“Why is Grandmother so furious?” It was Ernest who spoke.
Frances’s heart lurched as she saw how his cheek was still red from where Teresa had struck him.
She touched the side of his face gently. “It is nothing. Please, let us not think about it any longer. Now that your uncle is here, he will deal with it.”
But the twins did not seem convinced. Of course, children were naturally curious, even about matters that they should not concern themselves with.
“Does Grandmother not like us?” Edwin asked innocently. “Is that why she never visited us either?”
Frances was immediately reminded of Lydia’s letters. She often wrote about how Peter’s mother had decided to have no contact with the children, and how much that had hurt both of them.
“It is not that,” Frances assured him, even though she was lying. “Why don’t we play a game to pass the time? I am sure your uncle will be coming up any minute now.”
She wanted to distract the twins, but her eyes kept darting to the door, half expecting the Dowager Duchess to burst through the doors and cause more trouble.
* * *
Now that Frances and the children were out of earshot, Christopher turned to his mother, his voice cold and steely. “You have no right to come here and insult my family.”
“Family?” Teresa spat. “These children are a disgrace! And that woman, she’s nothing but a distraction. You have a duty to this dukedom, Christopher. You must provide an heir, whether you like it or not.”
Christopher’s jaw tightened. “My duty is to my family. These children are my heirs. That is my decision, and it will not change.”
Teresa’s eyes narrowed, her voice rising. “Even your worthless father did his duty! He provided an heir, despite his many failings. You should follow his example and do the same.”
At the mention of his father, Christopher’s expression darkened. He stepped closer to Teresa, his voice low and filled with menace. “Do not speak of my father again. Whatever he was, he was a better parent to me than you ever will be.”
Teresa’s face twisted with rage. “You are a fool, Christopher! The dukedom requires a proper heir, not these… orphans.”
Christopher’s eyes blazed so intensely that it made her take an involuntary step back. “These children are my brother’s sons. They are my heirs. And that is final.”
“You are making a grave mistake.” Her words were meant to threaten, but he was beyond the point of caring now.
All he wanted was for peace to be restored in his little chosen family, and be as far away as possible from the woman who birthed him.
Turning away from his mother, Christopher called for the butler. “James,” he said as the butler appeared, “please escort the Dowager Duchess out of the manor and see to it that she is never allowed entry again.”
James bowed slightly, his face expressionless. “Yes, Your Grace.”
Teresa’s eyes widened with shock and fury. “You cannot do this, Christopher! I am your mother!”
Christopher met her gaze steadily. “I am the Duke of Huntington, and this is my decision. You have overstepped the boundaries, and you are no longer welcome here.”
As James gently but firmly took Teresa’s arm, she struggled, her voice rising. “You will regret this, Christopher! The dukedom will fall without a proper heir!”
Christopher watched in silence as his mother was escorted out of the manor. Once she was gone, he let out a slow breath, the tension draining from his shoulders. He turned and made his way upstairs to find Frances and the twins.
He will have to deal with his emotions later. Right now, what mattered was if the children were okay. And of course, Frances.
Heaven knows what sort of vitriol his mother had spilled in the time that he was not here.
He found them in the children’s room. Frances was kneeling next to them on the floor, and they were playing some kind of game that involved paper and wooden sticks.
He almost cracked a smile at how wholesome the sight was. Even in the midst of chaos, Frances had somehow found a way to restore balance.
He knocked on the door gently, and the three of them turned to face him.
“Is she gone?” Ernest asked, his voice trembling.
