“I’m Kit.”
The boy bowed. “Your Grace.”
Dagenham came into the room panting. “I’m . . . Dagenham. Don’t . . . mind me.” He collapsed into a chair.
“Where is your sister?” Kittredge demanded.
Ren folded his arms. “I’m not telling you.” His eyes went to Bevel. “Is that Bevel?”
Bevel barked at his name.
“Don’t be frightened, he won’t hurt you.”
“I’m not frightened. Of him or you.”
“Good. So . . . Franny told you about Bevel? And me?”
“Yes.”
“Did she tell you I’m in love with her?”
“She told me you told her you were in love with her.”
“Did she tell you she loved me?”
The boy bit his lip. So like Franny. And as honest as Franny. “Yes.”
“Then why won’t you tell me where she is?”
“She’s had enough trouble.”
“I’m not trouble.”
Dagenham harrumphed and then coughed into his hand.
Ren scowled. “You’ve already caused trouble. No one is to know I’m here, and you’ve left the door open.” Kittredge turned and saw a cluster of maids and footmen in the hallway.
“Scat!” Kittredge said and lunged for the door and closed it.
Ren sighed. “Too late. Now Franny will lose her place. We’ll go to the workhouse.”
Kittredge shook his head. “No, no, no. You won’t. I’ll make sure you won’t.”
“My sister won’t take your money.”
If only there was some way he could give her money without her knowing about it. The anonymous, noble, self-sacrifice thing. But there was no sum that would ever be a sacrifice. Not for Franny.
If only he could marry her.
“Why can’t you?” Dagenham asked.
As sometimes happened when he was under duress, Kittredge must have unwittingly given voice to his thoughts.
“A duke can’t marry a bastard.” He turned to Ren. “Please, no offense intended.”
The boy shrugged. “I had a loving father, and for the first day of my life, a loving mother. And an older sister who is like a mother to me. And who will do anything for me. And I’d do anything for her. A title can’t compare to that. It’s an unimportant distinction. Look at you, you’re a duke.” Ren wrinkled his nose. “One of the most powerful men in England, and you can’t even marry someone you love. What’s the point of being a duke if you can’t do what you want?”
What’s the point of being a duke if I can’t do what I want?
