Chapter 50
DID YOU HAVE TO KNOCK HIM OUT AGAIN?” John complained. “His tale was just getting good.”
Sebastian didn’t reply.
“Should I wake him?” John asked.
“Go ahead, but if his jaw isn’t broken this time, I’ll just have to try again.”
John winced and left Giles where he was on the floor. “I know what you’re thinking,” John said after a moment. “He’s been happy all these years, married to the woman he loved, enjoying a son, while you’ve merely been amassing a fortune—”
“Do not trivialize the harm he’s done!” Sebastian cut in with a snarl. “I’m not the only one who was affected by what he and his father did.”
“He gave up the life he knew to save his father’s life,” John pointed out. “Some people might consider that noble.”
“Noble?” Sebastian snorted. “He pursued no other avenue of recourse. He went along with Cecil’s ridiculous plan, and the results were mind-boggling.
And all the while he assumes everything is just fine, that no one else lost a bloody thing, all because of his sacrifice.
By God, what sacrifice did he really make?
He’s gone on with his life and even found peace and joy in it. ”
Giles groaned, sat up, locked his gaze on Sebastian across the room. “Did you have to hit me again?”
“The other option was to cut your throat,” Sebastian said simply.
“Quite right,” Giles said with a wince. “But you know, if I had known of all these repercussions—”
“You would have done what? Shown up to prove you weren’t dead? I’ve news for you, friend. That wouldn’t have bridged the gap between my father and me. Your courage should have come before that duel, before you let your father tear so many lives apart.”
“God, Sebastian, I’m sorry. But the only alternative I saw at the time was to let my father die.
I couldn’t do that. I’m not proud of my part in this, and I’m ashamed that my father’s weakness has hurt so many people.
He’s safe now, but you know I’ll never forgive him for what he set in motion.
I really don’t care if I ever see him again. ”
“Just finish your story while I’m still willing to listen to it.”
Giles sighed. “There isn’t much more to tell.
The old woman died three years later, leaving me her farm.
I was accustomed to the life of a farmer by then, even enjoyed it, if you must know.
But I had begun to regret losing Eleanor, realized too late just how much I did love her.
She was never far from my thoughts. I finally contacted Eleanor.
I simply couldn’t help myself. She ran off to be with me. We were married in Scotland.”
“So that note from her cousin about her death was a lie?”
Giles turned away, said with a catch in his throat, “No—that was true. She wanted to stay in Scotland. She liked it there, didn’t take to the idea of being a farmer’s wife.
So we stayed with her cousin, but Harriet lived so bloody far from any towns!
Eleanor died in childbirth, before I could get back with a doctor.
I came back to the farm here with my son, have been here ever since.
Ironically, the farm isn’t too far south from here.
I was selling my crop in a town nearby when I first heard of The Raven quite a few years ago. ”
“Is that why you’re here? To hire The Raven?”
“Actually, if I’d known sooner that you were The Raven, I would have come to you sooner. And yes, I did think of hiring you, when I first heard about you. I was actually saving up for it. Didn’t think I could meet your price, though.”
“To do what?”
“To find you for me. I’ve wanted to make a clean breast of it for a long time now. Then when I saw you a few days ago in Le Havre and had it pointed out that you were him, well, that bowled me over, ’deed it did. And there you have it, all of it.”
“And eleven years too late.”
“But this will reinstate you with your father, won’t it?”
“I think it’s too late for that. The rift between me and my father is too deep now. But before I find out for sure, I need the inconsistencies cleared up first.”
“Such as?”
“Such as why Denton married your father’s accomplice and why she’s been making his life miserable ever since.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“Nothing, but I bloody well don’t like loose ends. And I’ll never get the answers from her. I’ve already tried that, just to hear lies.”
“I’ll leave in the morning,” John offered, “to find out what prison her brother is in. He appears to be our last—”
“Pierre Poussin is in prison?” Giles cut in.
Sebastian nodded. “According to Denton, Juliette arranged that. We’ll all leave in the morning.”
“We?” Giles asked.
“You don’t think I’m letting you out of my sight until this is over, do you? My last option still remains with you.”
“Which is?”
“Why, your death, of course. Having already paid the price for killing you, there isn’t much incentive for me not to kill you a second time, is there?”
“Bloody hell,” Giles mumbled. “I can think of one. Your namesake. My son.”
Sebastian threw the now empty brandy glass at Giles’s head. “You named your son after me?! Why?”
“For the obvious reason. You may not like the way this has played out any more than I, but I still consider you my best—”
“Don’t say it, don’t think it. If we are going to get through tomorrow without any bloodshed, don’t ever mention it again.”