The Duke of Morewether’s Secret

by Amylynn Bright

  Veronica flirted and the lads who continued to gush over her, to the point where Christian was actually nauseated. “Get them out,” he told the butler indicating the trio of sots. When only Veronica was left in the foyer, he asked her with as much malice as he could contain. “What do you want? You aren’t hiding more of my children from me are you?”

  She flashed him a brilliant smile. “Good morning, Your Grace.”

  “What do you want?” he repeated.

  She ignored the question. Surely she’d written a script for this conversation in her head. Christian should know by now she’d stick to her play until she got the topic to where she wanted it. “How was your honeymoon?” Her smile was knowing.

  “I’m in no mood for games.” Christian told her. He grasped her arm above the elbow and steered her into the closest parlor with alacrity.

  Veronica called over her shoulder. “Send for tea, Riley.”

  “Needn’t bother,” Christian growled. “She won’t be here long enough for that.” He released her arm and she took a couple of reflexive steps back to maintain her balance. “What do you want this time?”

  “Good news,” she told him. “I’ve come to relieve you of Lucy.”

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Thea had been expecting a visitor shortly, but she’d really thought it would have been Christian banging on her door. Despite his best efforts, she’d had many visitors since she instituted her showdown. Of course there had been Lucy the first time with the carpet picnic. Her step-daughter had been a frequent visitor over the last several days. She’d brought cards and reading material, even the great orange cat one time. Her mother-in-law had sneaked in several times with gossip and sewing to pass the time. Anna brought fashion news and tales of their friend’s new baby. Alexios had come back a second time to relate with a great deal of excitement what had brought him to England and all the plans he had breeding his horses with her husband’s. The boys had brought their bug boxes to show her. Each time any of them had come to keep her company, they brought snacks. So much food had been smuggled into the room she had the beginnings of a fine pantry assembled in the wardrobe.

  “Who is it?” she said in a high-pitched, sing song voice.

  “It’s Lucy. Please let me in.”

  The panic in the child’s voice caused Thea to unlock the door immediately. Lucy’s face was tear-streaked and flushed. She rushed into the room and flung her arms around Thea’s waist. “Sweeting, what is the matter?”

  “Please don’t make me leave. I love it here.”

  Thea pulled Lucy’s face away from her chest so she could understand her. “I’d never make you leave. What’s happened? Has your father demanded it?” Anger swamped her like a flashing torrent.

  “No, but it’s going to happen.”

  “Please tell me what’s going on.” She towed Lucy to the bed and sat her on the edge, then she stooped in front of the girl so she could look her in the eyes.

  “My mother is here. She wants to take me home.” She burst into a fresh spate of tears.

  Thea stood in a rush. “Now? She’s here now?” Before Lucy answered, Thea was already heading towards the door. She’d be damned if this selfish husband of hers was going to send his daughter away. How could he even think it?

  For a split second she thought it might be a ruse to get her to open the door, but Lucy’s heartbreaking sobs convinced her otherwise. She tore through the doorway and set off along the hall in a run, the weeping child following behind. “Stay with your grandmother,” Thea told Lucy when they passed her surprised mother-in-law on the stairs. Her youngest brothers were loitering in the front hall, looking as inconspicuous as possible.

  “Where are they?” she asked. Hektor pointed to the front parlor.

  Georgios grabbed her hand and looked at her with an earnest and worried expression. “You won’t let her take Lucy, will you?”

  “Don’t eavesdrop at doors.” She turned stern eyes on her brothers as she told them. “It’s rude. And, no, I won’t let Lucy go.” She didn’t pause when she reached the parlor. Instead, she pushed the door and strode inside, like a goddess preparing for battle, and waded into an unexpected morass of tension.

