Page 56 of A Duchess Disciplined

What if his sister was badly injured? What if she had broken her leg? William’s heart thundered so harshly against his ribs that he felt as if it might burst from his chest. It seemed as though it was no time at all before he reached the ground floor and tore open the doors that led to the gardens.

The spring air whirled about him, warm and welcoming. “Hannah!” he boomed, his voice a harsh contrast with the serenity of the day.

Hannah, who had climbed to her feet, stared at him with wide eyes. A large streak of green stained the front of her white gown; William did not imagine that the stain would be easily vanquished. Beside Hannah, Hester stood and twisted her fingers into her skirts. Catherine stood behind them, looking like a wild woman with her hitched-up and mud-drenched skirts.

“What were you thinking?” he roared, gesturing towards Hannah.

“I was thinking that we would have some exercise!” Catherine exclaimed. “There is no harm in that!”

“No harm,” he scoffed. “No harm, except that my sister fell and hurt herself!”

“Children fall!Adultsfall!” Catherine protested. “You can see that she is fine.”

“I am fine,” Hannah said meekly. “Truly.”

“This time!” he countered. “What about thenexttime you trip and fall? You could have been seriously injured!”

“By running in the garden?” Catherine asked, disbelief heavy in her voice. “You are being unreasonable.”

“Unreasonable?”

“I am really—” Hannah cut off abruptly, as William fixed her with a stern glare. She shrank back from him, looking appropriately chastened.

William fixed his gaze next on his wife, who crossed her arms. “You are being unreasonable,” she repeated. “It was just a minor mishap. Ithappens.”

“I do not have to answer to you. Find a more appropriate pastime to engage in.”

He turned on his heels and stormed away.

“I will talk to them,” Catherine murmured behind him.

William scowled, as he entered the house. She wouldtalk to him, would she? His wife had become far too comfortable with him, and it seemed as though his punishment had done nothing. William clenched his jaw. If she was going to follow him, at least, they would argue away from his sisters’ prying eyes.

He slammed the door behind him, only to hear it wrenched open a moment later. “Do not walk away from me!” Catherine exclaimed. “We need to have a serious conversation about what just happened.”

“No, we do not,” he replied, making for the stairs. “I had presumed that you would have learned your place after thatlesson, but it appears as if I was mistaken.”

“No,youare mistaken!” Catherine argued, following him. “Our agreement was that I could be myself when we were away from public, and the gardens are not public. You had no reason to be upset!”

William bristled, less bothered by her defiance than he was by her point being entirely rational. Shewasright. Catherine had been in private with his sisters, which meant that she was allowed to be herself. Seeing his sister fall had made him feel as though he was witnessing his mother once more in her final days. Hannah and Hester were the only people he cared about and the only family he had left.

Certainly, it was unlikely that Hannah would have been fatally injured by tripping in the garden, but the possibility still remained. Accidents happened. If something had happened to Hannah while she was running about in the gardens, he would have never forgiven himself.

“Listen to me!” Catherine insisted.

He thundered up the stairs. She followed, her slippers a faint, shuffling whisper behind him.

“Hannah and Hester are children!” Catherine exclaimed. “They ought to be allowed to enjoy themselves! I have told you about all the fond memories I have of my childhood. Would you deprive your own sisters of those same memories?”

He bristled at the question, for it struck him more strongly than it should have. What did she know about being both guardian and brother to two young girls? Nothing! Yet she dared to presume that she knew more than he did about the matter!

“Do not ignore me!” she cried. “That will not resolve the matter!”

He reached his study and flung the door open. A few bold strides brought him to his desk. Catherine came behind him, of course, and crossed her arms. She fixed him with a stern gaze as he seated himself behind his desk. His mind was awhirl with the situation and his own reaction. With a sudden rush of guilt, he realized that hehadreacted more strongly than he ought to have. Even if the behavior had been unladylike and worthy of chastisement, it had been unlikely that his sister would be seriously injured.

Catherine did not seem inclined to leave. He poured himself a glass of brandy and, after some consideration, poured her one, too. William pushed the glass to her and took his own, taking a small sip. The spirit was warm and invigorating, and he felt himself relax a little from the burn as he swallowed.

“We need to talk about this,” Catherine said, swiping the glass of brandy from the desk. “You cannot just ignore me.”

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