Page 15 of Five Ways to Bed a Duke

“Oh, but you enjoy the fancy clothes and treats. You never asked, but Lily threw a tantrum when we said we couldn’t afford the trip to Bath for the holidays,” their father added, red with rage.

“Arthur, that is enough.”

“Jemima, you?—”

“That is enough, Father.” Catherine glared at him.

“I don’t?—”

“Hugh.” One word was all she needed to silence her brother when he flew into a rage. “That is enough. Apologize.”

“What? Why?” he protested.

“Because you were rude and ungrateful,” she answered. “They might not be perfect, but you cannot deny they have done their best to take care of us.”

“But—”

“Apologize. Now.”

“I am sorry,” Hugh mumbled reluctantly.

“Go on.”

“That was rude and ungrateful of me. I should not have said what I did.”

“We forgive you.”

Hugh nodded but walked with slumped shoulders out of the room.

Catherine’s heart panged, but he needed to reflect on his actions and realize how rude he was.

He did have every right to be upset because as a child, he’d been ignored several times in uncomfortable situations till she’d found him bawling and soothed him. It’s why he’d gotten so close to her. She had cared for him since he was a child.

She shook her head at her parents before leading Lily out of the drawing room and to her chambers.

Lily usually didn’t talk after such incidents until a few days had passed.

“Lils, how are you?” Catherine asked once she’d shut the door. “Do you want some tea?”

Lily shook her head and went to lie on her bed, crumpling her dress. Their mother was going to throw a fit when she saw it.

“No, thank you.”

“But how do you feel?” Catherine pressed. “You never say anything, and it worries me.”

“I don’t really have anything to say, Cathy,” Lily sighed. “Do you think Mother would mind if I took a quick nap?”

“I doubt Mother would mind. I might even join you.”

Lily nodded and slid to the edge of the bed to make room for her. “Where did you go today?”

“I went to call on an old friend.”

“I didn’t know you had any friends,” Lily said, sounding surprised. “You never go out.”

If it weren’t almost entirely true, Catherine might have been offended. It was not as though she didn’t have friends, she just didn’t enjoy conversations revolving around nothing but gossip and the latest fashion trends.

“I guess there’s a lot you don’t know about me.” She laughed, kissing her sister’s hair. “Sleep, little one.”

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