To Save a Love - Alexa Aston Page 0,14

jumping a fence, cutting around shrubbery. Even after all this time, he could recall her laugh. Remember the feel of her lips against his.

Poor Anna hadn’t fared as well as Dez. True, he had to forgo his university education but he had learned far better things during in his time in the army. At least he had a few friends, Rhys being chief among them, and leadership duties. He might not be happy but he was useful to his country. On the other hand, Anna had made the decision to leave this earth. Dez supposed she couldn’t stomach the thought of a life spent in the ancient Lord Needham’s bed. Instead, she had filled her pockets with stones and walked into the lake where they had picnicked at so often.

Dalinda had written to him of Anna’s death, which Lord Shelton had said was an accidental drowning. Both twins knew, however, that Anna had taken her own life and the viscount only said what he did to quell the rumors that tainted his family with her death. Dalinda had said there must have been a problem with the local clergyman deeming it a suicide because Anna was buried not in the village churchyard but at Shelton Park. His sister had never visited her friend’s grave, having married herself and staying far away from Surrey. Dalinda vowed never to set foot at Torville Manor while their father or Ham was the earl.

“You look contemplative, my friend,” Rhys said. “It is unlike you.”

Dez lifted his glass. “Pour me more wine.”

Rhys obliged and they sat in companionable silence until the flap of their tent moved and a soldier announced, “Mail.”

He knew the letter must be for him since Rhys never received mail of any kind. Both his parents were dead, as well as a sister who died when they were quite young. As for himself, he only received letters from his twin. His father had died a year after Dez left England and hadn’t written his son once. Now that Ham was the Earl of Torrington, he had continued the practice of silence, which was fine with Dez. The less he heard from or knew about his brother, the better.

Reaching out a hand, he accepted the letter.

“From your sister, I assume,” Rhys said.

The one thing Dez did talk about on rare occasions was Dalinda. He had shared a few stories of his childhood with Rhys, usually ones where Dalinda got them into trouble and Dez took the blame. Other than that, neither Rhys nor anyone else in the army knew about Dez’s background or life before he became a soldier in His Majesty’s Army.

He glanced at the letter he held and frowned. Puzzled at the unfamiliar handwriting, he broke the seal and skimmed to the bottom, seeing that a Mr. Capshaw had signed it.

Rhys rose. “I’ll leave you to it.” He left the tent.

With trepidation, Dez looked to the top and began to read.

My dear Major Bretton –

I will dispense with all niceties and come to the point of this correspondence. I am the solicitor for your brother, Lord Torrington, and regret to inform you that his lordship and wife drown. They have already been buried since bloating is an issue when death by drowning occurs.

Because of these circumstances and the fact that they had no issue, you now may claim the title as the new Earl of Torrington. All lands and estates, entailed and otherwise, are in your possession.

I suggest you return to England at your earliest convenience in order to see to your affairs. Write to me once you have arrived at Torville Manor and I will come down from London to inform you of your holdings and answer any questions you might have.

Your servant,

J. Capshaw

Dez dropped the letter and it floated to the ground. Stunned, he shook his head, trying to make sense of what he had just read.

He hadn’t known Ham had wed. Not that he or Dalinda would have access to that information. All ties had been cut between them many years ago. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a moment of pity for the woman who had perished next to her husband. This Capshaw didn’t elaborate regarding the circumstances so Dez had no idea where the drowning occurred.

And he was now Torrington.

A name he loathed, thanks to his despicable father and brother. In that moment, Dez vowed to be a better lord—a better man—than his two predecessors to the title.

His first thought was how woefully unprepared he was