Page 22 of His Accidental Duchess

“Did I hear correctly, Annie?”

Both of them turned to see Beatrice standing in the doorway, her sleeves rolled up and her forearms glistening with water. Her eyes were wide.

Anna swallowed, nodding. “I… I believe I am betrothed to the Duke of Langdon. He wants a wife, a mother for his daughter, and I suppose I was just convenient. And for all he says about Henry’s messes not being his responsibility, he must feelsomesort of guilt.”

Beatrice gave a bark of laughter, before clapping her hands over her mouth. “Oh, Anna, this is perfect! He’s awful, of course, but this will save you all!”

Anna nodded slowly, biting her lip and glancing worriedly at her mother. Octavia was pale, a sort of faraway look in her eyes.

“He promised to take care of our debts, Mama. He promised that you can keep the house, and the twins will be sponsored. I told you I’d save us, didn’t I?”

Octavia let out a faint sigh and crumpled unconscious to the ground.

CHAPTER 6

It had become something of a routine for Theodore to look in the mirror in the morning and find a pair of serious eyes looking back at him, from about hip height.

Once, a few years ago, he had decided to keep his dressing room door locked even after he was ready, to avoid early-morning altercations with his child.

It was a mistake. Tantrums had ensued, along with plenty of tears and protestations. It was much easier to simply allow Kitty to follow her routine. Besides, it never hurt Theodore to be reminded of his main duty and role. Fatherhood came above a dukedom, after all.

Well, in his opinion, at least. Many men would disagree, his father included.

Which is probably why I am as cold as a block of ice, and Henry is… well, Henry,he thought glumly, putting the finishing touches to his cravat.

“Which pin should I use, Kitty?” he asked aloud.

His valet, a neat, dainty man named Briggs, never seemed offended to be bypassed in this role. In fact, he almost seemed to enjoy having Kitty around.

There was a rattling sound as Kitty rifled through the jewelry box and took out a shiny sapphire pin.

“This one, Papa.”

“An excellent choice, Lady Katherine,” Briggs said soberly. “Shall I affix it for you, Your Grace?”

“Yes, do. And then step out for a moment if you would. I want a word with my daughter.”

Briggs affixed the pin neatly and efficiently, arranging the cravat around it so that the vibrant blue glimmered, half-hidden, in the mass of creamy, starched linen. He bowed and then slipped out without another word.

Sighing, Theodore gave his reflection one last, calculating look and then turned to face his daughter.

Kitty looked neat and tidy, but then she always did first thing in the morning. Generally speaking, by the time luncheon arrived, she looked as though she’d been dragged through a hedge backward, and her nursemaids looked as haggard as if they hadn’t slept in a week.

For now, though, Kitty’s pastel-pink dress was smooth and unstained, her hair plaited and greased neatly into two long pigtails. At one point in the morning, the pigtails had probably been tied withtwopink ribbons, but she was currently only sporting one, on the left pigtail.

Best not to think too hard about that. It was the nursemaids’ job.

Theodore squatted down before her, tilting his head.

“What did you think of that lady you met yesterday? The one that was in my study?”

Kitty’s face brightened. “The bride? I liked herverymuch, Papa. She wasextremelybeautiful.”

“She was pretty,” Theodore agreed.

“But a bit grubby, I think.”

“Very grubby, I should say. However, I think she will clean up nicely.”

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