CHAPTER TWELVE

As the team descended the stairs to the main floor dining room, they realized that the restaurant in the castle was open to the general public. Immediately, they were looking for exits and strategies in case of trouble.

"Settle your nerves, handsome," smiled Heath. "I've blocked an entire table for you near the terrace, and we've closed the restaurant and hotel for all of you. The doors open onto the terrace, and there is an exit to the right, just to be certain." Brix stared at him, the others giving the man an odd look.

"You knew we would want that, how?" asked Leif.

"It might come as a shock to you, but I was in the military as well once upon a time. RAF. I was a flight lieutenant."

"I'll be damned," smirked Sebastian. "Well done, brother." Heath laughed, shaking his head.

"Well done until they discovered that I preferred men to women. They asked me nicely to leave. Of course, now they claim to be open about it."

"I'm sorry, brother," said Major. "We have a similar policy, but it doesn't prevent ignorance from running rampant. Looks like you and Timothy have made a good life here."

"We have," he smiled. "Because of people like Daphne. She helped us buy this place."

"No, no," she said, shaking her head modestly. "I invested in friends who deserved the opportunity to start their own business."

"You helped us to acquire the financing," said Heath. "We'll never be able to repay you for that." Brix leaned down to whisper in his wife's ear.

"I love you all the more for that." She blushed then heard the familiar voice of her father.

"Daphne! Darling!" he called, walking toward her. He gave her a big hug, kissing her cheeks, and then stepping back to look at her. "You look beautiful. Healthy and happy. I suppose I have you to thank for that." He turned to look up at Brix, giving a big grin and extending his hand.

"I think she was beautiful and healthy before I came along, sir. But if I can add to that happiness, I damn sure will."

"Splendid!" They took their seats, and conversation began to flow freely and easily. As terrible as her mother seemed via their video call, her father seemed genuine and sincere.

"I'm sorry that Lady Bishop was unable to come," said Brix, attempting to be sincere.

"I'm not," he frowned. "I must tell you, Daphne, Brixton, all of you. I'm highly suspicious of everything my wife is doing right now. I don't know what she's planning to do or why, but it's making me very nervous."

"Are you in danger, sir?" asked Tiger. He smiled at the young man, shaking his head.

"You really are exceptional people," he smiled. "Daphne, you've done well, my little girl."

"Sir, we don't want to spoil the mood here, but we're trying to figure out your wife," said Zulu.

"You and I both," he said with a sad smile.

"What would possess her to allow her daughter to die, refusing her treatment? And why push for Daphne to marry a man who obviously wasn't a good person?"

"I wish I had answers for all of it. I own some of the blame here. I fully admit that. Had I done my due diligence and inspected Marshall more thoroughly, vetted him as a potential husband for Daphne, he would have never made the cut.

"I always allowed Dierdre to handle the children because I was in London so much. She would keep me up to date on our daughter's health, telling me she was getting worse and there was nothing they could do. I believed her, and that's a cross I must bear alone."

"It's not your fault, Father. You trusted her. There wasn't a reason not to trust her," said Daphne, squeezing his hand. He looked at her with a sad expression, shaking his head.

"Actually, there was a reason."

"What do you mean?" asked Walker.

"Daphne, you were not biological sisters with Cassandra."

The look on his daughter's face was one of utter shock and confusion. She stared at Brix, then looked at the others. Their glances of pity were nearly more than she could take.

"Explain, please."

"Your mother bribed the orphanage, had them forge papers all to prove that you were sisters and should be adopted together. I didn't know about it until later as I was reviewing the paperwork. By that time, I could have been considered a co-conspirator. Your mother is very good at reading up on the laws."

"But I remember our childhood," whispered Daphne.

"The orphanage planted memories in your brains. For Cassandra, it was easy. She was so young she believed whatever she was told. It took them longer with you, but eventually, you came around, and that's when they called Dierdre to say you were ready to be adopted.

"I should have said something sooner, Daphne. I'm ashamed of myself for not doing it. I just thought it wouldn't matter. You and Cassandra were sisters in every way that mattered."

"I guess I understand that, but you shouldn't have withheld that from me when I became an adult," said Daphne.

"No offense, sir, but there had to be a reason your wife did that," said Hazel. "You could have adopted two little girls from different families. Why not do that? Why did she want to make up a lie about where the girls came from?"

"I wish I knew," he frowned.

"What's the name of the orphanage?" asked Magnolia.

"Sisters of the Fallen Angels in Cardiff. Why?" he asked.

"It might be worth trying to find the records for the girls. Figure out where they really came from, who their parents were."

"Are you experienced in such things?" he asked inquisitively.

"Father, they are all remarkable people," whispered Daphne.

Lord Bishop scanned the table, staring at the faces staring back at him. There was something unique about them all. He just couldn't put his finger on it.

"How are you all remarkable?" he asked.

"We have all served our country in different ways," said Zulu. "We were all Special Forces. Magnolia, Em, Maddie, and Ellie worked with special agencies. FBI, CIA, that sort of thing. Now, we run the premier investigative and security agency in the world."

He stared up and down the table, then back at his daughter. Across from him, the enormous man who'd just spoken, Brix's grandfather, the man who had the same color skin as his own, grinned at him.

"Daphne? I believe you've married into the right family."