Secrets at Oakwood Manor

Prolog

The night was a peaceful one with the trees standing at attention. The sky was clear as water in a glass, and the wind was quiet as a sleeping child. In the ladies' room of Brodrick's house, soft grunts were heard as the lady of the house gave her last and final push.

"Well done, Martha, three healthy boys. This will be wonderful news for the town." the Doctor said as he cleaned the last child.

"Please do not let their father know there are three of them." she panted, looking at her beautiful sons. "He will kill the others. He only wishes for one heir, not three."

The doctor looked at the maid who helped with the delivery, shocked at the lady's news. The maid returned her gaze to Martha. Knowing this to be true, she asked in a hushed whisper, "What shall we do?"

"We will hide them in plain sight." She replied, breathlessly. The maid nodded, looking around the room for a place to hide two of the boys. She spotted the cabinet taking one boy wrapped in a warm blanket. He laid him among the shoes at the bottom, hiding him well enough. The doctor understood the reasons behind the mother's wishes and brought one brother over to hide as well. The moment the maid closed the cabinets's doors, there was a knock on the bedroom door.

"My dear, may I enter?" came a harsh voice from the other side.

Martha looked at her two accomplices, praying they would keep her secret. Both nodded in agreement to unspoken words just as the door swung open. Lord Edmond Brodrick was a stern man with brown hair and brown eyes. He was not tall like most men, but tall enough to tower over his wife. He was a mean man no one would want to cross. All feared him when in his presence.

The Doctor busied himself with putting his things away as the maid picked up the third boy, the only one visible in the room.

"I have not heard you scream in quite a while. Pray tell you you have given me an heir?" asked the man looking at the maid for confirmation. His face remained stern and focused, as if he would kill the child if it were not a male.

"She has given you an heir, my lord," replied the maid holding out the boy.

"About bloody time," he replied with relief, as he took his son from the maid. "Four daughters and now I get an heir."

He looked at his wife, who smiled up at him. "Are you pleased?"

"I am." he said, but his face paled, "There is just the one?"

"Yes, just the one," Replied the doctor and nerves maid at the same time.

"That is a relief, what shall we call him?" Lord Broderick asked, not looking at his wife.

"Wesley," replied his exhausted mother. "Wesley Edmond Broderick."

"Edmond? Are you sure?"

"I am."

"Hello, Lord Westley Edmond Broderick." His father smiled at him with pure joy. "I thought for sure there would be two babies."

"Why would you think that," inquired the doctor, looking a little worried. Lord Broderick didn't look up to see the secret glance the doctor gave towards the cabinet.

"You of all should know. Have you not delivered my wife three times now? The first two were twin girls. Thus giving me four daughters." He replied, handing his son to his mother. He then kissed his wife and left her to rest. Before closing her door he said, "You did well my dear if you had over one heir I would have killed the second one, like I had promised."

"I will thank the lord for my Wesley." Lady Broderick said, looking at her husband with fearful eyes. When the door closed, they waited for a moment before retrieving the other two from the cabinet. The new mother cried. She didn't know how, but she needed to keep her three sons a secret from her husband. She could not bear to think of him killing even one.

Lady Martha Brodrick was a lovely lady. She had dark brown hair that hung past her waist, her blue eyes sparkled when she laughed, and she looked ten years younger than her actual age of eight and twenty. Martha was one you wanted to be friends with, for she knew how to keep a secret. Her boys would be the biggest secret she would have to keep.

Lord Edmond Brodrick was a stern man. He was the second born, a twin in his time. Martha knew all about Edmond's father and the cruelty he received. His father shunned him from the day he was born. His brother Thomas received everything, his father's fortune, his love and devotion and his blessing. They forced Edmond to marry Martha Livingston after Thomas had ruined her. Her dowry was Brodrick house, a small team of servants and just enough to live comfortably. Still, Edmond had to work for his brother saw fit. Most of the time it was clearing the road, mending a roof, or helping the farmers in the field as he watched.

Edmond did not need to work, but Thomas made Edmond do his will. Edmond hated his brother and his father more than anything. He vowed to kill any twin male Martha born to save his second son the pain he had received. Pain he did not believe he deserved. He wanted what his brother had denied because he was the second born. Edmond would never allow that to happen to his son should there be two. For one had to die. This is the reason Martha had to hide her boys.

*****Hello friends. I have missed you all an have missed writing. My kids have been keeping me busy and its seams to be calming down we shall see. Please do not take my work. That is just rude. Thanks for sticking around please comment, vote or don't I get it! Until next time, stay warm, dry and sleep well. *****