The duchess stepped forward, wafting clouds of French perfume and rustling silk.
“I am your grandmother, child,” she said, bending forward, crouching to Madeline’s level.
“Like in the stories Mamma reads me?” Madeline perked up. “My fairy grandmother?”
“I fear you meangodmother,” the duchess said with a smile, “but I am yourgrandmother, which is even better than a fairy godmother.”
“It is?” Madeline took a hesitant step forward.
“Yes,” the duchess said, voice so earnest. She held out her hand. “May I see you?”
Madeline looked up at Leah. His wife nodded. Fox could see what the motion cost her.
His niece turned her blue eyes to her grandmother and took the woman’s hand, allowing herself to be led back to where the duke stood.
The duke motioned for everyone to be seated, assuming command of the room and situation though he was merely a guest at Laverloch.
Such was the way of dukes.
Leah settled beside Fox. He wrapped his palm around hers, hating the tremor in her cold fingers.
The duchess sat down, still holding Madeline’s hand, surveying the girl with a practically awe-struck expression.
“She scarcely looks like Dennis,” she murmured, shooting a glance at Fox over Madeline’s head. “So blond and fair. I only see hints of him in her eyes and smile.”
“She strongly resembles my late sister,” Fox offered.
The duchess fixed Madeline with a regal gaze. “How should you like to come live with me, my child?”
Madeline’s eyes went round. She looked back to Fox and Leah and then again to her grandmother.
“With you? With my fairygrandmother?”
The excitement in Madeline’s voice battered Fox’s chest.
Something wet plinked onto the back of his hand. He looked to Leah as she wiped another tear from her face.
How much heartache could his wife endure? She had already grieved so much these past few weeks. And now this?
“Yes,” the duchess smiled. “With your fairygrandmother. I live in the grandest of castles, bigger than anything in a story. You will have a fine carriage, and a pony, and all the pretty dresses you desire.”
Fox bit down on his tongue.Hecould provide Madeline with those things. He could also give her love, affection, kindness, laughter—
But lofty connections and Society?
Thosehe did not have in spades. Not like a duke.
“Will Papa have a pony, too?” Madeline asked. “And Mamma?”
The duchess sent Fox a glance. “Captain Carnegie and his wife will remain here at Laverloch, of course. They will not be coming.”
Madeline’s wee face froze. It was her surprised expression, the one she made when distilling confusing information.
“My papa and mamma won’t live in the fancy castle with me?”
“No,” the duchess said, firmly but not unkindly.
“Because you are nottheirfairy grandmother?”
