Chapter 17

Brennan stared at them wide-eyed. He had never felt so ridiculous in his entire life.

But everyone could have been wrong! They didn't look alike at all! A bit like Aaron and him, who only had the color of their eyes in common.

Black Thornwood hadn't lost his forbidding air since he had entered the mansion while Justin...

His gaze softened. Justin, it was Justin.

He corrected himself:

-I see. And what don't I know yet?

Black gave a cryptic look while Aaron blushed with apprehension.

It was a good thing Uncle Jack didn't know about their marriage or it would have been a disaster.

-Well, what's up, wimp? exclaimed Uncle Jack, aren't you going to tell your darling big brother the good news?

-What's going on now? Brennan asked, nothing could reach him anymore.

Seeing Black turn pale and Aaron take his head in his hands, it must be very serious.

Black wondered how his uncle had been informed of their situation so quickly.

But he shouldn't have been surprised. The guy had spies everywhere.

He was also happy to declare:

-Congratulations to the happy newlyweds! Although it doesn't really look like a honeymoon given your faces!

And he laughed even more while Justin and Brennan, stunned, tried to remain stoic given the shocking situation.

Brennan addressed his brother,

"This is the old man's invention, isn't it? You can't be married to this man? It's impossible."

-And you don't know the best one, interrupted Uncle Jack. My nephew Black is none other than the great...

Aaron, Justin and Black started yelling at the same time:

-Shut up, Uncle Jack!!

-Holy crap! We have to tell him!

-No, Aaron intervened.

Uncle Jack shrugged:

-Okay. But can I at least tell him about...?

-No!!! Out of the question Justin agitated. He knew that his uncle wanted to tell him who he really was this time.

He stared at an increasingly perplexed Brennan. He had to do everything so that he never knew the truth.

The Duke sighed loudly:

They all took him for an ignoramus but he had understood very well that Black Thornwood was Red Flam. All the pieces of the puzzle fit together perfectly.

He couldn't help but ask his brother how he found himself.....he didn't even dare to say the word...married to the Marquis of Thornwood:

-Can you explain it to me Aaron?

It was Black who suddenly answered in his place:

-To be brief, it was a regrettable joke by my crew but in a few days everything will be back to normal.

Aaron began to yawn impertinently:

-I'm sorry to disappoint you but no one gets divorced in my family.

-Well I suppose there has to be a first time for everything, Black replied more and more

furious.

-Not in my house! Brennan, tell him yourself!

The Duke suddenly understood that his brother was in adoration of Black Thornwood. He had saved his life and he had this cold and mysterious side that must have made all women fall at his feet. He was against this marriage of course and once he returned to normal life, Aaron would wake up from this sweet dream and ask for a divorce himself.

He had always managed not to worry about his private life and to support him no matter what he did. So he would continue like this.

After all, no one would believe that they were married, so there was no rush to dissolve this marriage.

As long as Red Flam didn't endanger Aaron's life, he would let his brother do

what he wanted. He had to be sure of his feelings, though. He didn't want the

marquis to make him suffer.

Marquis! The great Flam Le Rouge was a marquis! It was no wonder that no one

knew his true identity.

He still asked his brother for the sake of conscience:

-Aaron, are you saying that you want to stay married to the Marquis of Thornwood?

-Yes!

-No way, Black replied.

-That's what we'll see!

Black remained silent, outraged by the words of this impertinent little guy while Uncle Jack laughed

heartily:

-They really are crazy about each other, those two!

-Shut up! they cried in unison.

Brennan's gaze lingered on Justin again. What a strange family he had there.

A pirate uncle and brother. It was really not ordinary. He realized how little he knew about him and he wanted to fill that gap.

He turned to Uncle Jack. He would be only too happy to tell the story of his

nephews' childhood.

But when he questioned him, against all expectations, Uncle Jack said nothing. He turned to Paulie and asked him to get his hat. He gave Brennan an apologetic look:

"I never tell a good story without my lucky hat."

Brennan shrugged and waited while the two brothers smiled. Their uncle was

truly incorrigible!

When Paulie finally handed it to him, he proudly placed it on his head and cleared his throat.

Eyes bulging and mouth open, Brennan stared at the center of it.

No, I'm dreaming!

In the middle of the large black tricorne sat the governor's diamond.

He rolled his eyes. But how had he gotten it?

When he asked him, the old gentleman had a strange smile:

-That's another story, my boy. Let's start at the beginning.

