“Did father know you were expecting?”Matthew asked.
“No. Had he, I doubt he would have let mego.”
“I am still surprised he did,” the one whoJuliette still did not know the name of said after a moment.
Adele shrugged. “He didn’t care for me andthought I was worthless. He wanted someone to give him sons and whowould not interfere. I was neither of those.” She glanced over atGenviève and Hélène. “When I gave birth to twin girls I knew I hadmade the right choice in leaving.”
“How did you end up in Paris if that was notyour intention,” Bentley asked.
“He decided that was where I was to be.”
Juliette was glad she did not remember theman who had sired her and even though he had been a titled man andshe may have had privileges beyond what she could comprehend, shewas glad her mother had left and for the life they had lead. It wasmuch better than living with a tyrant and in fear.
“He sent you and his own daughter intoprobably one of the most volatile cities in the world, with no oneto protect you?” Bentley demanded.
“There was someone.” A gentle smile came tomaman’s lips. “My grandmother lived in Paris. My mother was French.My father had met her during a visit, fell in love and brought herback to London.”
“You lived with your grandparents inParis?”
She chuckled. “I never had a grandfather.”She looked pointedly at the brothers in order to make her messageclear. Juliette’s face heated and she looked away. “My daughtersare well aware of the past. My grandmother was a courtesan.”
Jordan frowned. “Father knew, didn’the?”
“Yes.” Maman frowned. “He told you?”
Jordan shook his head. “No. He saidsomething once, which I won’t repeat, but it makes sense now.”
“Yes, your father had hoped her talentswould have naturally fallen to me. He was rather disappointed.”
“Mother!” Juliette hissed.
Maman ignored her. “But in Paris I found thebest way to survive was to follow in her footsteps.”
“They don’t need to know everything,”Genviève warned.
“Yes, they do,” Maman insisted. “I shieldedmy daughters the best I could but as they grew older, they began tosuspect. We lived well. Your father sent funds to keep uscomfortable and my lovers were very generous. I was able to providea secure and good life for my girls and keep them safe.”
“Maman had no choice,” Juliette saidquietly, remembering the warnings the soldier had issued that onelate night long ago.
“There is always a choice,” Bentley bitout.
Juliette marched up to him. “An Englishwoman in the middle of Revolutionary France was a very dangeroussituation indeed.” She turned and glared at all four gentlemen inthe room. “Those men who visited maman knew exactly who she was andthat her husband had been a lord. It was their threats ofimprisonment and potential death to us all,” she gestured to hersister, “that prompted Maman to take the only option open toher.”
“How did you know?” her mother askedquietly.
“I didn’t at the time. I was hiding at thetop of the stairs the night the first man arrived. I heard youspeaking with him and watched as you took him to your room.” Tearsstung Juliette’s eyes. “I didn’t comprehend what was being asked ofyou until I was older.” She wheeled back around and stared Bentleydown. “Maman was given no choice!” she bit out. “Not if she wishedfor us to live.”
Matthew cleared his throat, clearlyuncomfortable with the discussion. “Did father ever learn about thetwins?” He glanced between Helene and Genviève.
“No.” She smiled lovingly at the two youngwomen. “One to resemble me and the other a Trent.” She focused backon Matthew. “I went to great lengths to keep them a secret.”
“It must have been a great inconvenience toleave Paris after establishing yourself so well,” the quieter onesaid. Juliette wished someone would tell her all of theirnames.
“It was, but when your father wrote andinsisted that I send Julia home and that he was sending someone forher I knew we couldn’t remain.”
“He sent for me?” Juliette asked.
“He wanted to arrange a marriage for you toa Lord Purlingham.”
“You objected to me marrying?” Juliettedemanded. Juliette had only wanted two things in life. One was todance. The other, a stable life, a respectable life. A home of herown, love from a husband and children.
The young woman leaned forward. Juliettesuspected she was the wife of one of her brothers and until shemoved, had forgotten she was in the room. “Purlingham is ancient.Or at least he seems so. He is older than father was so it is bestyou were not forced into that union. I doubt he would have been amore attractive match even eight years ago.”
As much as Juliette wished for marriage, shewould rather remain a spinster than be made to live with someonethirty years her senior.
Juliette studied the young woman. Was she asister? She didn’t say “my father” but “father”. How can there be asister younger than her when maman and father had never divorced.Unless they had, and no one told her. It wouldn’t be a surprise toJuliette since there was much she hadn’t been told.
“I am Madeline,” she announced with abrilliant smile, though it still didn’t explain who she was and howthe young woman was related to her.
“I remembered Purlingham from London,” hermother said. “He and Bentley were of a same age and mind. I wouldnot subject my daughter to such a marriage.”
“Where did you go when you left Paris?”Bentley asked.
“Milan,” Hélène answered.
Mother sighed. “I hated to leave Paris.Juliette had just begun to dance.” She glanced around the room.“She is a beautiful dancer, natural, and had received lead roles inthe ballet at Opera d’Paris, even though she was only seventeen.”She looked at
