Chapter 6 - The Brother Who Was Watching
Evelyn woke near dawn.
Her son slept beside her in a glass bassinet.
Adrian sat in a chair near the window.
He had not changed clothes.
Blood from Rowan's shooting still stained one sleeve.
Evelyn watched him.
"You know something."
Adrian looked up.
"Too many things."
"Tell me."
He moved beside the bed.
"Do you remember your father ever mentioning someone named Gabriel?"
Her expression shifted.
"Gabriel?"
"Yes."
"No."
"Any relative?"
"My father said he had no siblings."
"Your father was Thomas Marlowe."
"Yes."
"What about Daniel?"
Evelyn frowned.
"Daniel?"
Adrian showed her the archive photograph.
Helena stood beside a young engineer.
Evelyn's face changed.
"I've seen him."
"Where?"
"In my father's study."
Adrian leaned closer.
"There was a photograph in a locked drawer. I saw it once when I was a child. My father caught me and burned it."
"Was Daniel in it?"
"I think so."
"And Helena?"
Evelyn nodded slowly.
"She looked like me."
Adrian took her hand.
"There may be a reason."
He told her.
Not everything.
Not Marcus's cruel interpretations.
Not the constitutional consequences.
But enough.
Helena.
The hidden pregnancy.
Daniel Marlowe.
The possibility that Thomas had raised Evelyn as his own.
When Adrian finished, Evelyn stared at the ceiling.
"My whole life..."
"I know."
"My mother..."
"We don't know what happened to Helena."
"My father lied."
"Maybe he was protecting you."
She looked at Adrian.
"And your mother locked me in a cage."
Adrian had no answer.
Evelyn's eyes hardened.
"I want to see her."
"No."
"Adrian."
"Not today."
"She stole twenty-two days of my life."
"I know."
"She told me you were dead."
His jaw tightened.
"She'll answer for it."
Evelyn looked at their sleeping child.
"We need to name him."
The sudden normality almost broke him.
"You still like Alexander?"
"I do."
"Alexander Daniel?"
Evelyn looked at him.
"After a grandfather I never knew?"
"Maybe."
She touched the baby's blanket.
"Alexander Adrian."
He smiled.
"That is dangerously arrogant."
"You're a prince."
"Fair."
A knock sounded.
Rowan entered.
"Sir, we have a security breach."
Adrian stood.
"What kind?"
"A man entered the palace grounds."
"Arrest him."
"We tried."
Rowan looked embarrassed.
"He disabled three guards without seriously injuring them."
"Where is he?"
"He surrendered at the maternity wing."
Evelyn sat up.
"Who?"
Rowan looked at her.
"He says he's your brother."
Adrian reached for his sidearm.
The man from Vale's photographs was waiting in the corridor.
Gabriel Marlowe.
He stood with his hands raised.
"I didn't come to hurt anyone."
Adrian pointed the gun at him.
"Who are you?"
Gabriel looked past him toward Evelyn's room.
"I've spent sixteen years waiting for someone to ask me that."
Evelyn appeared in the doorway.
Her face went pale.
Gabriel saw her.
For the first time, his composure disappeared.
"Eleanor."
Evelyn stared at him.
"My name is Evelyn."
Gabriel's eyes filled with tears.
"That's what they called you after they took you away."
Adrian stepped between them.
"Explain."
Gabriel looked at him.
"Your mother can explain."
"She already has."
"No."
Gabriel shook his head.
"Beatrice only knows half the story."
"And you know the rest?"
Gabriel reached inside his coat.
Adrian raised the gun.
"Slowly."
Gabriel removed a small object.
A child's silver bracelet.
Engraved inside were two names.
GABRIEL.
ELEANOR.
May you like
Evelyn covered her mouth.
Gabriel said, "Our mother gave me this the night she died."
