“I told you already. The viscount’s blood is tainted—his mother was not right. You don’t want simple children, do you?”
Felicity was shaking her head. Such an excuse was nonsense. “He is not simple, Father.”
Her father’s eyes narrowed, and his jaw tightened at her defense of Axel. “I’ve made my decision, and it is final. Furthermore, I forbid you to have anything to do with the man. Don’t try me on this, daughter.”
She knew that tone.
“But I—”
“Now go.”
“You don’t understand.” Once he knew the truth, he’d have no choice but to reverse his decision. “I’m—”
A loud thump echoed off the walls when her father’s fist landed heavily on his desk. The sound of his displeasure must have echoed throughout most of the house.
“What in God’s name has come over you? Go to your chamber and contemplate all that I do for you. One more word, and you can stay there without dinner.”
Her father was overbearing, more than most, but he hadn’t shouted at her since she’d wandered off into the woods as a child, and the entire household had had to go searching in the dead of night.
And that morning last winter, after he lost heavily at cards.
Felicity inhaled a deep breath through her nostrils.
She’d very nearly told him the truth. She would tell her mother instead. And then, he’d have no choice but to allow Axel to make his offer.
But she would speak with Axel first.
When they’d parted ways the day before, they had not made arrangements to see one another. They’d expected to be engaged by this time today.
“Very well.” She backed away from her father’s desk, feeling like a soldier withdrawing from battle, intent on refortifying his strength to fight another day.
She would send Axel a message requesting him to meet with her in the park again tomorrow. Susan could make sure it was delivered into his hands.
And after that, Felicity would go to her mother.
As she closed the door to her father’s study behind her, she rested her hand low on her belly. It wasn’t as soft or as flat as it had been the day before.
Time, most definitely, was not on their side.
“Good day, my lord.”Mantis backed out the door just before the butler slammed it closed.
Blinking in confusion, Mantis stood, frozen, on the front stoop of Felicity’s father’s house.
What the hell just happened? Had he entered an altered dimension?
Shocked, he shook his head then forced his legs to carry him along the walk.
And as the truth of what his father had done hit him, a heavy pit formed in his gut. Mantis was well aware of his father’s feelings of disappointment. He’d been pummeled with the knowledge almost daily for as long as he could remember. But he’d never imagined the earl would share those criticisms outside of their family.
Born a twin, he’d been the weaker baby. Cordelia, the girl, had been almost twice his size, pink, and loud. Mantis had been scrawny, practically blue, and mostly silent.
His father, unwilling to waste his given name on a stillborn, had named him Axel Royce Lupton after his mother’s father. He’d saved Connor Delbert Lupton, IV, for his second son.
On the third day of his life, his mother had passed, but while the household mourned, Mantis had inexplicably clung to life.
The first time he’d disappointed his father, he’d eventually realized, was when he’d lived.
He’d rather gotten used to disappointing the earl.
