She had accepted his request for help in baiting their trap. What he hadn’t anticipated was her involvement tonight. Though he would prefer she keep out of harm’s way, he had to admit he liked being with her. If she was indeed going to marry Heinrich and move to his homeland, Daniel would take these last few opportunities to work with Juliette as a gift.

Haverly had cautioned him to say nothing of his possible inheritance just yet, a decision with which Daniel agreed. The viscountess had indicated she intended to dispute any claim against her son’s title, and the battle to prove Daniel’s pedigree and right to the earldom would most likely be protracted and difficult. Before it became public knowledge, Haverly would be putting together Daniel’s case.

Before the duke petitioned the attorney general, Daniel would have to think long and hard about whether he even wanted to pursue the earldom. Precedent said the attorney general would be forced to send the petition to the Select Committee for Privileges for review. At that point the fight could get ugly.

As far as Daniel was concerned, the only reason to pursue this matter was to salvage his mother’s reputation. For himself, he was no landowner, no peer, no gentleman. The old earl’s assertions as to his parentage and pedigree had felt as if they were about a stranger, not him.

If he fought for the title and won, he would have all the rights and responsibilities of a peer. He would own that big house in Kent, Lockewood Hall. He would have a townhouse in London and a proper fortune.

But he would still be that same abandoned boy at heart. He would still be the youngster who had cleaned stables and blacked boots and carried coal buckets and dug potatoes.

Which brought him to all Ed had said of what God had been doing in his life, even though Daniel hadn’t seen it. How Ed believed God had been providing for him, directing his life, and bringing into his path those father figures he craved. Only three days ago Daniel had nearly died, crying out for God to help him, and God had provided Cadogan, who had risked his own life to save Daniel’s. Daniel had thanked Cadogan, but he had neglected to thank God.

I must be the worst of Your children. Thank You for preserving my life, and thank You for putting Cadogan in the right place to save me. I’m still struggling with doubts about fathers, but I do thank You.