Chapter 12

"W ell, brother," Edmund said, slapping Aaron on the back. "You've cooked your goose now."

Aaron strode to the cabinet stocked with his good brandy. But then, all whisky was good. And he had plenty of it. "I suppose this occasion calls for a drink."

"Bring out the extra bottles. You're going to need them."

"Smirk all you like, Nathaniel. I remember not so long ago when your arse was in a fix."

"Brother, you don't want Aaron to get foxed, do you? His bride to be will not like a foxed groom, not to mention Aunt's reaction."

"Edmund, you know as well as I that Aaron can drink us both under the table."

"Why don't I get a bottle for each of us. Then, when Aunt sees you two, she won't look at me too closely."

Edmund chuckled. "Good try, Aaron. But you've claimed the center of attention for a while, I'm afraid."

Aaron handed each of his brothers a full glass of brandy. "To me." He held the glass up then drank a hefty gulp.

"Damn good brandy, Aaron."

"Thank you." He walked behind his desk and plopped into the hot seat. "Okay, you two. Have at me."

"I suspected you would go first, considering I'm the one who brought Miss Hayes to your door."

"Thank you for that, Nathaniel. And thank you for the warning."

"How the devil was I to give you notice with Aunt telling me what to do."

"Since when did you start following orders?"

Nathaniel studied his glass of brandy. "Since I decided you deserved to have a boot up your arse."

Aaron's hand tightened on his own glass. He set it on his desk before he crushed it with his grip.

"I say, Aaron, I agree with Nathaniel. How the hell did you get into this conundrum?"

"What else could I do? She came here bag and baggage announcing to all who would listen, we are betrothed."

"I mean how were the wheels put in motion. I gave you more credit. And you, Nathaniel, you knew about this?"

"I was a latecomer."

Aaron scrubbed a hand over his face, and tossed his hair over his shoulder. "That's the thing, Edmund. I don't know."

Edmund stared in shock. Then that cocky brow of his went up in the air. "You need to explain. From the beginning."

"You know I went to Brighton, looking for Blade, and any information on Bellingham. I also went there to speak with an agent at Anderson Shipping."

"An agent?"

"I mentioned at our last conversation, that I was interested in throwing my lot into shipping. Anderson has an excellent reputation, and I wanted to discuss a partnership. Since the American company has an office in Brighton, I went there."

I spoke with a man, and we sent correspondence to Anderson in America. He's coming to England to finalize the partnership." Aaron paused, and glanced at Nathaniel. "I thought he'd sent a formal letter to Greystoke, and Nathaniel got it by mistake."

"That is where I enter the picture," Nathaniel said. "I received a letter from Miss Hayes's father. I summoned Aaron to the manor. We had a devil of a time sorting it out because Aaron assumed the letter was from Anderson."

"You've lost me. Or you've left something out."

"Back to my trip to Brighton. I was drowning my sorrows in a tavern when I met this man."

"What sorrows? What else do I not know?"

Bollocks. Aaron hadn't meant to say that. He would need to curb his tongue.

"No, Aaron. You've already let the cat out of the clichéd bag. We brothers have not had a symposium in a while. Let's get it all out there in the open."

Damn.

"All right. I couldn't find Blade, and my guilt was weighing on me. You still haven't forgiven me for calling Nathaniel home. I was way into my cups."

"Bloody hell, Aaron. That is over and done."

"Is it," he stared at his brother. "You thought I betrayed you. You thought I was pitting Nathaniel against you."

"Now hold on." Edmund came out of his seat.

"You don't still—"

"Shut up, Nathaniel." Edmund turned back to Aaron. "I was in a bad way and not thinking straight. You probably saved me. I had no idea you still thought I blamed you for anything. Hear me, Aaron. I do not. You and Nathaniel, both, forced me out of my funk. Forced me to seek help. Thank God, you did. I've not had a bloody megrim since the surgery. I am quite happy with Joyanna. You helped me sort out that, too. I owe you, brother. I have only good feelings for you. Now, I'm not about to hug and all that nonsense, so get over yourself."

Nathaniel laughed. "Good show, Edmund. Would you rather hug me?"