  Lucy’s mother stood in the light of the parlor window. Her blonde hair was encircled with light, and she fairly glowed with good health and beauty. Her clothes were of the latest fashion. Thea should know, since her friends had kept her busy while waiting for Christian’s return by nearly constant shopping. There wasn’t a shop on Bond Street they had not patronized. Thea recognized Veronica’s dress as one designed by one of the ton’s favorite dress makers. It fit Veronica much better than Thea ever hoped it would fit her. She was a bit taller than Thea, she noted, and certainly thinner, so the silk hung from her frame with artful sophistication. Just like the last time, Thea felt the woman’s appraising gaze and she was certain she came up wanting. She could never compete with this woman — certainly not in beauty and grace.

  Stopping in mid-sentence, Christian gave her a steady look that managed to mask his surprise at her presence. “Ah, here is my darling bride now. I was beginning to pine, my dear.” He tossed her a flirting smile and grasped her by the elbow to pull her to him. Kissing her cheek while slipping his arm behind her waist, he tucked her next to his side. “Thea, this is Veronica Clarke, Lucy’s mother.”

  “Yes, I know.” Thea maintained a calm exterior, not allowing her fury to jeopardize her goal. She nodded to the other woman. “Miss Clarke.”

  “Your Grace.” Veronica used the honorific, yet somehow it sounded condescending when she said it, as was her perfunctory curtsey. “We didn’t have the opportunity to meet the last time. I was whisked away so quickly.”

  Christian narrowed his eyes at his former lover. “I’ll ask you to be respectful to my wife, especially in her house.” He turned his attention back to Thea. “Although, I probably should be thankful to her, hmmm? I suspect she’s the reason you’ve emerged.” He leaned in to kiss her and she turned her face so he caught her cheek instead. “You look fetching.”

  “You’re flirting?” Veronica sounded outraged.

  He raised a sardonic brow. “I happen to love my wife. It’s your fault I haven’t seen her all this time.”

  Now was probably not the time to be disloyal, but that was a ridiculous assertion. She pulled herself away from him. “Hardly.” She scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. “You bloody well know why we’re not talking, and that woman has nothing to do with it.”

  Veronica tossed her hand in a flippant and dismissive gesture. “Look, I’m not interested in your marital disputes. I’m here to collect Lucy and go.”

  “Absolutely not, I forbid it.” Both heads turned in Thea’s direction. The golden-haired one was masked in a battle-ready expression, the darker one held a smile of, dare she assume, admiration.

  The actress advanced toward her, her index finger jabbing into her own chest to emphasize her point. “She is my daughter. You don’t even know her. What could you possibly want with her?” A disgusted expression altered the beauty of her famous face into ugliness. “You can hire a lady’s maid; you don’t need my girl slaving for you.”

  Thea thought of a string of apt Greek epithets appropriate for the occasion. “Don’t be ridiculous.” She took a step forward to meet the other woman on the carpet. “All of a sudden you’re her devoted mother? You left her here like a sack of unwanted potatoes so you could run away with some man.”

  “You’re one to talk. The runaway bride.” Veronica said with a sneer. They were standing nearly toe to toe by this point. Veronica continued, her eyes narrowed to fearsome slits, “You’ve made a fool of yourself and your husband. Every tongue in London is wagging.”

  “Well at least I’d never leave my child with virtual strangers.” Thea matched her sneer for sneer.

  Christian must have thought the situation might degenerate into hair pulling, because he slipped between them. “I can’t believe I’m suggesting we
all act like adults here, but we really should try, ladies.”

  “Oh, shut it, will you, Christian.” Even Thea couldn’t believe that came out of her mouth, but now she was gaining momentum. She wheeled on her husband. “You have no business trying to take the high road with me. You two are in here talking about Lucy’s life like this is a competition on who can be more callous. How dare you ignore your daughter for ten years?”

  “I didn’t ign —”

  Thea shook her head vigorously. “How could you not have any curiosity about your own flesh and blood? She’s such a smart child, do you know that? She can quote Shakespeare and Francis Bacon. She’s delightfully funny and charming. Do you know any of this?”

  “Settle down there, you.” Christian removed her pointy finger from his person. “Of course, I know this. I spent weeks with her on a miserable boat while she charmed every sea dog from here to Santorini and back.”

