London Loves - Book 3 - Love's Great Adventure Series (5 page)

“Mattie and I ran into Lily at the Tate Gallery.”

“So I heard. You really threw her for loop. She had no idea you had a child,” Sigourney informed him. “Of course that led to me getting the third degree.”

“What did you tell her?”

“I just confirmed you have a bright, gregarious four-year-old. And I may have also told her you’re deliriously happy being a husband and father,” Sigourney said with a wink.

Sebastian reached over and squeezed his sister’s hand in gratitude. “Thank you.”

“It’s the truth. I understand why you had to break ranks with Mummy. I think you’re a better man for it. If she can’t get past it, that’s her fault.”

“I’m really here to talk about Maxwell. I bumped into him at Penny’s the other day. They were having tea. Do you know anything about this?” he asked in a guarded tone.

“You know it is Max’s first season as Earl. They seem to have struck up a friendship. Penny’s sort of showing him the ropes, helping with the various charity committees.”

“So you don’t think there is anything romantic going on, then?”

Sigourney laughed. “You’re not her father, Sebastian! Why are you so concerned?”

“She’s a dear friend. I don’t want to see her hurt.”

“He’s our brother.”

“And I hardly know him.”

“Then do something about that. He’s a good man—if you give him a chance.”

He eyed her with suspicion. “So Lily doesn’t dictate what he does?”

“No, Maxwell is very much his own person.” Sigourney glanced over to see Monty licking Mattie’s face and chuckled. “Penelope Stanton could do a lot worse than Max.” Sigourney sipped her tea. “Enough about our brother. Tell me about Tess. Does she love it here? How is her new job?”

“She’s very happy. Tess has finally gotten everything she longed for when she graduated. I’m surprised it happened so quickly, but as long as my girls are happy, I’m happy.”

Mattie rushed over to the table. “Do you have any treats for Monty?”

Sigourney handed her a small dog biscuit off the table. “Here you go. You must instruct him to sit before you give it to him, however.” Mattie ran off.

“How is the orchestra?” Sebastian asked.

“I’m really enjoying it. You and Tess should come to a performance soon.”

“I’d like that very much.”

As soon as Tess walked through the front door, Mattie came tearing into the room and jumped into her arms. “Mummy, guess what? Daddy said we could get a puppy if you’re okay with it. Can we?” The child looked at Tess with so much hope and desire, Tess was at a loss for words. She looked to Sebastian for help.

“Martha, I told you your mum and I will discuss it. I didn’t agree to getting a puppy, so don’t try being charming to get your way,” Sebastian warned.

Tess laughed. “She comes by it naturally,” she said, leaning in to kiss Sebastian on the lips. She set Mattie down on the floor. “Now why do you want a puppy?”

“Aunt Sigourney has one. His name is Monty.”

“Daddy and I will talk about it when you go to bed tonight.”

“Okay, I’m ready now. I’ll get my PJs on,” she announced.

“Mattie, we have to have dinner first. Don’t be so impatient,” Sebastian chided.

The little girl pouted and then walked over to the dinner table and took a seat.

“This should be fun,” Tess muttered, taking her husband’s hand and walking toward the table.

“You sit while I get dinner.”

They ate their meal while Mattie talked nonstop about getting a puppy and how much she would love it. When a break in the conversation finally took place, Tess asked Sebastian, “Did you decide to go see Max?”

Sebastian nodded his head. “I phoned him this afternoon. We’re having lunch tomorrow at The Ivy. Penny offered to watch Mattie.”

Tess observed him closely, unsure if he was happy or nervous about the impending meeting. “It will be fine. Just think what you could learn. This could be a big step for you—the start of the investigation.”

“I hope you’re right, Tess.”

Sebastian waited outside The Ivy for Maxwell. His brother pulled up in a chauffeured car. Sebastian laughed. He had done the same thing years ago, the last time he had eaten there with Penny. Today he took the Tube.

Max greeted Sebastian with a handshake and then the two brothers walked inside the restaurant, where they were promptly seated for lunch. The place hadn’t change since the last time he’d visited. Sebastian loved the dark wood paneling and stained glass windows. It was still one of his favorite restaurants in London.

