Page 47 of Raising the Duke’s Unexpected Twins

“A destitute family?” she said in a morbid tone.

“Hardly destitute anymore, Cordelia. Besides, I know plenty of rich people who are arseholes, so I much prefer a poorer family with good sense who make good company.”

“Nicholas! Your language!” she cried, looking down at the children.

The children stared at them, and then with a muffled effort, with food in his mouth, Tim repeated, “attthole.”

“Now you’ve done it,” she said to Nicholas, and then they burst into laughter.

The warm, happy sound filled the room, and Cordelia brushed tears from her eyes while Nicholas’s shoulders shook. It felt like something had shifted in the air and released, and she was smiling, feeling like the day got just a little bit brighter.

“I will be better from now on,” he said, crossing his fingers over his heart.

She rolled her eyes. “No, you will not. But an attempt would be desirable.”

He nodded in acquiescence. “I assume your father would never have done such a thing.”

“He was very circumspect.” She grinned, thinking back to the past. “I never saw two people love each other more, well, perhaps Helen and David.” She sighed. “They would argue, but they would always make up, and we saw far too many kisses between them than I wanted to.”

She chuckled softly, but then a little pain cut through her. “When he died, we realized there were a number of debts. He’d mismanaged several affairs, and so we had to sell so much of the house, so much of his things.”

Nicholas reached toward her and gripped her free hand and gave it a squeeze. His eyes were genuine as he said, “I’m sorry, Cordelia.”

She swallowed back the emotion that suddenly built in her throat and took another bite of food, eager to remain happy and strong.

“Thank you. I’d made my peace with it, but once we found out about the children coming under my care, my mother sold the last thing she had of his. A pocket watch. It laid open on her nightstand since his death, but it was plated in pure gold and I’m sure she hoped it would have been a large sum, but she received much less than expected. I suspect it was all the scratches on it.”

Nicholas frowned, his brows furrowing together. “I’m sorry to hear it. Pure gold you say?”

“Yes. And now that everything is settled, I wish I could get it back to her, to give her that last piece of her true love back.” She was surprised at Nicholas’s odd expression. “What is it?”

His face cleared. “Oh, nothing.” Smiling again, he cut another piece of meat. “I’m only sorry to hear that your mother had to sell such a priceless heirloom. I’m sure she misses it.”

Cordelia sighed. “Yes, I’m sure she does.”

“They know nothing of the buyer?”

She shook her head. “My sister and I looked into it a little. We hoped to try to get it back. Apparently, the buyer used his servant to purchase it on his behalf and no name was given.”

“I see.” Nicholas frowned again, and Cordelia wondered why he should care so much about the incident.

She shrugged, smiling as she gazed at the children. “I shall put it out of my mind for the day, I think. And see just what sorts of games these two would like to get up to.” Nervous, she asked him, “Will you join us?”

He looked deep in thought and didn’t answer for a few seconds. But then he replied, “No, I will be in my study. Some business to attend to.”

She nodded, attempting to not look too disappointed.

He brought his napkin to his mouth and stood. “But I will be here, so don’t think you can get away with not eating again.” He pointed at her with a stern expression. She crossed her fingers over her heart, and he smirked. “Good. I’m off, but at the ready if you should ever need me again. For things of the ‘shaking leg’ variety.”

He winked and left her on her own, wondering now just what sort of man she’d married. Was he a rake? Or was he a good man? She had also thought him a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but now, she wondered very much if it wasn’t the other way around.

CHAPTER 16

It was nearing midnight a few days later, but Nicholas was just arriving at his club. He’d kept his promise the past few days to Cordelia to stay home to make sure she ate and cared for herself, so that was why he waited until so late to go to his business, after she went to sleep.

You only wish for a distraction to keep away from her.

He was both tired and irritable but not for the usual reasons. After their night together, Cordelia had never mentioned it again. She certainly went limp when he moved close to her or touched her, and he could see the heat in her gaze which matched the heightened color of her cheeks, but to his disappointment, she’d never said anything more about it.