Page 6 of The Legend of the Betrayed Duchess

“Come, Lucy, Father is not about. Let us find my mother.”

They went next to her sitting room, but Flossy said her Grace was with her father.

Finally arriving at his grandfather’s rooms, he entered and found not only his mother but his father seated facing his grandfather.

They turned to see who had entered.

“George…” his mother said, “Why are you not at your lessons?”

“I need to know what is going to happen with Miss Lucy. She has suffered a great loss and she tells me she has no other family.”

“We are just now discussing this,” Grandfather said.

“But this is for us to decide,” Judith added, “Now leave us, please. We are discussing where we might send her.”

George was not having that. “No, Mother. She should stay with us. It is right and proper that we do so, as they were our tenants, and if there are no other family members, we should care for her.”

Matthew stood up and came over to George and put his hand on the boy’s shoulder.

“Son, these are adult matters, and you can be certain we will do what is best for the child.”

“And what is your solution, then?”

Matthew and Judith glanced at each other with troubled looks.

“We are discussing the options.”

“There should be no options,” George insisted. “Lucy has no home, she has lost the only family she has, and she should remain with us.”

“And what interest do you have in this child,” Judith asked.

“I like her. She is smart, and I believe a fast learner. She would be great to have as one of our family. Heavens only know my sisters are not all that sharp or interested in learning almost anything.”

“George, that is totally uncalled for,” Judith said, raising her voice.

David leaned forward, not being able to suppress a smile, and placed his hand on his daughter’s arm.

“My dear, the boy has a point.” He then addressed Matthew. “It seems to me that you, as the Duke of Sutherland, have an obligation to your tenants in a situation like this. If they have served you well, you have a responsibility to care for this child. If she has no family what else can you do with her?”

“I believe there are such things as orphanages, are there not?” The Duchess said, primly.

“I believe there are, but they are dreadful places. And if this child is as lovely and intelligent as she seems, it would be a great disservice to send her to such a place.” David sat back in the divan. “But that is just my opinion.”

“And well spoken, Grandpapa,” George spoke out.

Now Judith stood up. “George, you are a ten-year-old child and know nothing about these matters. It is far better if you leave these types of decisions to us, your parents.”

“I know what is right and wrong. It has nothing to do with my age. I insist Lucy stay with us,” George said, pulling Lucy close to him and facing his mother directly on.

Judith turned to her husband. “Oh, Matthew, what is to be done here?”

Matthew drew his fingers along his jaw several times while thinking. Then he nodded.

“I agree with George and your father, my dear. The girlisour responsibility. I would have her stay with us. She can be trained and eventually when she is old enough, she can be found a service position in some home of standing. In the meantime, Nanny Wilkes can look after her.”

“And me,” George insisted. “I shall make certain she is properly educated.”

Judith and Matthew looked at each other with some surprise. This was not at all the rambunctious young boy they knew up until now.