Maxwell selected an aged French fine wine from the sommelier. Once they were alone, Max sat back in his chair and eyed Sebastian. “I’m glad you agreed to meet me.”

“We don’t really know each other, do we? As long as Lily doesn’t threaten to disown you, I suppose there is no harm.”

“There’s always two sides to every story, Sebastian. I’d like to get yours.”

“It was a long time ago, Max. Why rehash it? If you truly want to have a relationship, I’d like that. You’ll find I’m a better, much happier person when we can leave Lily out of the mix,” he admitted, taking a sip of his water.

“Mother can’t harm me. I outrank her,” Max said lightly, making a joke.

His easy attitude made Sebastian laugh aloud: he wasn’t expecting it. Maybe Penny and Sigourney were right in their advice after all. “Yes, how do you enjoy being an earl? Is it better than working for Irons Electronics?”

“It’s certainly different, I’ll grant you that. Thank goodness I don’t have to serve in the House of Commons—although sometimes those charity committees are just as bad.”

“Penelope Stanton has been helping out though. That must be some relief.”

“Tell me more about Penelope,” Max said as the sommelier came back to the table with the wine.

After the ritual of uncorking, sniffing the cork, and tasting the wine, Max nodded his acceptance to the waiter.

“Ah, so that’s why you really asked me to luncheon,” Sebastian realized.

“You two are friends, aren’t you?” Max asked in confusion.

“Yes, we are
very
good friends. Do you have romantic notions for her?” Sebastian asked straight out.

“It’s early days, yet. I do find myself thinking about her at the oddest times, though.”

“Thinking what?”

“She’s beautiful, smart, graceful…”

Sebastian cut him off. “In other words, she’d be the perfect wife for an earl?”

“Yes.” Max sipped his wine. “You can’t blame me for thinking it. I’m bound by duty to marry and raise a family. The earldom should be kept in the Irons family.”

Sebastian gave him a leery look. “And Lily has nothing to do with this?”

“For God's sakes, Sebastian, stop being so paranoid. I’m thirty-five years old and want to settle down. Mother has nothing to do with it. I want your opinion of Penelope. Do you think she likes me? Should I pursue her?”

Sebastian glared at Max. “She’s not wild animal to be hunted down,” he clipped out.

“Were you two involved? I always thought she was with Prince Alistair all those years ago.”

“Maxwell, I’m not going to sit here in public and discuss my sex life,” Sebastian whispered, annoyed.

Max hung his head in frustration. “I admit, I’m handling this all wrong.” He took a deep breath and started again. “Tell me what you’ve been doing since you’ve moved to America. Every time I see Sigourney, she always sings your praises.”

“In a nutshell: I found my soul mate, got married, had a beautiful child, and support my family by working in an art gallery.”

“That’s all I want, too. I want to find my soul mate.”

“That’s a very un-earl-like thing to say. Matches should be dictated by class and reputation,” Sebastian stated.

“It’s the twentieth century. I want a wife I love. I don’t want to end up like mother and father, hating each other.”

Aha: there was Sebastian’s chance to bringing up his father, so he jumped at the opportunity. “What do you remember about our father?”

Maxwell squirmed uncomfortably in his chair.

“There must be something you can tell me. I know his name is Martin Baker.”

“How did you know that?” Max asked, surprised by the admission.

“When Nanny died, she left me a letter and a photo. I’ve been thinking about finding him. I could really use your help. What can you tell me about him?”

Maxwell was silent for some time. Finally he said, “I remember him being far less strict than Mother. He would always play with me and Victoria when he was around. But the older we grew, the more he was away—having one of his many affairs, I suppose.”

“You’ve never had contact with him over the years?”

“No. I have a feeling Mother was paying him to stay away. If he tried to contact us, he’d be cut off.”

Sebastian snickered. “What kind of man would give up his children for money?”

“Precisely.”

“Lily accused me of being just like him,” Sebastian confessed.

“I’ve seen you with your daughter. I don’t believe you’re anything like him at all.”

Sebastian smiled, thankful for the compliment. “I just want to know what happened to him. Nanny said he doesn’t even know I exist. What if he has changed?”

Maxwell nodded his head in agreement. “Yes, anything is possible. If you choose to pursue this, I’ll help you in any way I can.”

