“Yes or no?” Charles insisted.
Robert drew a deep breath. “Yes.”
“Are you certain?” Charles asked. Placing his hands on his brother’s shoulders, he looked into Robert’s eyes. “Are you certain you love her? Or is this just some infatuation that you won’t even remember in a few days?”
Eyes wide, Robert shook his head. “No, I love her. She’s…” Still staring at his brother, Robert shook his head. “I don’t understand. How do you know? And how can you be so…understanding? Are you not angry with me? I thought you would be furious.”
“If I loved her the way you love her, I suppose I would be,” Charles said, taking a step back, his eyes still focused on his brother. “She is incredibly important to me, though, and I will not allow her to be used. So, I ask you again: are your intentions honourable?”
“How can you ask me this?” Robert snorted. Had he gone mad? “If I could, I’d marry her in a heartbeat. There, does that answer your question?”
Charles smiled. “It does, yes.”
Eyes narrowing, Robert stepped forward, searching his brother’s face. “What is going on? Even if you do not love her as much as…”
“As you love her?” Charles finished.
Robert sighed. “Yes. I do not understand why you’re not furious with me. She is your wife.” He took a step closer, staring at his brother. “Your wife. And I am your brother. How does this not bother you?”
Not blinking, Charles looked at him. “I told you why. Yes, I love Isabella, but not the way you do. Not the way a husband should, I suppose.” He shrugged. “However, we are a good match, or we were until you stole her heart.”
“How did you know?” Robert asked. “How long have you known?”
Meeting his brother’s eyes, an amused smile curled up Charles’s lips. “Dear Brother, simply because you refuse to tell me something does not mean I do not know.” Apparently delighted with the shocked expression on Robert’s face, he chuckled, “Moments after we had spoken our vows, I knew that something had changed. I could see it plainly on your face and hers. Then later, when I saw you dance with her, the way you looked at her, I thought to myself I had never seen you so bewitched.” He laughed. “Don’t forget, Brother, I’ve seen you pursue many a lady before, but none ever held your interest the way Isabella did from the first moment you saw her.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Robert whispered, still dumbfounded by his brother’s revelations.
“Well, at first, I wasn’t quite certain of either one of your intentions,” he admitted. “I didn’t want Isabella to get hurt if your interest proved merely temporary or you if I had misinterpreted hers. However, later that night when she confessed to me that someone had stolen her heart, I knew that she spoke of you when she couldn’t quite answer my question of why she hadn’t told me before the wedding. I told her I would have released her of her promise.” A sad smile came to his face as he shook his head. “Of course, she couldn’t have. Since you slept in that day, the two of you only met after we were already married.”
Robert closed his eyes. Hearing the events of the last two days put in such simple terms, he felt at a loss. Charles was right. If he had only met Isabella before the wedding, things would be different now. But he hadn’t, and now she was married to his brother. “I can’t believe you knew all this time,” Robert whispered. “I was so terrified of hurting you, of losing you. I was sure I would go mad.”
“I’m sorry,” Charles said, placing a hand on Robert’s shoulder. “I suppose I should have said something. I never meant to hurt you either. However, we hadn’t seen each other in so long that a part of me couldn’t help but wonder if things had changed between us. Despite our differences, we used to be so close, and I really missed that. I just wasn’t sure if you did, too. I wanted you to confide in me, Brother, the way you did when we were children. I wanted you to tell me,” a deep smile came to his face, “and I’m glad you did.”
Pulling him into his arms, Robert hugged his brother as he hadn’t since they had been children, and Charles returned his embrace just as warmly. Feeling his eyes grow moist, Robert stepped back and looked into his brother’s eyes. “You’re right. We should never have drifted apart like this. I should have returned home sooner. I’m sorry.”
“You’re here now,” Charles said, his own eyes glistening as well. “That’s all that matters.”
Robert nodded, a relieved smile on his face, and yet, he knew that none of this changed the truth. “I’m so sorry,” he said, feeling the need to apologise despite his brother’s explanations. “I never meant to fall in love with her; with your wife.”
“I know that, Robert. I never blamed you. Just like you cannot stop yourself from loving her, I cannot make myself love her. I mean, I love her…just not the way you do; the way she ought to be loved.”
Robert frowned. “Then why did you marry her?”
Charles smiled. “Because we suit each other. I can talk to her. We care about the same things, and in many ways, we are very much alike. Neither one of us sought a love match. I suppose we would have been quite happy if you hadn’t come along.” Charles grinned. “Maybe I shouldn’t have invited you to my wedding after all.”
Robert laughed, feeling a heavy burden lifted off his shoulders. Despite the mess they still found themselves in, the world was not as bleak as it had been a mere hour ago. With his brother by his side, maybe they could find a way.
Maybe.
Charles sighed. “I don’t know what we would have done if I had loved her, too. I suppose then we’d truly have a problem.”
“We still do,” Robert said, realising that all the hope in the world could not change the fact that his brother was married to the woman he loved. “Even if we both agree that she should be my wife, she is not. She is yours, and there is nothing we can do to change that.”
