Rose in Bloom (Sex and the Season #2)(46)

“My father took Colton in after his mother died and brought him to our small estate in Hampshire. He became a stable boy and eventually worked his way up to groom. He was amazing with horses. He was so intelligent. He seemed to be able to communicate with them.”

Cameron’s head continued to whirl. None of this made sense. His father had been a kind and loving parent, but intelligent was not a word Cameron would have used to describe him.

“I followed him around shamelessly,” Mrs. Price continued. “He was something when he was young. He looked a lot like you, Cam, except that you have my black hair. His was a dark brown. Your eyes are his, though. You probably remember them more as a dark grey, but when he was young, they were as silvery blue as yours. Your talent for music comes from him too. He used to play the guitar and the harmonica simultaneously in the loft of the stables in the evenings. He wrote his own songs. I used to sneak out of my room at night to listen to him play.”

“Mum, Papa never played music. He never took any interest in mine.”

She frowned. “There’s a reason for that.”

“What would that be?”

“I’ll get to it. Anyway, Colton finally noticed me when I turned sixteen. We started sneaking around, meeting each other in clandestine places, stealing kisses.” Her eyes lit up. “I adored him. I would have followed him anywhere.”

“It seems that you did.”

“Yes, I did. I never abandoned him, even after…”

“After what?”

“Well, when I was seventeen, I became pregnant with you.”

“Before you were married?”

“Yes. I’m not proud of it, but it happened, and you were the result, so I’ve never been sorry. When my father found out, he threw us both out, and then he paid a gang of thugs to beat and bloody Colton.” Mrs. Price took a few deep breaths. “Your father was never the same after that beating. I nursed him back to health as best I could, but I had no money to get him the medical help he so desperately needed. The other servants were sympathetic to our plight and let us hide in their quarters until Colton could travel. One of the thugs had hit your father in the head with a club, and it must have done something to his brain. That wonderful silver sparkle that your eyes have? Your father never had it again after that night. He never made music again. In fact, he couldn’t do even the simplest ciphering anymore, and he could barely read. But he remembered me, and still he loved me and I him. He was what he was because of his love for me, so I couldn’t abandon him. I didn’t want to. But there was no way for him to make a decent living doing anything that required intelligence. When he was well enough to travel, the servants gave us enough money to leave Hampshire and travel here. Your father was strong and muscular, like you are, and was willing and able to work hard. We traveled along until the opportunity to work the Lybrook land presented itself.” She sighed. “We’ve been here ever since.”

“So we were never meant for this life, were we?”

“No, Cam. But the point of my story is—”

“Trish and I were talking the other day,” Cameron interrupted. “She and Kat are so smart, Mum. In the back of my mind, I always knew we were different.”

“Yes, the three of you are quite gifted. If only you could have had a proper education.”

Cameron’s mind raced. “It’s too late for me, and probably for Trish too, but not for Kat.”

“But how?”

“Let’s leave here. We should have done it long ago. I’ll go to Bath the first of the week and look for work. If there’s nothing to be had there, we’ll go to London.”

“But the money.”

“I have plenty. I finished that other commission, remember? Assuming we don’t have any more unforeseen medical costs, it will be enough for several months or more.”

She touched his arm. “I haven’t yet told you the point of the story.”

“The point is that we were never meant for this life. And now that I know that, we’re leaving.”

“Cameron, that’s fine. You’ve done your time here, and if you think you can make a better life for us elsewhere, we’ll go, but that’s not why I told you all of this.”

“All right, Mum. What is the point?”

“I never abandoned your father, Cam. I never rejected him, even though he was below my station. Even when his brain was damaged and he couldn’t do anything other than hard labor. I stayed with him and bore his children, made a home for him, because I loved him.”

“Yes, that was noble of you.”

“This is why Lady Rose isn’t worthy of you. She wasn’t willing to give everything up for you.”

Cameron shook his head. “You don’t know the whole story.”

“I know enough. Now let’s not mention her again.”

“That’s fine with me,” Cameron said. God alone only knew how the mere mention of Rose made his heart suffer with an incurable yearning. She was no doubt betrothed to Xavier by now anyway. He had to forget her. “If I can find work in Bath next week, I’ll rent a townhouse for us. If not, we’ll go to London by rail.”

“Goodness.”

“And I can still take private commissions. I’ll make a name for myself. I’ll make you proud. You and Papa both.”