Bringing Emma Home. Stella MacLean
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it were true. No woman would want to go through a birth and the raising of a child without some sort of family support.
And why had she done the test if she didn’t plan to tell him? Had she had a relationship with another man and wanted to be certain that he couldn’t claim the child? She was obviously a rich woman. Had a man she’d dated tried to say the daughter was his?
The lawyer hadn’t said how old the little girl was. Maybe she was too young to be his daughter. He knew the exact weekend he’d spent with Deidre, so if the child had been born more than nine months after that, she couldn’t be his. Had Deidre appointed him guardian because she thought he would do what he could for her daughter, regardless of whether or not he was the father?
As he mulled it all over, he could not understand her motivations. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t figure out why she would keep the paternity of her daughter a secret, yet name him as the child’s father in her will. It made zero sense. Even if Deidre was trying to prevent another man from gaining custody of the child, there were more effective—and less destructive—ways to do so.
For now, he would concentrate on the road ahead and trying to ease Grace’s concerns about what they’d face at the lawyer’s office. “I booked us into the nicest inn around the area. Might as well enjoy being comfortable while we get this over with.”
He glanced at her, at the way her golden hair fell around her cheeks, at her beautiful lips and the set of her chin. All features he was intimately acquainted with and loved about her. He squeezed her hand. “We’re going to be fine. This will be settled easily. I’ll have our lawyer look after the details of a second DNA test and then we’ll head back home. When we get home I’d like us to plan a trip to Europe. We’ve talked about it, but now I think we should do it. We’ve earned our time away to explore all those places we learned about in school. What do you say?”
“Aidan, will you stop? We—if there is a we when this is over—have more important things to deal with.”
“But all this doesn’t change the fact that we deserve a wonderful trip away from here, from my business and all that it entails. I’m also offering you the shopping trip of a lifetime—anywhere in Europe you’d like to go. You’ll have a chance to shop to your heart’s content. Will you think about it?”
“Let’s get this meeting over first,” Grace said, her lips set in a firm line.
She didn’t touch his arm as she often did when they were driving together. He missed her touch, the way it made him feel.
They drove into downtown Spartanburg to the address they had for the law office. It was an elegant older home just off the main street with a wide verandah and tall white columns flanking the entranceway. Upon entering the cool, open foyer, they were greeted by a woman wearing an impeccable navy suit. She smiled at them as she introduced herself and led them to a quiet, high-ceilinged room at the rear of the building. “Mr. Knowles will be with you momentarily. Is there anything I can get either of you? A coffee perhaps? Soft drink?”
“Nothing for me,” Aidan said as Grace shook her head.
Aidan focused on the space to keep his mind from what was about to happen. The wood paneling and large window with teal satin drapes that looked out into the back garden dominated the room. There was no desk, only an antique table and chair placed along the wall near the window. The opposite wall contained a credenza that spanned its length. “This isn’t your typical lawyer’s office,” Aidan said to overcome the hushed silence of the room.
“This must be one of those boutique law firms that specializes in estate work,” Grace said, remaining where she’d stood since they walked into the room.
He came toward her, his arms aching to wrap her in his embrace. “Are you okay? You were pretty quiet in the car.”
She shrugged. “What did you expect from me under the circumstances?”
“I—I don’t know. Maybe a word of encouragement?”
“Really? You wrecked my life. You insisted that I come here. What more can you ask of me?”
The door opened and a man entered, his navy tailored suit and gold tie a perfect accent for the room, his dark hair and mustache impeccable. “I’m Larry Knowles. So glad you could make it today,” he said without shaking hands. “Shall we get started?” he asked, pointing to the two chairs across from the table. He smoothed his tie as he sat. “Mr. Fellowes, as I explained on the phone, you have been named by Ms. MacPherson to be guardian of her only daughter. She has left very clear instructions as to how this will be worked out.”
“Please stop right there. My wife and I, for personal reasons, do not believe that I am the biological parent of this child. We want the DNA test done by a reputable lab of our choosing before we go any further with this discussion.”
Larry Knowles sat back in his chair, a surprised look on his face. “DNA is conclusive proof as far as I’m aware.”
“That’s assuming that the samples gathered were handled correctly, and that the lab followed strict procedures. I am not aware as to how or where my DNA was collected, and if it was collected in such a way to establish it was mine. It certainly was done without my permission. How have you determined that the DNA used to establish paternity was, in fact, mine?” he asked, his gaze locked on this annoying man who seemed so confident.
“It’s true that I cannot personally vouch for the authenticity of the sample. Of course, I’m relying on Ms. MacPherson’s information,” the lawyer said, showing his first moment of uncertainty.
“Then it only seems right to me, given how much is at stake, that the testing be done again. I’m sure there is lots of Ms. MacPherson’s DNA still present in her home, and I’m willing to provide a fresh sample for examination.”
Larry Knowles looked straight at Aidan, started to say something, then stopped. He glanced quickly at Grace, then back to Aidan. “I have no reason whatsoever to doubt Deidre MacPherson. She was a friend as well as a client. But I do see your point. My only wish is that you do it quickly as possible. Emma is living in her home with her nanny, and this needs to be resolved.”
“What happens to Emma when it is proven that my husband isn’t the father?” Grace asked.
“You have to understand that Deidre was absolutely positive that your husband was the father of her little girl. Having no close family she wanted to give her daughter to, she chose the biological father as guardian in the event Deidre didn’t live to see her child grow to adulthood. If, for whatever reason, your husband doesn’t take the child, she will be a ward of the state, which means that foster care will have to be arranged,” the lawyer said.
“Are you certain there is no family for her?” Aidan asked. “None at all?”
“A cousin who is in her sixties.” The lawyer glanced between them. “Look, I know this is a shock for both of you. And I understand you feel there has been a serious mistake made. If you’ll give me the name of the lab you want to deal with, I will make arrangements for Emma to be tested along with you. But in the meantime, Deidre had one more request.”
“What is it?” Aidan asked, suddenly afraid that it might be some sort of burial request since she had no family. He didn’t want to put Grace through anything more than was necessary.
“Deidre put together a video of Emma’s life over the past four years. It’s simply a visual portrait of a little girl who was the light of her mother’s life. They were very close and Emma is a beautiful little girl. Deidre wasn’t certain how you’d respond to her last wishes and so she requested that you watch the video before you left my office. It won’t take long.”
He opened a drawer and brought out a laptop, setting it on the desk in front of Aidan and Grace. A few clicks and the screen glowed blue before the picture of a newborn appeared. “I’ll leave you to watch the video and be back in a few minutes.”
Unable to stop himself, Aidan leaned toward the screen.