An amused grin came to Charles’ face as he looked into Robert’s eyes. “You are certainly right that Isabella is married to Charles Dashwood, and that is something we cannot change. However, everything else is open for interpretation.”
Shaking his head, Robert stared at his brother. “What on earth are you talking about?”
Chapter Twelve − Rewards & Sacrifices
Unable to believe his ears, Robert looked at his brother. After having accepted that, despite having every reason to be furious with him, Charles was still on his side, Robert still could not understand the delighted gleam that clung to his brother’s eyes. “What do you mean?” he asked again. “What is open for interpretation?”
After eyeing his brother carefully, Charles stepped forward, once again placing his hands on Robert’s shoulders. “Listen, Big Brother, you are the most important person in the world to me, and I would do anything to see you happy.”
Feeling the warmth of his brother’s words, Robert smiled at him.
“If you truly love Isabella,” Charles continued, his eyes so intently on his brother’s that Robert thought he should be able to read his thoughts, “and if you believe in your heart that your love will last, then I will help you.”
Robert frowned. “What are you talking about? Nothing can be done. She is your wife. Even if you divorced her, she would still be considered my sister. Even if we would all be willing to live with the social repercussions of such an action, I could never marry her.”
“I am not talking about a divorce,” Charles said. “You are absolutely right. It is not a solution at all. However, there is another way.”
As though his brother had slapped him, Robert’s eyes opened wide. Could his brother be serious? Was there truly a way for him and Isabella to be together? How could there be if a divorce was out of the question? If Isabella and his brother didn’t get a divorce, they would always be considered married. How could there be another solution?
“However, it would require sacrifices,” Charles warned. “Nothing in this world is for free especially in your situation. Do not take this lightly, Robert. You would
have to give up who you are in order to be with her. Are you willing to make that sacrifice?”
Robert shook his head, trying to understand what his brother was saying. “Give up who I am? What does that mean? Charles, you speak in riddles. Please just tell me what it is you’re suggesting!” Feeling his heart hammering in his chest, Robert took a deep breath. He was starting to feel light-headed.
“Do you remember the summer Father finally agreed to take us to London?” Charles asked.
Robert nodded, the hint of a smile coming to his face. “What was it? Two, three years after you shot Mr. Punham?”
Charles chuckled, then sobered and looked at his brother with regretful eyes. “Father was disappointed in you for a long time.” He shook his head. “I still cannot believe you did this for me.”
Robert shrugged. “It wasn’t really such an awful punishment. After all, I never really did want to go to London, at least, not if it meant spending my time in stuffy museums and boring ballrooms.”
“Yes, but you were locked inside all summer, and you did feel Father’s disappointment. The way he looked at you, did it not make you regret what you had done? Was there never a moment when you wanted to tell him that it had been me?”
Robert shrugged, unsure what his brother was trying to tell him. “Maybe once or twice.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“Because it only ever occurred to me when I was mad at you for something,” Robert said. “And even then, I knew that should I reveal the truth in a fit of anger, I would regret it later. You’re my brother, Charles. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
A warm smile spread over his brother’s face, and he nodded his head. “I feel the same way.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Robert said, “but what does that have to do with the situation we find ourselves in now? Why did you ask me about London?”
“Because during that summer, we heard the story of the Duval Brothers. Do you remember?”
Just when Robert was about to shake his head, a distant memory called to him. “A little,” he mumbled, trying to recall details. “Only that they always got into all kinds of trouble.”
“They did,” Charles nodded. “They enjoyed playing everyone for a fool. Never could they resist the temptation to do so. Not once.”
“I remember. But what does that have to do with us?”
Charles chuckled as though Robert was a fool himself for not seeing the answer. “How was it that they always managed to fool people?”
Robert shrugged. “Well, they were twins. They always swapped places, pretending to be the other, especially with people who didn’t know they were twins.”
“Right,” Charles said. “How come we never did that?”
Robert laughed. “Because you just wouldn’t, remember? Even as a boy, you were so blasted honourable that you ruined all the fun.”
Grinning, Charles nodded. “Well, I suppose the real reason why we would never have been successful lies within our differences. Do you still think that to be true?”
Robert frowned. “That we’re different? I suppose so, yes. However, I have to admit that I am beginning to tire of certain aspects of life which I used to think essential to my happiness while at the same time I long for others that I never gave a second thought to before. Does that answer your question?”
“It is a good start.”
“A good start?” Robert echoed, starting to feel annoyed. “Charles, please would you just say what you mean?”
“Do you really not know?” his brother asked, eyebrows raised in question. “Have I not given you enough clues?”
“Clues to what? All you did was talk about twins fooling people into believing they were the other.” The second the words left his lips, Robert stopped. Raising his eyes to his brother, he found an answering grin on his face. “You’re not serious?”
“I am if you are.”
Robert shook his head, shocked beyond comprehension. “How can you suggest something like this?”
