are Bethany Elizabeth Henrietta Metford,” James stated. “Daughter of Henrietta and David Metford, and sister to James Metford.”
“But—”
“That is who you are, Bethy,” he maintained firmly. “Who you are and who you will always be, even after you are married and have children of your own. All that has changed is that you now also have the powerful Duke of Blackborne as your uncle.”
Bethany felt slightly bewildered still by all she had learned this evening. But one thing was clear to her. Whether or not she was the niece of the Duke of Blackborne, she was still illegitimate. As such, she would not be able to marry or have children of her own, or risk including them in that stigma.
She moved away from both men before standing. “You have both given me much to think on tonight.” She crossed to the closed door. “If you will excuse me?” She didn’t wait for their answer before quietly opening the door and stepping out into the hallway before closing the door behind her.
Julius and James looked at each other, their expressions ones of equal bewilderment.
“What just happened?” Julius rose to his feet.
“I am not sure,” James answered slowly. “She eventually seemed fine with my being alive, after all.”
Julius remained thoughtful. “I believe it was the news of her own birth which unsettled her the most.”
The other man nodded. “Even my stating that my affection for her has not changed, that nothing will change, did not seem to reassure her.”
“Because for Bethany, everything has changed,” Julius realized. “To her, she is no longer the person she thought she was, but someone else entirely.”
“That is complete nonsense.”
“Not to Bethany.” Julius felt sure his explanation for her behavior was the correct one. “I intend to write several letters this evening and have them sent on their way first thing in the morning. We then need to ensure both Bethany and your uncle return to London with us. The Prince Regent shall resolve the situation as to who is rightfully the earl and who will go to prison. After which, we shall be able to address Bethany’s doubts and fears as to where her future lies.”
“We?”
“We,” Julius confirmed.
Because, no matter what else was decided, Julius had every intention of being an integral part of Bethany’s future.
Chapter Fifteen
“My dear, you really should knock before entering my study—” Adrian Metford broke off his admonishment of Bethany when he realized Julius had entered the room behind his niece. “What on earth…?” He half rose to his feet.
Julius quickly crossed the room. “Remain seated.” His hand on the older man’s shoulder easily held Metford in place behind the desk.
“What is the meaning of this?” the earl spluttered, indignant at being told what to do in his own home. Worse, in the sanctity of his study.
Except it was not his study. None of the Ipswich estate or properties belonged to him.
Julius and James had parted the previous evening, shortly after Bethany’s departure, both aware that what happened next—the timing of it, at least—would be Bethany’s decision. But before making any decision, she obviously needed time to assimilate and adjust to the news of her birth.
Even so, Julius had been more than a little startled to be woken by a knock on the door of his bedchamber just as dawn was breaking outside the window. He was even more startled when Bethany didn’t wait for him to answer that knock but instead strode determinedly into the room, carrying a candle to light her way. Alerting Julius to the fact he had once again forgotten to lock his bedchamber door!
Bethany had then proceeded to tell him what she had decided must be done as soon as the rest of the household was awake.
James had entered the bedchamber two hours later, Julius’s breakfast tray in hand, to find his sister curled up asleep in the armchair beside the window and a fully dressed Julius standing beside her.
The two men had conversed softly for several minutes before Bethany awoke, Julius quietly informing James of how his sister wished them to proceed.
This, confronting Metford in his study, was the start of it.
Bethany eyed her uncle contemptuously across the width of the desk. “It has come to my attention that ten years ago, you hired several unsavory men to attack and kill my brother.”
Julius felt as if all the air had been knocked out of his lungs by the blunt challenge of her statement, so God knows how Metford felt.
Not that he gave a damn how the