Page 15

CHAPTER NINE

“– a

nd that concludes the bookkeeping report on the household expenses.”

Julian nodded and accepted the book Ernest handed over to him, casually flipping through the pages to check if the report given was as accurate as what was written within.

The duke had been quite impressed to find out that the duchess had cared for the estate in more ways than one – not only restoring it to heights that seemed far greater than its former glory, but also maintaining the expenses in a way that was sustainable.

In fact, it seemed as though the most extravagant use of his wealth was the payment of wages to the staff. They appeared to be well fed and clothed, which would explain why they all looked so damn happy to be on his property.

“Remarkable,” Julian nodded, seeing the numbers for himself.

“Her Grace certainly is. Not a single thing has been out of place since her arrival. She has been determined to ensure that the estate was preserved and flourished under her care. I do not believe I have heard a single complaint about her, since her arrival.”

Julian couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed in their situation. Perhaps if Anna had been matched with a man who loved her and was well to do, she would have made an indispensable lady of the house. And perhaps she might have been happier for it.

“Where is she now?” Julian asked, wanting to know all of a sudden.

He had not stopped thinking about her, about the way she flushed and squirmed beneath his gaze, about how much she cared about Nicholas’ well-being – to the extent that she felt dissatisfied with the idea of simply letting just anyone care for him.

When they had first met, Julian had assumed he knew all there was to know about Anna. But the few days he had spent in her vicinity was staying otherwise.

“In the garden, Your Grace. The duchess wished to let the child take in some fresh air, seeing as he has been indoor ever since his arrival,” the butler informed.

Julian rose from his seat and walked to the window that overlooked the garden, easily spotting the gaggle of women in a delighted frenzy due to the presence of the child in their midst.

Anna sat on a blanket with Nicholas in her lap, surrounded by her maids who all watched the child bounce happily with adoration in their eyes.

Anna looked perfectly at ease, her hands firmly placed on Nicholas’ sides as he wriggled about, reaching for the flower that was being held out to him by a maid.

Something within Julian twisted with a hollow ache and he frowned, struck with a bout of irritation.

He thought it was unfair, that someone had the nerve to saddle a stranger with their responsibility, and live willy nilly, while his wife bore the brunt of it.

With all his reservations about her, he couldn’t deny that she was quite proficient at handling this situation, and deserved more than shouldering someone else’s burden.

“Fetch me my coat, Ernest. I have to visit a friend. And prepare the carriage,” He instructed, turning away from the window.

“Right away, Your Grace.”

Minutes later, he was leaving his estate, with a single mission in mind.

To find his brother sort out this whole business with the child that had disrupted his once peaceful life.

“Are you sure this is the place? It looks rather…” Lysander trailed off as a man won a game of cards jumped to his feet with a victorious roar and smashed his empty glass on the wooden floors beneath him.

“Low class. Surely your brother knows there are other establishments far suited to a man of his status and would gladly serve him as such.”

“Unfortunately, the standard does not matter much to Seth. As long as he can gamble, he will climb into a gutter if he must. I have tried to reform him, several times, but he has chosen to squat in this filth and build fruitless relationships instead of lucrative partnerships. He has always been so utterly childish,” Julian said as his eyes roamed around the gaming hall, his frown of disapproval deepening as he took in the different sorts of men and women roaming about.

He felt disgusted, to be in the presence of such careless people, individuals who disregarded their responsibilities to indulge in vices that they refused to acknowledge were eating away at them.

Julian couldn’t understand people who lived that way, couldn’t fathom even attempting to imitate such behavior.

“We should ask around,” Lysander suggested, making a disgusted face as a man stumbled past him, his body carry the foulest odor he had ever been unfortunate enough to inhale.

“Perhaps someone here has seen him tonight. It would take us ages if we attempt to find him ourselves in this pigs’ sty. No offense.”

“None taken. I am not particularly impressed with the path my brother has chosen for himself, but I cannot ignore the fact that I have tried as hard as I could within my abilities to help him. He has decided repeatedly that he would rather waste away his fortune and his life than live right and now, his mistakes have bled into my own life and I will not stand for that.” Julian replied.

Truly, the duke of Morland had done everything in his power to ensure that his life was as pristine as possible to onlookers.

He kept himself dedicated to his work and tried to avoid scandals, using public events as a way of fostering businesses.

His marriage to Anna had been a strategic decision that bordered on the fact that they had been seen together by so many people and shunning the natural order of responsibility that should follow would only be to both their detriment.

His brother had no such qualms, used to shifting his responsibility and the blame of them to others. And when Julian finds him, he would ensure that his brother is appropriately reprimanded for the foolishness that has cost him valuable time, strength and peace of mind.

They began asking people around the hall for information about Seth’s whereabouts, more often than not dismissed for interrupting an ongoing game.

“This is a hopeless waste of our time. We should retire for the day and –”

“You,” Lysander called, beckoning a man closer with a shiny coin in his hand. “What do you know about Seth Harrow? Have you seen him tonight?”

The man stared at the coin in Lysander ’s hand for a moment, then he shook his head, slowly shifting his gaze to the duke of Windermoor.

“I haven’t seen that gent here in months.

