Gifts

Chapter 15 – A Pawn in their Game–1

Alden narrows his eyes at me and looks back at Kent. I’m a little shocked, I admit, that he hasn’t addressed me yet. I stand awkwardly in front of him and Daniel quietly takes my hand, giving it a squeeze of support.

“Is this for real, Lippert?” Alden asks, a threat behind his glare.

Kent nods slowly. “We did a test. It’s a 99% genetic match for paternity. I can show you the paperwork upstairs, and you can have it verified by your own doctors. But, with that kind of proof at hand, Alden.” He spread his hands out, hoping Alden takes him at his word. “Why would I lie?”

Alden nods and returns his gaze to me, staring for a moment. Then, he shocks me again by breathing out a huge breath of air and rubbing a hand down his face. “Damnit, but you look like your mother,” he mutters.

eyes.

My mouth falls open when I see the glimmer of tears in his My heart goes out to him, then. He’s a solid rock of a man, but I can see that deep feelings run beneath.

“Where is she?” he demands.

Surprised, I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. “She died,” I say, grimacing inwardly at my bluntness. Alden’s face falls minutely. Surely, after all these years, he knew it would be unlikely that she would be alive, but still – he’s upset by the

“When?” he asks.

“Years ago,” I whisper, sorry to be the one to tell him. “I was young – I had just turned six.”

I feel horrible – I had no idea that he cared for her as much as he clearly does. I had assumed she was

what had Fiona called

herself? a goomah. His mistress, or his girlfriend, not someone he really I cared about.

his arms over his

hardly more than a whisper now. “They said…they said she went

his head away, gathering himself together. “And where has she been laid to rest?” Alden asks, not looking at

home – in the churchyard. I can take you there, if you like,” Isay, my voice

head. “He didn’t respect her, then, the man she left

then, from pity to anger. How dare he suggest that David was anything but an angel

hand

was nothing,”

“He raised me

the words

Alden takes a heavy step towards

says, taking another step. “Did he know about your parentage?

it, I stay silent, keeping my face still.

at me. “He kept you from me, my daughter, not his! And

the kind of things my mother must have gone through. She must have experienced moods that made her decide to pack up and leave him, to give up everything she’d ever known to keep

B

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Gifts

15 – A Pawn in

Game–2

Why did I let myself get so wrapped up in this world? I

behind me,

eyes to him but Kent holds

nods pointedly at the ring on my hand, “that our agreement, years ago, to unite our families through marriage is holding strong. Your daughter is engaged to my son. I anticipate that the wedding will be swift, in the next few months,

is low in his throat. “This is a trick,” he says. “How can they be

quick to answer. “We met before, by some miracle,” he says, giving Alden a small but

conveniently, of the fact that we broke

look between Daniel and his father, and then over at mine, and suddenly realize that Daniel is in on this. He and his father carefully planned this meeting, this conversation. In one swoop, they gave Alden back his daughter and claimed me as their

matter what I want at all, whether or not I want to marry Daniel. Because Daniel,

mouth to protest, but Alden

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