  Veronica must not have wanted them to forget she was in the room, because she appeared at Thea’s left elbow. “I know all this about my daughter, and that why I’m taking her home with me.”

  “I’ll get to you in a minute,” Thea told her. Then back to him, “Then why?”

  Christian looked at the ceiling for a moment before he continued. “Honey, I was told Lucy was dead. But even still, you’ve not been in London society. Who and where you come from is everything, and nothing is more important than what side of the blanket you are from. I can’t tell you how many bast — illegitimate children have come from ton assignations.”

  Thea sighed. He didn’t understand. How could she be in love with a man with values so different than her own? Her fury seemed to leak away, leaving her feeling deflated like a balloon, the anger gone like so much hot air. “Then why would you let her go now?”

  “I have no intention of letting her go.”

  “What?” Veronica’s voice was shrill and her expression outraged. “This is unconscionable.”

  Thea waved the woman back. This was an epic moment, and she wanted to be sure she understood the right of it. “You won’t let her take Lucy?”

  “No. She talks all the time, so much I can’t listen to it all. She skips everywhere. She kicks in her sleep. She’s pushy, and she nags when she thinks she’s right. Worst of all she doesn’t think I’m perfect.” He shrugged. “And I’m hopelessly smitten with her.”

  Thea flung herself into his arms. For once, finally, thank the pantheon; the stupid man had said the right thing.

  He murmured in her ear, “I hoped you’d be happy ‘bout that.”

  She kissed him hard once, twice, three times in rapid succession. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

  “Woman,” his voice took on an attitude of exasperation. “You’ve locked yourself in our room for the last three days. I’ve barely had a string of sentences with you much less a full conversation about something this important. This particular part of our misunderstanding is entirely your fault.” He set her back on her feet, but his hands still encircled her waist.

  She was too excited to be sheepish. “How could I possibly have known that you’d come to your senses so quickly? My father never did.”

  Christian caught her gaze and held it with intensity. “I’m not your father, and I’d like the comparisons to end here.”

  She kissed him. How could she not? She reached to slip her hands behind his neck and pull him down while she stretched on her tip toes. It was only a heartbeat before he took control. He tilted her off balance and angled his head to go at things properly.

  “Oh, Lucy will be so happy,” she said when they finally parted for air. “She was fretful, absolutely fretful, you’d send her away.”

  “Hello.” An annoyed voice cut in. “I’m still here, or have you forgotten?”

  “Oh, right. I had forgotten you were the reason for this latest dustup.” Christian pulled away from Thea but clasped her hand in his own. “As I said before my beautiful wife burst through the door, Lucy is staying here.”

  Thea thought Veronica looked quite formidable in a Lady Macbeth sort of way, standing straight and tall, a challenging look in her eye. It didn’t matter, though, because Thea would fight a battle to the death to keep her new family together.

  “I’m her mother.” Veronica stated the obvious.

  “Indeed, you are, and I am her father. I am also a duke. I don’t care how famous you are, I will win,” he told her decisively. “The law is on my side.”

  “I’ll drag this out in public,” Veronica threatened. “Every single member of the ton will know. You’ll be a laughing stock.” The gleam in her eye promised she was telling the truth.

  “I don’t care. We’ve survived scandals before,” Christian said, which was proof enough for Thea that he was sincere with his devotion to Lucy. If there was one thing Christian was adamant about it was that he and his family look good in public. The fact nearly everyone was gossiping about a peg leg and capture by pirates surely caused him no small amount of grief. “How well will your career fare when all your adoring fans learn you traded your daughter for a new lover? Think clearly, Veronica. Is this a path you want to traverse?”

  The actress didn’t answer. For the first time, Thea saw Veronica’s façade crack. Granted it was a small fissure, but the vulnerability struck a chord with her.

  Christian drove another nail into his argument. “With no patron and a sagging career, how long will your beauty and diminished fame keep you fed?”