"Devil take you, Nathaniel." Edmund tossed back his drink. "Here, pour me another."

"You both have a reputation for being drunkards. Am I the only one to remain sober."

"Shut up, and match us."

Now it was Aaron's turn to laugh. But he was still trying to absorb Edmund's words. "Edmund, you truly don't hold a grudge?"

"Good God, Aaron. I meant every word. Get me a bloody brandy." He dropped back into the upholstered leather. "Let's get back to your story."

"I believe you were at the point where you were into your cups."

Aaron knew Nathaniel was making a barefaced reference to their current drinking as well.

"You need to catch up, brother." He poured more brandy, then handed the glasses over. "I was not foxed. However, I met this man, and he was singing his woes. He had a sad story to tell, and then I helped the man home. The last thing I remember, we were sitting in his house, at his table."

"You said you weren't foxed."

"That's just it, Edmund. I wasn't."

"You also said you wanted to drown your guilt."

"I did not swill myself stupid. I was in full control of my faculties."

"Until you weren't," Edmund said. "You fell asleep at the table?"

"No." Aaron shook his head, remembering back. "I woke up the next morning on the floor. In front of the sofa, with a blanket on me."

On the floor. Who covered me?

He couldn't imagine Colvin being that thoughtful. And Aaron had felt pleasantly relaxed. No headache, or cotton mouth either, which would be expected if he'd overindulged.

"I can see you're remembering something. What is it?"

"I think I was on the sofa. I must have fallen off."

"But you were not sloshed."

"No, Edmund, I was not." Damn. Why couldn't he remember? "At least I don't think I was. I don't know what was in that bottle. Rot gut whisky for sure." He scraped a hand through his hair. "Bloody hell. I don't know."

"Aaron," Nathaniel said, drawing his attention. "Did you find out what happened to Blade?"

"As far as anyone knows, he never made it off that ship."

"I'm sorry, Aaron," Edmund said. "Anything about Bellingham?"

"I've sent investigators out, searching for any news on him. There is no confirmation he was on the ship when it sank in the harbor. I've got paid men to watch in Brighton. If he surfaces, they'll send word to me."

"He‘s probably in some back-alley hovel, or he's left town."

"It will take time. For now," Nathaniel continued, "I'll go with the assumption Bellingham is alive. Without a body, I'm not counting him out yet."

Aaron nodded. "We'd be foolish to lower our guard."

Nathaniel growled. "The bloody cur has the luck of the devil."

"Not all of his luck is good, brother. We destroyed his shipment in the caves, sunk the one on the ship, he has to be hurting for blunt."

Aaron agreed with Edmund.

"What happened when you woke the next morning?"

"I was fine. Everything seemed normal. Mr. Hayes was jovial, I bid him goodbye and came home."

"So how did we get where we are today?"

"I've got this part," Nathaniel spoke up. "Mr. Hayes sent me a letter reminding me of a marriage contract. The contract was enclosed. Asking me when I was going to honor the contract and marry his daughter."

"You? Why you?"

Aaron answered instead. "He thought I was the Earl of Greystoke."

"The letter was addressed to the Earl of Greystoke, so naturally I got it. I was completely flummoxed. Then I saw the signature at the bottom." Nathaniel glanced to Aaron.

"My signature."

Edmund studied them both. "Obviously, he mistook one brother for the other. But how?"

"He only knew me as Greystoke. He saw my clothes, I suppose, and judged me to be a lord. I have no idea what I may have said to him, but there is no way I would have claimed the title."

"Of course not. That topic has been scoured to death."

"I confronted Aaron," Nathaniel said. "He agreed to signing the contract and asked how I got it?"

"What? You agreed—"

"Hear me out, brother. Looking back, it was rather comical. We were talking about two different things. Aaron thought I held a contract from Anderson Shipping. While in my hand, I held a marriage contract."

"I admitted to everything. I didn't like Nathaniel butting into my business, then he said I was to get married. I thought our brother had lost his mind."

"And I thought Aaron had become a rake and promised a young woman marriage."

"Clearly, you straightened the blunder out. So then what?"

Nathaniel spoke first. "That is when I found out."

"Sounds like Aaron found out at the same time."

