Honor in the Dust by Gilbert Morris

bride, but Stuart would no doubt hear the story if they stayed anywhere near Stoneybrook.
    â€œI did wrong my brother. He’s your uncle, you know.”
    â€œWhat did you do to him?”
    â€œTell him the truth, Claiborn. He’ll hear it anyway,” Grace said.
    â€œWell, your Uncle Edmund was going to marry your mother, but she didn’t love him. For some strange reason, she always loved me.”
    â€œAnd so you ran away with her, didn’t you?”
    â€œWell, I went to my brother and tried to reason with him, but he was angry and wouldn’t listen. I suppose he had a right, but he didn’t love your mother the way I did. So we ran off to be married and then settled in Ireland.”
    Stuart’s eyes were fastened on the two of them. “Maybe he won’t still be angry. It’s been a long time.”
    â€œAlmost fourteen years, but we’ll have to find out when we see him. Now, let’s go on. I’d like to make Stoneybrook before dark.”

    â€œIt’s so big!” Stuart said. He was staring at the castle and the town and the outlying fields. “This is all your brother’s?”
    â€œYes, it is. Not nearly as big as some. Come along. Let’s go.” He heard his name called, and he looked up to see Orrick, who saw to the management of the fields, coming toward him, surprise washing across his face. He stopped in front of the three and grinned broadly. “Well, you’re back again, Mr. Winslow.”
    â€œYes, I am, Orrick. You’re looking well.”
    â€œAnd you don’t, if I may say so.”
    â€œWell, we’ve had a hard journey.”
    â€œDid your brother send for you?”
    Knowing what was in Orrick’s mind, he said, “No, but I need to see him. Would you go tell him and my mother that we’re here?”
    â€œAye, I’ll tell them. I’m glad to see you, Mr. Winslow,” he said in encouragement. “Others will be too, regardless of how your brother responds. Will you wait here or come in?”
    â€œWe’d better wait out here.”

    Edmund sat in front of a fire half asleep and frowned when Orrick entered his private parlor uninvited. “M’lord, you’re wanted in the courtyard.”
    â€œWhat? Wanted by whom?”
    Orrick looked down at the floor, as if unwilling to say what he must. “It’s your brother, Mr. Claiborn Winslow, and he has his wife and son with him.”
    Edmund jumped to his feet. “What’s the villain doing here?”
    â€œHe wants to see you, m’lord. I might say he looks pretty bad. Very much like a sick man. They’re all pretty worn down.”
    Edmund scowled at Orrick. “That’s none of my affair! In the courtyard, you say?”
    â€œYes, m’lord. They wouldn’t come in.”
    â€œI should think not.”
    Edmund dashed out of the room. When he burst into the open air and saw his brother standing there, he could not speak for a moment. Indeed, Orrick had spoken the truth. Claiborn was not the same man. He was so changed that for a moment Edmund could not believe it was Claiborn, but the anger rose in him as his eyes fell on Grace and then on the boy.
That could have been my son
, he thought bitterly.
    He stopped in front of Claiborn and said, “Why are you here? No one sent for you.”
    â€œWell, yes, someone did, in a way.”
    â€œWho took that liberty? Certainly not I.”
    â€œI got a letter from Mother.”
    Edmund could not answer for a moment. His anger was not flaring now; it was a dull, steady glow. “You can’t stay here. Get out.”
    â€œPlease, Edmund, forgive me. I know I wronged you.”
    â€œOh, now that you’re starving and have no place else to go, you’re sorry! Where have you been with your sorrow all these years?”
    â€œI would have asked earlier, but I didn’t think it would do any good.”
    â€œIt won’t. You