The duke listened to him attentively.

-I have always been the black beast of the family. While I was destined to be the Marquis of Thornwood I wanted nothing more than to sail across all the seas of the world but because I was the eldest son, I had to conform to my father's authority and have an education worthy of my rank in order to become the future Marquis.

He paused for a moment, lost in his memories before continuing:

-I tried to conform to what my father wanted of me but I couldn't do it.

I ran away at sixteen without a backward glance. I was first a sailor on a merchant ship until it was boarded by pirates. Either I followed them or it was death.

Holy crap! That was real life!

I quickly got used to my pirate existence and believe me son! You didn't want to get too close to the great Red Satan! It took me several years to build a reputation and when I became captain of my own ship, I could finally sail as I pleased.

And steal from other ships in the process, Brennan thought.

Uncle Jack suddenly darkened:

-When I was thirty-five my destiny caught up with me. My younger brother who had become marquis in my place had died in an accident with his wife and left two toddlers as well as a huge manor and lands as far as the eye could see.

I loved my brother very much and when my father died I quickly returned it to him as soon as I could.

He laughed:

-Of course! He never knew I was a pirate otherwise he would never have entrusted me with his two kids in his will.

As soon as I laid eyes on my nephews who were mourning the death of their parents, I took them with me promising them that the three of us would live lots of adventures. And I kept my word! Right guys? He asked, turning to his men.

Paulie and Logan nodded vehemently:

-Yes boss!

-Since these two rascals were sticking their noses everywhere, they learned very quickly that I was a pirate but that didn't stop me from watching over their education.

After all, I shouldn't have failed in my duty while Black was the Marquis of Thornwood.

But unlike my father, I always let them decide what they wanted to do with their lives and they did damn well!

Either way, Brennan was glad Justin hadn't embraced the pirate life.

He had a hard enough time dealing with his uncle and brother being pirates, but he would deal with it because Justin's love for them was undeniable. Not to mention that his own brother was married to Flam Le Rouge.

He sighed. Anyway, he didn't see his Justin as a pirate at all. Even if he had played him by pretending to be a victim of Red Flam in order to protect him, his courage and his intrepidity impressed him.

He didn't lack guts and he was troubled by it. He realized that no matter what little comedy he had played on him, he was still just as in love with him.

He shook himself and picked up the thread of Uncle Jack's story.

-...and those two, once teenagers, kept measuring each other up whenever they could.

Brennan hadn't seen that Justin had moved and was slowly backing away towards the living room doors.

-They jumped into the open sea and swam to the nearest beach to see who would get there first...

Justin took another step back. He nodded to Paulie and Logan who followed him as Uncle Jack continued to tell his stories:

-In the towns we went to they would amuse themselves by robbing the nobles just to see who was the fastest and I must say that Justin often won at that game.

Justin then went through the doors and ran up the stairs at full speed. He addressed the two pirates:

-We're setting sail! Wait for me outside.

Paulie and Logan, not understanding what was happening, asked him:

-But why? Shouldn't we protect the two Hargroves?

Justin didn't answer. He went into his room.

He put some clothes in a bag but seeing Brennan's shirt lying on his bed, he couldn't help but hug it to his heart. He put it in his bag too.

Uncle Jack, inexhaustible, continued to tell the adventures of his nephews:

-I have always considered them as my own sons and I hope to have been a father to them and to be one for a long time to come.

Aaron saw Black's gaze filled with affection for the old man. He certainly considered himself as his son.

-One day, Justin climbed to the top of the mast of my ship with his bare hands.

You should have seen him screaming at the top of his lungs, his hair flying in the wind that blazed like incandescent flames.

He laughed. So I didn't hesitate to give him a little nickname that suits him perfectly!

Black growled while Brennan, piqued with interest, asked:

-And what did you name him?

Justin was ready. He went back down the stairs and went around the back to escape through the kitchen door.

He was opening it when he heard Brennan scream:

-Justin!!!!!

He ran to the stable where his two men were waiting for him. Fortunately they had already sealed a horse for him.

-Quick! We're getting out of here!

He climbed on it and headed at full speed towards the gate of the manor. The pirates on duty let him pass.

There was nothing to fear, Aaron and Brennan were well protected.

It was better to slip away for a while, until Brennan calmed down. He knew his uncle very well and knew he would not be able to hold his tongue too happy to show Brennan that he had been well had.

The duke must have been furious to know that in fact the great pirate Red Flam... it was him.