the holidays before.”
Max pursed his lips. This was by far the strangest fucking conversation he had ever had. “Henry, why have you shown yourself now? Why me?”
“Max, I’m sorry about the letter. I wrote it a year ago, and I was still angry with you for deserting us. I wanted to hurt you.” He stared off across the frozen landscape for a minute. “Olivia wasn’t the only one that you left behind. Besides, that was before I found all the letters.”
“What letters?”
“I found all the letters you sent Olivia and the ones she’d written to you all together under a loose floorboard in the master bedroom at the cottage. I tripped over the edge of the board one morning. The bastard must have intercepted all the mail. He wanted her to marry that ancient baron, you know. He was going to force her,” Henry growled.
Her father had intercepted their letters. Of course.Goddamnit.Max turned and walked to the edge of the garden. He gripped the bars of the fence and shook them taking out all his pent-up frustration and anger on the cold metal posts. Then he leaned his forehead against it. So much wasted time, so much unnecessary heartache.
“Max, I need you to bring Julien to me at the cottage. I need to see him and explain before he goes back to London. It’s been too long to just surprise him on the fucking boat. He would throw me overboard now. Can you help me?”
Max watched a gaggle of geese waddle across the field. “You have to tell her, too.” His throat felt raw with emotion.
“What? No. Why tell her? You said it yourself, this is your chance for a new beginning.”
Max turned to face his cousin. “I can’t keep a secret like this from her. You ask too much.” He beat his fist against his chest. “I promise to bring Julien and her to the cottage tomorrow. But you have to promise to accept the consequences of your actions whatever the two of them decide.”
“You’ll give up being Rivenhall so easily? You’ll go back to your life of crime? Oh yes, I know all about that. Do you really want to let your family down like that?” Henry’s expression was defiant, but his eyes shone with fear.
Max voiced his own fear. “If he doesn’t forgive you, what will you do? Come back from the dead, take back the mantle?”
“I don’t know.” Henry’s voice cracked. “Do you think they will forgive me?”
Max put his hand on Henry’s shoulder. “I guess we will find out tomorrow. I will bring them in the afternoon.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Olivia banged theknocker on Sophia’s cheerful yellow front door. She chewed her bottom lip as she waited.
Sophia answered the door moments later. “Olivia, what a surprise. Please come in.”
“I’m sorry, it’s unforgivably rude to show up at your door without notice.” Olivia stepped inside the cozy house. The pretty two-story cottage was not too large for one woman but not too small if Sophia wanted to have guests come and stay. Not that Olivia had ever known her to have house guests.
“Nonsense. My door is always open for my friends. Come, I’ll have Mrs. Kelly make us some tea.”