“Don’t you ever wonder what’s happened to him?” Sebastian wanted to know.

“Not really. I just assumed he had no interest in seeing me. After all, he does know who I am and where I live. For you, it’s a different situation all together. I understand your need to meet him. Just prepare yourself: it may not have a happy ending.”

The waiter appeared to take their order. Max ordered fillet—rare—while Sebastian opted for the salmon. The waiter bowed and left them to their conversation.

“What do you remember about the day he left?” Sebastian asked next.

“Mother had the three of us file into the nursery. She sat us down and explained that she and Father were getting a divorce and we were never to speak of him again. Then she proceeded to tell us we would go by the family name of Irons from that day forward.”

“That must have been an odd meeting for a child.”

Maxwell shrugged his shoulders. “It was Mother, so it really was nothing out of the ordinary. Honestly, she was so angry, Victoria and I didn’t need her taking her wrath out on us, so we just kept quiet. Thankfully, Sigourney was too young to understand.”

Sebastian knew all too well what it was like to be on the receiving end of Lily’s anger. Max and Victoria were only kids—what could they have done? “I was initially thinking of hiring an investigator so see if he could find Martin. If he was found, then I would decide if I wanted to meet him or not.”

“I have some contacts. Why don’t you bring your family out to the castle for the weekend? We’ll put our heads together and see what we can come up with.”

Sebastian shuddered at the thought. When he left the castle after Lily had disowned him, he naturally assumed it would be the last time he ever set foot on the property. “I can’t, Max. Not if there is any chance Lily might show up. I need to protect my family,” Sebastian tried to explain.

“I’ll make sure she’s not there. You have my word. Please, I want to meet this amazing wife of yours and it would be nice to have a little one running about the grounds again.” Max paused, then said off the cuff, “I wanted to invite Penelope as well. You can be our chaperone. What do you say?”

The very last thing Sebastian expected was an invitation to spend the weekend in the country with Maxwell. He was a sly one with his ulterior motives. Penny was a grown woman. She could make up her own mind. There was no saying she would even accept the invitation. Sebastian grinned. “All right, you should invite Sigourney and Victoria, too. Might as well make it a party.”

“Excellent! Next weekend then?”

“Yes, next weekend.”

The waiter arrived with their lunch and the siblings went quiet as they ate their meal.

Friday evening, Sebastian drove Penny and his family out to Sutton on Ashfield. They were taking Penny’s Jaguar, since Sebastian didn’t own a car. Tess sat in the front passenger seat while Penny and Mattie chatted in the back seat.

They crested the familiar hill and soon the castle was in sight. The great stone monstrosity stood amid the verdant, well-kept grounds. “Are you going to be okay with this?” Tess asked with concern.

“I never thought I see this place again,” he admitted. “It feels odd to be back.”

“Daddy, is that your house?” Mattie asked leaning forward between her parents.

“No, it’s Uncle Max’s house, but I used to live here a long time ago.”

“It looks like Cinderella’s castle.”

Sebastian chuckled at his beautiful, naïve daughter. Living there was never a fairy tale—it was more like a nightmare. But there were some good times with Nanny and this was her final resting place, so Sebastian still had a connection to the castle. Now that it belonged to Max, things might be different—better. Sebastian was in a good place now; maybe it was time to move forward with his brother and sister. If he could have a positive relationship with all his siblings, he was willing to put in the effort.

They pulled up in front of the entrance and parked the car. A brigade of servants filed out the door to assist with the luggage. The last person out the door was Maxwell. “Welcome home,” he said with a genuine smile.

Tess wrapped her arm around Sebastian’s and returned the smile. “Maxwell, it’s nice to meet you.”

Max leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Sebastian has told me so much about you. I’m glad you could make it out this weekend.”

Mattie marched right up to Max and extended her hand, “Hi, Uncle Max.”

Maxwell picked her up and gave her a hug. “Hello, Mattie.” He went on to shake his brother’s hand and kiss Penny on both cheeks. “Everyone, get settled in. Dinner will be at eight o’clock. Someone will show you to your rooms.”

The group trooped into the marble foyer with its tall ceiling and grand staircase. Penny looked at Sebastian and grinned. “The last time I was here, I was kissing you goodbye.”