Beauty Tempts the Beast (Sins for All Seasons #6) - Lorraine Heath Page 0,135

as his father’s heart broke. So he hadn’t been at all surprised when his father had passed away quietly in his sleep not more than six weeks later. His parents’ love was such that it bound them not only in life but also in death.

His chest swelling with love and pride at the sight of his firstborn son cradling within his arms his recently arrived firstborn son, Beast did wish his parents had lived long enough to see that the Campbell line was secure for at least two more generations. They’d met his son but not his grandson.

“I donnae know how she does it, arranging everyone and keeping them in place,” Beast said. These days he sounded more Scottish than English.

“By terrorizing my grandchildren,” Aiden said.

“I see nothing wrong with that. They’re terrors, your grandchildren.”

“They are not. They’re little angels. Every last one of them.”

With a soft laugh, Gillie shook her head. “Can you believe there are so many of us now?”

Not all their children had married, but those who had were quick to fill cradles.

“Does anyone have an accurate count?” Finn asked.

“Don’t see the point,” Mick said. “By the time you get your tally, someone either gets married or has a babe.”

“Mum looks like she’s in heaven,” Fancy said, “with all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren surrounding her. She has such a lovely blush in her cheeks.”

Thea had placed her in a white brocade winged-back chair, the newest babe in her arms, the other wee ones gathered at her feet, the older ones standing behind her.

“I’m not certain it’s the children causing the blush,” Gillie mused. “I think it might be Mick’s gardener. Of late, I’ve gone to see her a few mornings, quite early, and he’s there having a cuppa.”

Years ago, when Mick had built himself a manor on land just outside London, he’d also built a lovely cottage for their mum so she could still have her independence but be near. Beast and his siblings contributed toward the upkeep, the servants, and anything else she required. It was going to be a blow when the day came that she was no longer with them.

“Gil, she has nine decades on her,” Beast reminded his sister.

“And you have seven. Are you telling me you’ve become a monk?”

“Well, no, but . . .” He glared at Mick. “He a good man, your gardener?”

Mick shrugged. “Apparently so if he’s putting a blush in Mum’s cheeks.”

“How long has this been going on?” Finn asked.

Mick sighed. “Years?”

“You bloody well knew and didn’t tell us?” Aiden asked, his tone incensed.

“I suspected. He spends more time in her garden than he does in mine, and mine is ten times the size of hers.”

“She’s not alone or lonely. She has someone.” Fancy smiled brightly. “I think it’s wonderful.”

“Because you’ve always fancied romantic stories,” Aiden said. “When I get back to London, I’ll be having a word with the bloke.”

“No, you won’t,” Mick said.

“I’m not going to have him taking advantage of my mum.”

“Aiden, when I said years . . . I’m talking possibly twenty-five.”

“That long,” Gillie said. “I wonder why she didn’t tell us.”

“You know, Mum. She has her secrets.”

“Maybe she likes feeling a little bit naughty,” Beast said. “But perhaps it wouldn’t be unwarranted for us to let her know that we’d welcome him into the fold.”

That suggestion was met with a series of serious nods. He glanced over at Robin. He’d been right about the lad’s height. When he was finally done growing, he was only an inch or so shorter than Beast. “You’ve been unusually quiet.”

The lad shrugged his slender shoulders, although he wasn’t much of a lad any longer. He’d traveled the world capturing animals with his camera. He’d been twelve when he’d told Thorne he thought they should start leaving the animals in their original homes. “I’m just surprised so many of you didn’t know about Gran and the gardener.”

“You knew?” Aiden asked.

Robin grinned broadly. “Asked him some years back if he’d kissed her, and he admitted to doing so.”

Soft laughter sounded among them.

“You ask that question of everyone?” Aiden asked.

Robin wiggled his eyebrows. “Want to know who your younger son is kissing these days?”

Beast could see that Aiden was tempted to ask, but instead he simply shoved playfully on the young man’s shoulder. “Maybe you should focus on kissing your wife.”

“I kiss Angela more than enough, thank you very much.” Few knew that Angela was Finn’s daughter, taken without his knowledge and raised by another couple. They’d all felt a bit