She Begged for Milk, Then He Tried to Take the Baby

Chapter 4: The Woman Behind the Mourning Veil

Lady Eleanor Ashford had worn black ever since Daniel's death, but there was nothing mournful in her face when Gabriel opened the apartment door.

She stood in the hallway like a queen entering a ruined kingdom, silver hair pinned perfectly, gloves spotless, eyes cold as winter glass. Two men in dark coats stood behind her.

Ellie held Noah tighter.

Eleanor's gaze fell on the baby first. For one flicker of a second, emotion crossed her face. Not love. Not relief.

Calculation.

"There he is," she said softly. "The child who has caused me so much inconvenience."

Gabriel stepped in front of Ellie. "So it is true."

His mother looked annoyed rather than ashamed. "The truth is rarely clean, Gabriel."

Ellie spoke before fear could stop her. "Why would anyone want a baby dead?"

Eleanor turned toward her. "Because babies grow into heirs."

The room went still.

She explained it with the same tone another woman might use to discuss weather. Daniel had changed his will before his death. If his child lived, the Ashford estate would pass into a trust controlled outside the family. If the child died, everything remained under Eleanor's authority until Gabriel married and produced an heir of his own.

"Daniel became sentimental," she said. "His wife encouraged it."

Gabriel looked sick. "So you took the baby."

"I ordered the situation managed."

Ellie whispered, "My mother took him from you."

Eleanor's mouth tightened. "Your mother stole what was mine to control."

"No," Gabriel said. "She saved him."

Eleanor gave a small, humorless smile. "And now she is dead, and here we are."

Gabriel stepped closer to his mother. "Did you kill Daniel too?"

For the first time, Eleanor did not answer immediately.

That silence said enough.

One of the men moved toward Ellie.

Gabriel swung first.

The room exploded into motion. A lamp crashed. Noah screamed. Ellie ducked behind the sofa as Gabriel fought one guard near the door. The second reached for the baby, but Ellie bit his hand so hard he shouted and let go.

Then, above the noise, Lady Eleanor said something that froze everyone.

"Check the girl too. If she is Daniel's daughter, we take them both."

Gabriel turned sharply.

Ellie stared at him in horror.

And suddenly she understood why her mother had hidden more than one child.