Castles

'Yes,' Colin lied.

The discussion continued for another hour. Caine and his father both took turns tossing out names of possible husbands and Colin found something wrong with every one of them.

Caine was thoroughly enjoying himself. He pulled the footrest over, stretched out, and propped his feet up so that he'd be more comfortable.

Colin was becoming more and more agitated. He'd removed his arm from Alesandra's shoulders and was now leaning forward with his elbows on his knees while he waited for his father to think of another candidate.

The longer the talk continued, the more upset Alesandra became. She hid behind her mask of serenity, but her hands were clutched into fists in her lap.

Just when she thought she couldn't stand to hear another name offered, Colin leaned back and covered her hands with one of his.

She didn't want his comfort, yet she clung to his hand.

'Alesandra, what do you want to do?'

Caine asked her that question. She was too embarrassed to tell him the truth, to admit that more than anything she wished she could marry a man she loved. She wanted the kind of marriage her parents had had, but that wasn't possible.

'I thought I wanted to become a nun, but Mother Superior wouldn't let me.'

There were tears in her eyes and for that reason no one laughed. 'And why wouldn't she let you?' Caine asked.

'I'm not Catholic,' Alesandra explained. 'It's an important requirement.'

He did smile then. He simply couldn't help it. 'You wouldn't have been happy as a nun,' he predicted.

She wasn't particularly happy now, but she didn't believe it would be polite to mention that.

'Alesandra, why don't you go and find Gweneth,' her guardian suggested. 'You haven't met Jade yet, now have you? Go and introduce yourself to Caine's lovely wife.'

She acted as though she'd just been given a reprieve. The look of relief on her face was there for all of them to see.

Alesandra had stood up before she realized she hadn't let go of Colin's hand yet. She quickly pulled away, and then left the room.

The three men stood up until she'd left the salon, then resumed their seats. Colin dragged the footrest over, propped his feet up, and leaned back.

'This is damned difficult for her,' he muttered.

'Yes,' his father agreed. 'I wish there was time for her to adjust to her circumstances, but there isn't, Colin.'

Caine decided to turn the topic. 'I'm curious, Father,' he remarked. 'How did you meet Alesandra's father?'

'It was at Ashford's annual bash,' his father explained. 'Nathaniel and I took to one another right away. He was quite a man,' he added with a nod.

'And so are you to take on responsibility for his daughter,' Colin remarked.

His father's expression underwent a dramatic change. He looked terribly sad now. 'No, you've got it all wrong,' he said. 'There is something neither one of you knows and I imagine now is the time for me to confess my sins. You're going to find out sooner or later.'

The seriousness in their father's voice told both sons the matter was of grave importance. They gave him their full attention and waited for him to compose his thoughts.

Long minutes passed before he spoke again. 'I got into trouble just after your mother died, Caine,' he explained. 'I hadn't met Gweneth yet and I had started drinking-quite heavily, as a matter of fact.'

'You? But you never drink,' Colin argued.

'I don't drink now,' his father agreed. 'I did back then. I gambled too. The debts, they piled up, of course, and I kept fooling myself into believing I would win back enough to cover my losses.'

Colin and Caine were too astonished to say anything. They stared at their father as though he'd suddenly turned into a complete stranger.

'This is a difficult confession for me to make,' he continued. 'No father likes parading his sins in front of his sons.'

'The past is over,' Colin told him. 'Let it go.'

His father shook his head. 'It isn't as simple as all that,' he explained. 'I want you to understand. I was almost ruined, you see, and would have been if it hadn't been for Alesandra's father. Everything I'd inherited and worked so hard to build was in the hands of the moneylenders as collateral against the loans. Yes, I would have been ruined.'

'What happened then?' Caine asked when his father didn't continue.

'Nathaniel came to my rescue. I was at White's one minute and the next I remember I was back home. I was told I blacked out at the tables from too much drink. When I next opened my eyes, Nathaniel was standing over me, and, Lord, was he angry. I was so hung over all I wanted was to be left alone. He wouldn't leave, however. He threatened me too.'

'What was his threat?' Caine asked. He was so surprised by his father's confession he leaned forward and clasped his hands together in expectation.

'He told me you were downstairs,' his father said. 'You were so young and impressionable and Nathaniel threatened to bring you up so you could see what your father had become. Needless to say, the threat sobered me up. I would rather have died than let you see me in such a humiliating condition.'

No one said a word for several minutes. Caine didn't have any memory of his father's drinking days. 'How old was I?' he asked.

'Almost five.'

'If I was that young, I probably wouldn't have remembered if I had seen you drunk,' he remarked.

'Nathaniel knew how much I loved you,' his father said. 'Oh, he was clever, all right. It was my darkest hour, my turning point as well.'

'What was done about the debts?' Colin asked.

His father smiled. How like Colin to be the one to ask that question. His younger son was the most practical member of the family-the most disciplined, too.

'Nathaniel went to all the moneylenders. He purchased the notes. In less than one day, I was completely out of debt. He tried to give me the notes, but I refused his charity. I wouldn't let him tear them up either. I wanted him to hold on to them until I could repay. I even insisted he add interest.'

'And has the debt been repaid?' Caine asked.

'No, it hasn't. Nathaniel took his wife back to Stone Haven. He gave me that beautiful treasure before he left,' he said with a nod toward the castle perched on the mantel 'Imagine that, giving me a gift after all he'd done. We kept current through letters, of course, and the next time he and his wife came to England, they had Alesandra with them. I tried to give him half of what I owed, but he wouldn't take it. It was damned awkward. Because he had acted so honorably with me, I couldn't ask him where the notes were. He died the following winter. Lord, I still mourn his passing. He was my dearest friend.'

Both sons agreed. Nathaniel had been a good friend.

'Who holds the notes now?' Caine asked.

'That's the dilemma, son. I don't know.'

'Have you asked Alesandra?' Colin wanted to know.

'No,' his father answered. 'I doubt she knows anything about the transaction. As her guardian, I have access to some of her accounts. Dreyson, her agent, takes care of investments, but I don't believe he knows anything about the notes either.'

'Would you be able to repay the full amount if the notes and interest were called today?' Caine asked.

'Not all of it,' his father replied. 'But I'm in a strong financial position now. If the notes were called, I could borrow what I need. I don't want to give either one of you the impression I'm worried. Nathaniel was a methodical, careful man. He put the notes in a safe place. I'm just curious to know where they are.'

'I'm curious, too,' Caine agreed.

'The purpose of my confession is twofold,' their father continued. 'First, I want both of you to know the kind