Addington sent for Ashton, settling back into the solar in tense silence as her mother seemed to be occupied with whatever was on the table. The door to the solar was cracked open and they could hear the servants moving around, going about their business, but they also heard her sister’s voice. No voice carried like Effington’s. Addington pushed the door open, catching her sister’s attention.
“Effie,” she hissed, waving to her. “Come here.”
Effington had her twins with her, one in each hand, and the boys weren’t happy about it. When one of them tugged, trying to escape, she grabbed the boy by the ear and he howled.
“Do you know what these two have been up to?” she asked, aghast. “Stealing from some of the soldiers! Ross is the scout while Reid and Rigg rob them blind.”
Addington bit her lip to keep from laughing at her naughty nephews, who were defiant to the end. “Where is Ross?” she said, trying not to grin.
Effington cocked a dark eyebrow. “Rod is taking a switch to him out in the yard,” she said. “He ran from his father and that guarantees a fatherly beating.”
“You’ll not beat my grandchildren, Effie.”
Kellington had spoken from behind her table, her voice rising from the solar like the Voice of Doom. Effington and Addington looked at each other, grinning.
“Just a little one, Mama,” Effington called into the chamber. “He shall not suffer overly, I promise.”
“I will ask Ross and if he tells me otherwise, then you had better tell Rod to hide from me until my anger has abated.”
Effington and Addington broke down into soft giggles just as Rod de Titouan, Effington’s husband, entered the keep with a small boy in tow. Rod was tall, excruciatingly handsome, with wavy, black hair and bright blue eyes. He also had an easy smile, something that appeared the moment he saw his wife.
“Ross has convinced me that a beating will do no good,” he said, referring to his six-year-old son. “You’d think after six boys, the youngest one would not be smarter than I am, but he evidently is. I have agreed not to punish him this time.”
That gave hope to Reid and Rigg, who looked at their father with great anticipation. But their mother wasn’t of the same opinion.
“They have three older brothers who have taught them to be thieves and scoundrels,” she told her husband. “Rafe, Reese, and Roan have taught their younger brothers terrible things and you do nothing about it, so it is left to me to do the discipline.”
By this time, Reid and Rigg had gravitated over to their father, hiding behind him as their angry mother scolded him. But Rod did what he so often did; he simply smiled and took Effington into his arms, embracing her sweetly as she resisted him. She didn’t want to be held, not even by her handsome husband, who laughed as she tried to push him away.
As this was going on, Julian emerged from the stairwell, having been summoned to his mother’s solar, and the younger de Titouan boys rushed him purely out of habit. Julian saw them coming and tried to protect his knees, but Ross got in behind him again and he ended up pitching forward as Reid and Rigg pulled him down. At nine years of age, they were big for their age and strong as well. Julian ended up grabbing the twins by the hair as he stood up, staggering because Ross was punching the back of his knees.
“Effie,” he said severely. “Control these wild animals you have produced or I shall cage them.”
Effington was still trying to pull away from her husband. “Then cage them,” she said. “It would serve them right since their father will do nothing about it.”
Julian didn’t have time to lock the boys up, so he dragged them over to their parents, forcing Rod to let go of Effington. He shoved the boys at them, slipping past and into the solar as Addington ran after him. She was the last one in the chamber, shutting the door and bolting it, listening to the de Titouan boys yell and pound on the door because they wanted in.
Julian shook his head.
“Effie is going to have trouble with them when they get older if she does not discipline them now,” he said, rubbing at the back of his right thigh where Ross had pounded him. “Those three are monsters.”
“They are the grandsons of Ajax de Velt,” Kellington said. “Did you expect them to be docile creatures?”
She had a point. Julian fought off a grin as he finished rubbing at his sore leg. “Probably not,” he said. “But I think I am crippled.”
“You’ll survive.”
That was as much sympathy as he was going to get and he rolled his eyes, changing the subject. “I was told you wished to speak with me.”
Kellington nodded, sitting back in her chair and fixing her son in the eyes. “I do,” she said. “This is a continuation of our conversation from the wall walk.”
Julian couldn’t help but notice that Addington was still in the chamber. He cast her a long look, suspecting immediately what it was all about. She never could keep her lips shut. With an unhappy grunt, he turned to his mother.
“I have said all I wish to say about it,” he said. “I mean no disrespect, Mama, but I do not wish to discuss this further.”
He started to move to the door but a few words from Kellington stopped him. “But I do,” she said firmly. “Sit down, Julian. Please.”
He paused and, sighing heavily, moved for the nearest chair. Addington tried to stay away from him even though she knew he would never harm her in any fashion, but an angry Julian was a frightening thing. She didn’t want him pulling hair or pinching, as he used to do when they were young.
