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She wondered what was so interesting about the place he visited every day that was more important that spending time with his new duchess

Her anger grew more as she did not get any hint of an answer in the following days.

She was on the verge of erupting when fate seemed to decide to provide her some modicum of comfort. Because on one of the afternoons when she wandered around the gardens. The butler came to inform her that her family had come to visit her.

She highly doubted it, as the road to the duke's seat was far and treacherous and that coupled with the fact that her family owned a very small carriage that could hardly carry three people was enough reason for her not to expect a visit from them in the recent future. But all the same she felt the need to confirm.

She walked so fast, she was almost sprinting. When she got to the parlor. It was indeed true because her whole family sat there with Theodore. Their face lit up with joy when she stepped in

Diana was the first to run into her arms.

"I truly missed you. Victoria." she said her arms around Victoria's abdomen.

"I missed you too." Victoria said tightening her arms around her.

After sometime, she released Diana to accept hugs from Charity, her Father and Theodore.

"Married life suits you, Victoria. It seems the duke is truly looking after you." Charity commented

"He knows better than to treat her badly. He knows he have me to contend with." Diana answered in a blood thirsty tone.

Victoria caught Charity's eye and cocked an eyebrow in question. Charity seemed to be having problems holding her laughter and made motions that suggested that she would let her in on the joke later.

"Victoria." her Father called. "We have truly missed you. The house is not the same without you."

"I missed you too Papa." she said taking his weathered hands in hers. In truth she truly wondered how her father would cope as he used to her keeping his ledgers but now she no longer lived in his house she wondered if she could trust their young steward to be transparent and not cheat her father.

She had given the man strict instructions before her wedding and if everything went as planned. Her sisters would not have to starve to feed her father's gambling habit.

Her father thought she would not know about his terrible habit, but he forgot she was in charge of the ledgers and when she had found irregularities in the books, she wasted no time tracing the root.

When she discovered her Father's secret, she had refrained from confronting him, she accepted that it was a small flaw in a man who was as close to a perfect father as she knew and besides he had just been recently widowed, she did not see any harm in allowing him some pleasure if that was what would take his mind away from her mother's passing.

She secretly provided little money for his gambling, keeping the true extent of profit made from the estate away from him. It was the only way she had managed to keep her sister's and herself well fed.

Striving to exorcise those memories she pasted on a cheerful smile and asked her father.

"How were you able to bring everyone here? I doubt our carriage can accommodate everyone."

"Oh Theodore granted us use of his carriage." her father said shooting a grateful look at Theodore's direction.

"His carriage is majestic." Diana started her tone filled with awe "It was the best I have ever seen. Apart from that of your duke that is." she said looking at Victoria.

"Thank you, Theo." she said turning to Theodore.

"You are welcome, your grace. It was hardly any trouble." he said with a slight bow of his head.

"I would have thought that you would be back with your family now. Theo."

He looked away, hiding his expression from her.

"The hearing for the new bill in the house of Lords have extended so I would be going home a little later."

She sensed that he was hiding something and was not being completely being honest. She wondered what had happened between the time she had last seen him and now but she didn't want to pry, at least not in front of her entire family.

There would be time enough later for her to find out.

When they all settled down in their seats in the drawing room. She pulled the bell and a maid appeared. She requested for refreshments and in no time snacks were prepared.