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“Aan wiped his hands on his coat as if they had been soiled
“I have no doubt you feel you deserved more from me,” the old man said icily “Indeed, at one ti to the stage I would have done a great deal for you, had you chosen any other profession”
“Now I understand why you've always hated the theater,” Logan muttered “It reminds you of my mother”
Rochester's eyes flashed with anger “I gave Elizabeth a better life than she'd ever known before And she would still be alive today if not for you You were too large for her—she died because of your confounded size, gluttonous brat that you were”
The accusation rang like a gunshot in the rooan nearly reeled backward fro ill
Although Rochester's demeanor was as callous as before, his tone softened as he remarked, “You couldn't help it, I suppose”
Groping for the edge of the table, Logan leaned I against it once aze locked on the old man's face “Have you ever told Andrew about me?” he heard himself ask
Rochester shook his head “I never saw the need And considering his recent round of indulgences, I think it would do him harm to find out now I haven't seen hi to finish him off”
“I don't bla When Mrs Florence told me that you were my father, I reached for the nearest bottle myself”
“Nell…that interfering old cat,” Rochester said, stroking his chin and scowling “I always knew she would make trouble someday Why did she choose to approach you now?”
Logan wasn't about to explain anything about the situation with Madeline or his ie He would let Rochester find out from someone else “I don't know”
“Well…ill your next e some sort of reunion with Andrew and inform him that you're his half brother?”
Logan shook his head “As far as I'ht”
Rochester seemed surprised “I hope you're aware that even if I choose to acknowledge you, there is no legal right of inheritance for illegitimate issue—”
“I want nothing to do with you—not one bloody shilling”
“If that's how you want things to be—”
“It's what you've wanted since the day I was born,” Logan said bitterly “I'll be happy to honor your wishes You have only one son God spare him from your fatherly attentions”
“I've done perfectly well by Andrew,” the old man retorted “It's you who have made him into the drunken spendthrift he is today”
Logan stared at him in stunned belief “Me?”
“Don't think I'iven uided attempts to help hia as he has someone to assume his debts”
“You'd rather have him crippled by the sharps he owes money to? They'll send someone to break every bone in his body…and that's if he's lucky”
“Andreill have to face the consequences of his actions Otherwise he'll land in debtor's prison when I'ain”
“Gladly” Soan pushed away from the table and headed to the door
“Scott,” the old man murmured
Logan stopped at the door without looking back He waited until he heard Rochester speak oncereflective “I alondered why you chose the stage You would have been successful in anything—you have a great deal of me in you”
“You're right,” Logan said, his voice thick with self-hatred He turned toward his father To his horror, he realized that he shared more than superficial similarities with Rochester Self-centered andto invest their ti for soh time, I'll probably turn out to be a ruthless bastard just like you And the reason I took to the stage was that I had no other choice It was in my blood”
“Like your mother” Rochester studied him intently “I'll admit, you've always resembled Elizabeth too dauess what it does to Nell to look at you”
Logan left without replying, feeling as if the hounds of hell were chasing him
Madeline sat on the corner of the canopied bed in her roo stacks of trunks and boxes that lined the walls Most of her belongings were being packed and sent to Logan's London ho would take place in a week's tian's London estate Despite the Matthewses' assertions that it would be more proper for the cerean had refused Madeline knew that he intended to control every detail of the wedding, with no interference allowed
“Madeline!” Her older sister Justine appeared in the doorway, her eyes sparkling with excite preparations Althea had sent a warratulations, but unfortunately wouldn't be able to attend the wedding, as she was in Scotland with her husband, awaiting at any day the birth of their first child
“He's here!” Justine exclai up the drive”
Madeline felt a pang of nerves in her sto the past week, she had not been permitted to see the letters She had found it difficult to eat and sleep, wondering if he would change hisher
“You must finish your supper,” her“If you lose any ht actually attempt to upbraid us for it—and if he does, I shall certainly set him in his place”
Madeline went to theher skirts and jerking her bodice into place In spite of her weight loss, her brsts pushed against the own until the stitches strained to contain them
“Do so with your hair,” Justine advised impatiently “It looks like a bird's nest”
Pulling the pins from her hair, Madeline brushed and braided it mechanically, and fastened a coiled knot at her nape Justine joined her at thea few tiny curls to her forehead and te her own flawless reflection, Justine smiled in satisfaction
Even in childhood, Justine had aold beauty and her reirl who never behaved badly, broke a toy, or got her shoesher season, she had been pursued by the ible men in London, and even a few French nobleworth, a wealthy viscount Justine was, and alould be, the pride of the Matthehereas she, Madeline, was the shame of the family
As Justine urged her to hurry, Madeline inserted the last pin in her hair and pinched her cheeks to ian had already been shown to the parlor, where Agnes had received him with a minimum of cordiality