  “You can’t do this.” Still proud, but much less assured, Veronica stared Christian down. “I’ll … I’ll …”

  “Do your worst, but I promise you she’s not leaving with you today.” Her husband was ruthless.

  “Christian, wait.” Thea laid her hand on his forearm. She shocked them both again when she extended an olive branch. “This isn’t fair. We’re asking Veronica to do the exact thing I accused you of doing — abandoning her child.”

  “She already did that,” he protested. “The only reason she wants Lucy back is so the money will continue because her benefactor dried up. She doesn’t care about Lucy. If she did she wouldn’t have left her here with a family she didn’t know.”

  Veronica looked to Thea sensing the unlikely possibility she could somehow be persuaded to see her side. Thea couldn’t decide if the tears filling Veronica’s eyes were real or the ruse of an accomplished actress. “I’m getting older, Christian. I don’t get the best roles anymore. They’re never going to let me play Ophelia again. Last week they offered me Lady Capulet. Lady Capulet,” she exclaimed in disbelief. “Can you believe that? Me as Lady Capulet. I don’t know what I’m going to do?”

  “What if Lucy stays here with us? She’ll have other children to play with since my brothers are here. We’ll send her to school.” When Veronica shook her head, Thea squeezed her hands gently and continued. “Christian will arrange to have an allowance continue in perpetuity so long as Lucy lives here with us.”

  Christian moved next to Thea and added to the lure. “Surely you can see the wisdom of this solution. I will give Lucy my name, and she’ll receive all the benefits of being the daughter of a duke.”

  A moment of hesitation flashed across Veronica’s face, and Thea jumped on it. “We don’t want to keep her from you. You can see her as often as you want but still be free to travel with your theater troupe without worrying about her.”

  “You’re not jesting?” Veronica asked, hope in her eyes.

  “This is your best and only offer,” Christian told her with finality.

  Thea squeezed the other woman’s hands again. “We all love Lucy and want what’s best for her.”

  Veronica’s eyes filled with relief. “Yes.”

  A huge joyful whoop filled the air outside in the hall.

  Epilogue

  She rapped on the heavy wooden door of the study several times making her knuckles turn pink. There was no answer from within, but she was certain he was in there. She pushed it open and stuck her head in
. Sure enough, he was at his desk deep in work.

  “Papa.” Lucy said as she entered and closed the door behind her.

  “Hello, buttercup.” Her father smiled widely and stood from his chair, his sheaves of paper abandoned for the time being. He rounded the desk and folded her in a strong hug. “Are you all packed?”

  “Yes.” She pulled away and clasped her hands tightly in front of her. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. I can always go after next term.”

  “Oh, no.” Papa took her hands in his to stop their fidgeting and gave them a gentle squeeze. “Thea wouldn’t hear of it.”

  Lucy had posed the same question to Thea and had received a similar response. Still, it seemed like leaving now, with Thea so close to the end of her pregnancy, was a bad idea. She was going to need help, support her father couldn’t provide for her no matter how much he loved her.

  “Stop fretting,” he told her, and steered her towards the huge sofa in front of the fire. “I know you think I’m incapable, and without you everything will fall apart, but we’ll manage.” She must have shown doubt on her face because he rolled his eyes. “Fine, Olivia and your Aunt Frankie will be here, not to mention your grandmother. They’ll make sure Thea’s well cared for.”

  Lucy sighed in frustration. Surely Grand would be able to handle any eventuality, and Aunt Frankie and Lady Olivia were certainly experienced enough in the matter of child birth to see everything was all right. The real cause of the problem was she didn’t want to miss such a monumental event.

  A brother or sister. She could hardly stand the excitement.

  Usually she was excited about visiting her mother. It meant time spent in the theater. It didn’t matter how much she loved school — and she loved school a prodigious amount. Spending time watching her mother on the boards was thrilling. The costumes and scenery, all of it combined to create fabulous productions, and she was always in the middle of it.