"I had no bloody idea what Nathaniel was talking about. When I saw the contract, when I saw my signature, I think I went into shock. Of course, I denied signing the blasted thing. But there was my signature. Clear as could be." Aaron turned up his glass.

"And you have no recollection of signing that paper?"

Aaron shook his head. "None."

"That's when you went back to Brighton?"

"Yes. I found Miss Hayes, not her father. She admitted she knew about the contract, but she was not planning to get married any more than I was. As a matter of fact, when I left, she said she would not marry me if I was the only man on Earth."

"Showed her your charm, did you?" Edmund smirked.

"It's not funny, Edmund."

"Promising a young woman marriage is not funny."

Aaron glared at his brother, who glared right back.

"Down, Pup."

Aaron blanched at the nickname Nathaniel used.

"And you still don't remember anything," Nathaniel asked.

Aaron thought of the flashes in his dreams. But that couldn't have anything to do with this. "No. I thought the matter settled."

"Then Miss Hayes showed up at Greystoke Manor. Were you surprised, Nathaniel?"

"Actually, I expected someone to show up on my doorstep. After all, the letter was addressed to me. Miss Hayes landed on my doorstep clearly expecting to find Aaron, and was surprised to find me instead. She didn't mention her father. She was embarrassed by the mistake. Serena welcomed Miss Hayes as if she was family." A grin brightened Nathaniel's face as he looked at Aaron. "I brought her to the right door."

"Thank you for that, brother. I like getting waylaid in my own home."

"My pleasure, brother. I must admit, it was rejuvenating." Nathaniel chuckled.

Edmund shook his head. "Are you going to marry the girl?"

Aaron stared at his older brother. "I said I was, didn't I?"

"Thought you were blathering to pacify Aunt."

"You know how I feel about Aunt."

"How we all feel," Nathaniel added.

Aunt Penelope was important to all of them. "I will not let any hint of scandal touch her."

"You know, Aaron," Nathaniel began, "this might be a good thing."

"Good for whom? Just because you are wife pecked doesn't mean everyone has the same opinion."

"It depends on the woman, little brother."

"Don't you start, You and Joyanna have already set the date. Your wedding is to be the highlight of the season."

"I think our brother is pouting because he didn't get to choose his bride," Nathaniel said in a bored tone.

"She seems like a nice enough sort."

"Oh sure. She comes here ready to put me in my place, and suddenly you're her champion."

"I thought Nathaniel was her champion."

"I am. Who is to say she cannot have two?"

"Go ahead. Have your fun," Aaron told his brothers. "I'm the one getting leg shackled."

"I highly recommend it." Nathaniel held his glass in the air.

"Good to know, brother. Good to know."

"Of course, I didn't go through all the pomp and splendor."

"Joyanna is a viscountess. The ton is expecting posh."

"Not for my taste."

Both of his brothers were in love. The way they grew up, it was a miracle any of them even considered having a wife. Father had been a tyrant. The brothers only had each other. Thank God something good had come into their lives.

"Will you two stop? I'm about to get married. Does no one have any sympathy for me?"

Edmund and Nathaniel both burst out laughing.

At least this was better than their lives a few months ago. He hoped Bellingham was behind them.

If he was to have a wedding, by God, it would be in Surrey. The ton already knew too much of his business.

He woke in a cold sweat, his body swaying with the tide. Slowly his blurred vision began to focus. He stared at the ceiling of … musty boards. He could smell the salt in the sea air. Was he on a ship?

He tried to move. Pain shot through his skull. He tried to slow his panicked breathing.

"Shhhh. Lie still. The fever has finally broken."

He blinked. He knew he heard an angel's voice. Had he gone to the great beyond?

A cool cloth touched his brow. He closed his eyes letting the soothing sensation wash over his face. He tried licking his lips and found them dry. What little energy he might have had drained out of him.

A metal cup touched his lips, and cool water dripped into his mouth. Aahh, that tasted good.

"Only a few drops. You can have more later."

Where was he?

He tried to move his tongue, but it was too heavy. His scorched throat would not work. Finally, he mumbled one word. "More."

The angel of mercy answered his need. This time, more than a few drops rolled over his tongue.

He swallowed.