Aiden doubted the man saw him as a threat in any way because children born out of wedlock were not allowed to inherit, even if the parents eventually married. Only those born within the union of a marriage had any rights, so Wyeth would still inherit his father’s titles and properties.

She nodded. “Allow me to introduce Mr. Aiden Trewlove.”

“Trewlove. That’s a name that seems to be on everyone’s lips these days. I don’t know whether to be delighted to make your acquaintance or appalled.”

“Appalled is probably the safer way to go,” Finn assured him, drawing Wyeth’s attention.

“Another bastard, I assume, as I see Father’s likeness in you as well,” the young lordling said. He looked at his mother. “Also yours?”

She shook her head.

“Finn was born about six weeks after I was,” Aiden said.

“Your father always did have strong appetites.” The countess had some color in her cheeks now, perhaps because she’d spoken of something so intimate. “It was unusual for him to be satisfied with . . . one . . . lady.” Her voice had gone faint as she went pale and began to sway.

Both Aiden and Wyeth reached her at the same time, assisting her onto the settee.

“My apologies. It seems I’m not as recovered as I thought.”

“Here.” Finn held out a glass of water he’d retrieved from a table that housed several decanters.

Taking it from him, Aiden wrapped his mother’s fingers around it. “You need to drink this, get some fluids into you. Dr. Graves’s orders.”

“Yours as well it seems. Your mother raised you boys well.” Following his command, she slowly sipped.

Sitting beside her, Wyeth took her free hand. His concern was evident in his eyes and the gentleness with which he treated her. “Why didn’t you come to me when you realized what Father had done to you?”

“I didn’t realize, not at first. I simply thought I’d eaten something that had gone bad. I went to Aiden’s club to speak with him, to confess he was my son . . . only I worsened, and he saw to me.”

“Well, you’re not staying here. You’ll come to my residence where you’ll be safe.” He shook his head, his jaw taut. “I suppose he sought to rid himself of you because someone younger, equally beautiful caught his fancy. The Duchess of Lushing, perhaps. I saw him follow her out into the garden on the day the duke was laid to rest. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt—that he sought to console her. But I would not be at all surprised to discover he’d propositioned her. I should have gone after him.”