Page 89 of Forever Her Bachelor
“Did my father know that he was Peter’s father?” Chauncey asked, wanting to confirm the truth.
Releasing his wife’s hand, she turned toward Chauncey. “Yes. Randall and I never…”
“I see,” he said, not wanting to say more in front of the boy.
“Does Randall hate me?” she asked suddenly, tears filling her eyes.
Chauncey shook his head, the lump in his throat prominent at the mention of Randall. “No, he never stopped looking for you.” Placing his hat down on the desk, He took a step toward her, meeting her blue-eyed gaze. “Maggie, Randall was injured a sennight ago, and his last coherent thoughts were of you.”
Silence filled the room as Maggie cried for her former intended. Tears fell freely down her face. “Injured? Is he alive?” Maggie’s gaze darted around the room as she rubbed her fingers together.
“He’s alive, but he will have a long recovery, I believe.” Chauncey was still furious at Reaper for sending men after him and his wife. He would be paying the gaming hell owner a visit once he and Pippa were settled.
“I’m not leaving my Ma, so if you came to take me away, I’m not going,” Peter spoke up, interrupting Chauncey’s conversation with his mother, a thick cockney accent on his tongue.
Chauncey would need to get him the best tutors to prepare him for the world.
“I don’t want to separate you from your mother; I just want to get to know you as your brother. If you all would like to come live with my wife and me or stay here—whichever you would like—the choice is yours.”
His brother challenged him with his gaze. It was a look very much like their father’s, and the intensity of it nearly rendered him speechless.
Maggie stepped forward, standing directly in front of Chauncey. “You’ll take us into your home and lives after what I did to the both of you?”
“You’re family, the both of you. It’s the least I can do.” He meant every word. They were his family, his and Pippa’s, and he would take care of them. He wanted his brother educated and cared for in a manner fitting his station. “As you see, everything my father did to separate my wife and me did not work. It took years for us to find each other again, but we did.”
“I’m glad of it. I had never seen anything like the two of you. You would sneak out the house just to be with her as soon as you arrived.” Maggie gave a loud laugh, and Chauncey remembered the days clearly when he would return home desperate to see his Kitten. “You can be a part of Peter’s life, but we’re staying here for now. Ini and Jessie need me to help run the orphanage.”
He exhaled, relief taking over him. He was going to be a part of his brother’s life, and he was determined to never fail him as he had failed so many others before.
“Would you like to stay for luncheon and meet some of my friends?” Peter asked Chauncey and Pippa.
“We’d love to.” Pippa leaned forward, smiling at Peter. “I’m Pippa, I’m married to your brother.”
Peter’s blue eyes were filled with excitement. “You think I can get a wife this pretty when I’m older?” he asked Chauncey, looking from him to Pippa.
“Don’t be cheeky, Peter.” Maggie looked down at her son, chastising him. “Excuse him. He has a mind of his own.”
“All Bennetts have minds of their own.” He chuckled, ruffling the boy’s hair. “I doubt you will find a wife as pretty as mine, but you can try,” he answered, looking over at his wife. “I had to work very hard to win her affection, and I never stopped trying.”
Maggie pulled her son out of the office, and he and Pippa turned to follow them.
Pippa took his arm, leaning into him. “I’m glad you never stopped,” she whispered.
Chauncey gazed down at his wife, her hazel eyes glistening with love. In that moment, he knew that he had not lost her, and the Duke of St. Clara was suddenly the luckiest gentleman in London. Stealing a quick kiss from his wife’s lips, he gave her a teasing smile. “As if I ever could.”
CHAPTER 27
Dear Kitten,
As I leave for the Continent, I want you to know that I care for you beyond friendship, and once I return you will be mine forever. Nothing will keep us apart.
All my love,
Chauncey (The Assistant)
Pippa had never been in the oversized dining area that was filled with at least fifty children eagerly eating hearty bowls of stew. They sat at a long table with Peter, four of his friends, Maggie, Ini, Beatrice, and Jessie. Her husband had found himself sitting directly across from Ini, who kept commenting on his good looks and how lucky Pippa was to snatch him off the marriage mart.
It was a lively experience, one that reminded her of her wedding day. It was impossible not to smile at Peter and St. Clara’s interaction. They were the same person. Confident, funny, and they controlled everyone around them.