Читаем A Dangerous Fortune (1994) полностью

"Solly knew it, and he knew the child was not his," Greenbourne went on. "He took her all the same--against my will, I need hardly add. People generally don't know this, of course: we went to great lengths to keep it secret, but there's no need to any longer, how that--" He broke off, swallowed hard, and continued. "They went around the world after the wedding. The child was born in Switzerland; they gave out a false birth date; by the time they came home, having been away for almost two years, it was hard to tell that the baby was actually four months older than they said."

Hugh felt as if his heart had stopped. There was a question he had to ask, but he was terrified of the answer. "Who--who was the father?"

"She would never say," Greenbourne said. "Solly never knew."

But Hugh did.

The child was his.

He stared at Ben Greenbourne, unable to speak.

He would talk to Maisie, and make her tell the truth, but he knew she would confirm his intuition. She had never been promiscuous, despite appearances. She had been a virgin when he seduced her. He had made her pregnant, on that first night. Then Augusta had contrived to split them up, and Maisie had married Solly.

She had even called the baby Hubert, a name closely similar to Hugh.

"It is appalling, of course," Greenbourne said, seeing his consternation and misunderstanding the reason for it.

I have a child, Hugh thought. A son. Hubert. Called Bertie. The thought wrenched at his heart.

"However, I'm sure you now see why I don't wish to have anything more to do with the woman or her child, now that my dear son has passed away."

"Oh, don't worry," Hugh said distractedly. "I'll take care of them."

"You?" Greenbourne said, mystified. "Why should it be any concern of yours?"

"Oh ... well, I'm all they've got, now, I suppose," Hugh said.

"Don't get sucked in, young Pilaster," Greenbourne said kindly. "You've got a wife of your own to worry about."

Hugh did not want to explain and he was too dazed to make up a story. He had to get away. He stood up. "I must go. My deepest condolences, Mr. Greenbourne. Solly was the best man I ever knew."

Greenbourne bowed his head. Hugh left him.

In the hall with the shrouded mirrors he took his hat from the footman and went out into the sunshine of Piccadilly. He walked west and entered Hyde Park, heading for his home in Kensington. He could have taken a hansom but he wanted time to think.