“It is the only way for you to be happy.”
“But…?” Raking his hands through his hair, Robert began to pace the room, occasionally glancing up at his brother, wondering if he had lost his mind.
“If it ensured your happiness, I would not hesitate,” Charles stated, his eyes serious again. “However, this is not a decision to be made lightly. We are not talking about playing a prank one afternoon. If we do this, it will be for good. There are many aspects to consider.”
Robert stared at his brother. “I can’t even think straight.” He swallowed. “Just to be clear, you are suggesting that we trade identities…for the rest of our lives?”
Charles nodded, once again stepping up to his brother. “Isabella is married to Charles Dashwood. We cannot change that. The question is do you want to be Charles Dashwood if the prize is her hand in marriage?”
Robert swallowed. “Do I want to be…?” He took a deep breath. “I love her,” he said, trying to focus on the one thing that remained a constant in this whirlwind. “I would love nothing more than to be married to her for the rest of my life.” He frowned. “But trading identities? Are you serious? Don’t you think people will know?”
Charles shrugged. “I am not saying it will be easy. However, we have never fooled people like this as children or even as adults so that it is not something predominant on their minds. However, we will need to adapt our behaviour, both of us.” Leaning forward, Charles looked at him intently. “This is not a matter of you cutting your hair and putting on proper clothes.”
Looking down at his rather casual attire, Robert chuckled.
“This is about being who we are not,” Charles cautioned. “You would need to adapt a more serious and collected demeanour, showing interest in cultural and historical aspects. You would be responsible for Bridgemoore as I have been all those years.” Charles paused. “And yet, you would lose your title. Have you thought about that? Your children would not inherit your title.”
Robert shrugged. “I never wanted the blasted title to begin with so this aspect is actually good news. But what about you? You would have to be me? Do you think you can do this?”
Charles shrugged, for the first time looking uncertain about the suggestion he had made. “I would do my utmost.”
Robert shook his head. “If we are truly going to do this, then we need to make it as easy on ourselves as we possibly can.”
“What do you mean?”
He took a deep breath, contemplating what it would be like to trade lives with his brother. “Well, I just think that people will notice if we are to remain in the same lives we have always lived. Maybe we should make a few changes.”
“What changes?” Charles asked. “Do you not think that making changes will arouse suspicion?”
“Not necessarily,” Robert said. “Listen, when I came back here, I had every intention of leaving again and going back to the life I’d lived before. However, the last few days have truly changed me. Coming home after all this time and seeing you again made me realise that maybe I am ready to settle down myself. Is that so unreasonable?”
Charles shook his head. “I suppose not. So, you are saying, once I am you, I would stay at Bridgemoore and assume the responsibilities of my title?”
Robert nodded. “You have been doing it all along, and I could never do it as well. And after all, it wouldn’t be my title anymore, would it?”
“Then what about you?” Charles asked. “It makes me truly sad to suggest this, but maybe it would be a bad idea for us to trade places and then live side by side. In comparison, people are bound to notice.”
“I agree,” Robert said. “We should think of something.” He nodded, and a smile spread over his face. “We will.”
Looking at each other, they stood in silence for a moment, each contemplating the future that lay ahead.
“So?” Charles asked. “Are we really going to do this?”
Robert nodded. “If Isabella agrees, then, yes, w
e are.” A smile on his face, he bowed his head. “It is a pleasure meeting you, Lord Norwood.”
Shaking his head, Charles grinned. “I am sure the day will come that I will regret this.”
***
Hurrying downstairs, Isabella did her best not to trip over her feet. She breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped off the last stair, glad to find herself on even ground once more. Following the corridor, she soon found herself outside the small back parlour that had seen so many of her tears. How many more would she shed within its walls?
As the door slid open, her eyes were immediately drawn to the pacing man by the back wall. Walking up and down the Persian rug, he occasionally would stop and shake his head or rake his hands through his hair.
Isabella drew in a sharp breath. What would he tell her? She wondered. How had Charles reacted to his brother’s confession? Deep down, she had expected her husband to come charging into her chamber, yelling and cursing her name. Only Charles wasn’t like that; he wasn’t that kind of man. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t get hurt. Even if he had reacted rationally−as he always did−was his heart now broken? Not because her heart wasn’t his, but because his own brother had gone behind his back?
The thought of causing Charles any pain turned Isabella’s stomach upside down. As much as she loved Robert, she would never be able to live with herself if their peace of mind was built upon Charles’ misery. And yet, speaking the truth had been the only decent course of action, hadn’t it?
Stepping inside, Isabella closed the door.
Robert spun around as he heard her approach. A smile spread over his face, and he held out his hands to receive hers.
Feeling her own tremble, she slipped them into his, feeling their warmth engulf her like a warm blanket on a cold winter’s night. “What did he say?” she breathed, hearing the blood rush in her ears.
For a moment, Robert just looked at her, seemingly unsure how to respond. Then he shrugged, and a most dazzling smile spread over his face.