“Thank you, I owe you a lot of gratitude,” she spluttered out, “you actually brought them.”
Duncan was stiff at first, and she wondered if her hug had been unwelcome. But before any feelings of embarrassment could consume her, one of his hands came up to the back of her head. He was handling her so gently, as though she were a china doll that would break at any moment.
Surely, someone capable of such care and such concern was not who she first perceived him to be.
He is anything but a monster.
“Enough now,” he cleared his throat, “Get dressed, you can thank me by moving quickly.”
Charity pulled back, now embarrassed to have done it in front of her sisters. She glanced at Duncan, whose mouth shifted in a smile. It made him appear warm.
Augusta noticed it too, and Charity could tell by the way Augusta’s eyes narrowed that she stored the detail away for later.
Matilda however, seemed rather oblivious to everything that was happening.
“Charity,” she begun cautiously, “but can I ask you something?”
Charity knew that it was trouble to entertain any sort of questions from her sisters, but she could hardly refuse when she asked like that. She had the softest spot for the youngest one.
“Go on, then.”
“I don’t wish to be rude, really,” her voice dropped low, “but he’s… isn’t he a stranger? He really likes to order us around.”
Charity turned away quickly to gather her things.
“No, darling. He is not a stranger,” she managed, glancing over at him. He had the usual stoic expression on his face.
“So then…” Matilda bit down on her lip, “who is he, then?”
“The Duke of Blackford, and he has been helping me.”
There was a brief and stunned silence in the room.
“The Duke,” Matilda repeated, eyes widening.
“Right then,” Augusta shook her head, “of course. Why should it not be a duke? Our lives have already become absurd.”
“Augusta,” Charity warned. “Behave. If it wasn’t for him, then we would have been in a lot of trouble.”
“Sorry, sorry,” Augusta muttered sarcastically, glancing towards the duke. “Where are my manners?”
Duncan did not react to anything, which Charity appreciated greatly. If he had lost his temper, God forbid, then she would not know how to handle the situation.
She made a mental note to herself. Remains calm in stressful situations.
Duncan remained by the door as if he were guarding it, looking out into the corridor and then back.
Charity began to dress, as she found her stockings and shoes, then pulled on her gown and fastened it.
Matilda paced the room.
“Are you going to tell where we are going, at least?” she said. Compared to Augusta, her questions had less bite. But that still did not mean that Charity had the capacity to answer them right now. “Are we leaving York entirely?”
“You think she will tell us?” Augusta snorted.
“Well, I hope so,” Matilda went on. “I don’t particularly wish to leave. Though I feel as though if I ask you too many questions I shall make you angry.”
“….I do not want you angry with me,” Matilda added after a moment of silence. It melted Charity instantly.