Was starting to believe he croaked in some ditch somewhere.

Would’ve gotten what was comin’ to him if you ask me.

” the man stated, before pointing at a man at the other side of the room.

“Jefferson over there has been waiting to settle a few scores with Munro. Says he’ll happily die after he's had his revenge, but not before. Mental, if you ask me.”

Lysander and Julian exchanged glances and Lysander cleared his throat.

“Right. You go,” Lysander said, handing him the coin. “For your troubles.”

The man went on his way merrily and Julian asked,

“What do we do now?”

Lysander paused thoughtfully for a moment, then he said,

“I have an idea, but I’ll need to conduct a few investigations first. I think I might know somewhere he might have gotten to, but beware. That place is far worse than this filthy hole.”

“There we go,” Anna muttered softly as she lowered Nicholas down into his cot.

He looked utterly exhausted, which she understood was as a result of how playful he had been earlier in the day. He had been given a warm bath afterwards and fed, during which he had fallen asleep so soundly, he didn’t even stir when Regina accidentally dropped a dish on her way out of his nursery.

Although it had been quite an exhausting thing at first, caring for Nicholas had begun to provide Anna with a sense of fulfillment she felt was priceless. Each time he snuggled against her or clung to her hand, his bright blue eyes staring at her, she could swear it made her heart swell.

She felt reassured each time she was able to watch over him and care for him, and every moment spent with Nicholas brought her closer to a notion she couldn’t put a name on because she had never felt anything like it before.

Anna wanted to protect him from every single form of harm, every potential danger that could pose a threat to him. As long as he was healthy, she was content.

“Sweet dream, darling boy,” she whispered, gently stroking his head before she quietly slipped out of the nursery.

The door had barely been shut when Ellen ran up to her side, breathing heavily as her wide eyes filled with alarm.

“Your Gra–”

“Shh! Nicholas is asleep!” Anna scolded quietly, shushing her swiftly.

Ellen glanced at the nursery door and slapped a hand over her mouth, her gaze apologetic.

“My apologies, Your Grace. It’s just – your mother. She has just arrived and is looking for you.”

Anna’s heart sank heavily and panic steadily flooded her senses.

Quickly, she pulled Ellen away from the nursery, both of them trying to leave the hallway before Anna’s mother could get a sense of what they had to hide.

“Why was she allowed in? I have expressly asked that she be turned away upon arrival.” Anna hissed, letting go of Ellen’s arm as they began to descend down the stairs.

“She said it was important, Your Grace. Lady Hayward had apparently claimed she needed to speak with you right away. The other maids were reluctant to turn her away because –”

“There you are! Do you not know how rude it is to keep your guest waiting?”

Anna went still, the panic swirling within her slowly turning into rage.

“Why are you here, Mother?” Anna questioned coldly.

“Will you not at least greet me? Surely, I raised you with better manners than that.” Sally huffed, looking irritated.

“I do not owe you anything, seeing as you have turned up at my home, despite the fact that I expressly told you that you are not welcome here. Not after what you did.” Anna stated with a glare.

“Dear, you must let bygones be bygones at this time. I thought that perhaps you might be with child – my maid informed me that you were searching for a nursemaid. But you are –” Sally gestured at Anna’s light form with a strangely pinched expression and then she smiled.

“While I would have so loved to have been here for the birth of your first child, I am more thankful than anything that both you and the baby are well. Was it a boy or a girl? Can I meet them at once?”

“Did you hear nothing I said, Mother? Please leave my home at once. Do not push me to resort to demeaning tactics.” Anna demanded angrily.

Sally sighed, as though the conversation was wearing her down more than anyone else.

“I do not understand why you insist on being so… stubborn. You are such a sensitive woman – even as a child, you had such fragile emotions. And now, you insist on harboring this grudge, over something that was done for your benefit! How will you raise your child when you are too busy focused on petty notions? Just let me see the child, Anna.”

“There is no child! Your maid heard wrong. I wasn’t making inquiries for myself but for a friend –”

The statement was hardly out of Anna’s mouth when a wail of distress shattered the air around them.

“Anna –”

“Leave, Mother. Now.”

Sally stepped in her way and said, “I will stay and help you take care of my grandchild.”

“I do not need –”

“You need all the help you can get. Surely no one can be better than the mother who raised you?”

“Ah, yes. Because you did such a fine job,” Anna drawled sarcastically, unable to bear the sound of Nicholas’ cries any longer and dashing up the stairs in the direction of the nursery.

Her mother followed her closely, still demanding to have her way, much to Anna’s frustration.

“When did you even have this child? It hasn’t been a year since you got married but I suppose the duke wished to have an heir as soon as possible –”

Anna was fed up then – by her mother’s pestering and the unnerving sense of Nicholas in distress – and she whirled around, raising her voice higher thank she had ever done against her mother.

“Mother! Stop! You are not welcome in my home and you never will be! Get out of here, now!”

Sally stared at her with her hand pressed to her chest, shock written all over her face at Anna’s outburst.

“How could you say that? I have done everything I could so you could have a great future and it seems as though everything has worked out for you thus far. Yet this is how you choose to repay me?”

“What on earth is going on here?”