Julius's Passion (Regency Club Venus #4) - Carole Mortimer Page 0,17

sun.” His expression darkened. “Even my uncle fell victim to it. He had always been a frequent visitor here, but those visits occurred more often after Bethany was born.”

“I believe you spent several months as his ward before meeting your demise?”

“Months when the man used to beat me within an inch of my life for the least infringement in my behavior,” James stated flatly. “But never where he could be heard doing so or leave evidence on any visible part of my body. Oh no, to the rest of the world, he was the epitome of the benevolent guardian taking care of his newly orphaned niece and nephew. He was an utter bastard to me but I never had reason to doubt, not for a single moment, how much he cherished and loved Bethany.”

Julius still found it odd that Metford could feel such affection for his niece and yet such dislike for his nephew. Admittedly James was the new Earl of Ipswich, which, as he was only aged sixteen, must have rankled with his much older uncle, but even so—

Dear God…

Was it possible? Could Julius’s feelings of unease at the nature of the Metford’s indulgent affection toward his niece be because Metford wasn’t her uncle at all, but her father? That his affection for her was paternal rather than familial?

Metford had never married, but had seemed to prefer to inflict himself on his brother’s family instead.

There was that seven years difference in age between James and Bethany.

James spoke of an estrangement between the earl and countess during those years, because she had not conceived the second child she had so wished for.

And the unmarried Adrian Metford had visited Ipswich Park more often after Bethany’s birth.

Was it possible Bethany was the daughter of Adrian Metford and not the previous earl?

To an outsider, which Julius was, it certainly seemed possible.

Julius glanced at James, relieved to see the younger man was staring broodingly out the window rather than looking at him. Julius needed to be more certain of his facts before he broached such a sensitive subject with James. He could be completely wrong in his surmising.

Quite how he was to go about proving his theory was a problem Julius needed to solve on his own before speaking to anyone else on the subject.

Making a surreptitious search of Metford’s study seemed a good place to look for any incriminating evidence, such as possible letters sent to Metford by his sister-in-law, the Countess of Ipswich.

Julius hoped that, for both James’s and Bethany’s sakes, his suspicion proved to be incorrect.

James, because it would make Bethany the daughter of the man who’d arranged to have James murdered. It would also mean that the mother he had obviously been close to had had an affair with the uncle he despised.

Bethany, for much the same reason. Except she would also have a murderer for a father.

Chapter Seven

Julius had met Lord David and Lady Henrietta Metford, James’s parents, in Society several times before their death, so he was easily able to recognize the portrait of Lady Henrietta—the painting of his mother James said had been removed from the drawing room—hanging on the wall behind the desk in Adrian Metford’s study, telling Julius there was at least some truth to his suspicion Metford had been in love with Henrietta.

Had that affection been reciprocated?

Enough for the two to indulge in an affair together?

If so, was Bethany be Metford’s daughter?

“What were you doing in there?” Bethany eyed Julius with suspicion when they met in the hallway.

It was an unfortunate coincidence that Julius should be departing from searching Adrian Metford’s study at the same time Bethany, dressed in a dark blue velvet riding habit, appeared to be leaving the small family dining room a short distance down the same hallway.

Not that Julius had found any incriminating letters or other papers when he searched in the desk drawers. Nor on the bookshelves, secreted amongst the many leather-bound volumes arranged there.

Which was not to say they did not exist, only that he had not found them yet. He would search Metford’s bedchamber next.

“I thought it was the breakfast room,” Julius glibly lied, having left his empty breakfast tray in his room earlier for James to remove.

Her brows rose. “Indeed?”

He held in the amusement he felt at the hauteur Bethany managed to convey in that single word. It was the first time they had met again since he kissed her last night, and he very much doubted she would now appreciate any humor aimed toward her.

“Yes,”