Page 6 of Ne'er Duke Well
For want of… trying?
“You don’t have guardianship of your siblings, then?” she asked. And how puzzling that was. She knew Peter’s parents were both deceased, like her own. Surely it would be a matter of coursefor the guardianship to pass to him, as hers and Will’s had passed to Nicholas.
“We arehalfsiblings,” said Lu icily, and then understanding clicked into place.
These werenaturalchildren. Peter’s father must have had these children with his mistress—or perhaps not even that, simply a woman with whom he’d had intercourse. Perhaps not even thesamewoman, she supposed.
Her own father had had a long-term mistress before he’d married their mother. It wasn’t uncommon for aristocrats.
Male aristocrats, that is. It wasn’t uncommon formalepeers to have children with women who were not their wives.
But itwasuncommon for the legitimate heir to recognize them—to introduce them as his siblings to an acquaintance on the street.
Goodness, Peter Kent did have a way of surprising her.
“I see,” she said. “And where do you reside now, Miss Lu?”
Lu jerked up her chin. “With Great-great-aunt Rosamund. WeloveGreat-great-aunt Rosamund.”
Freddie emitted a little squeak—Selina thought maybe Lu had kicked him—and then he was nodding along agreeably. “Oh yes, we love her. We love her, um… her, um… her…” He gazed at Selina and then inspiration seemed to strike. “Her bonnets!”
Peter gave a strangled cough.
Lu rolled her eyes. “Thank you, Freddie.”
“She sounds like a paragon,” Selina said.
“Oh yes,” said Peter, “certainly. What did she say this morning when I arrived to collect you? I don’t think I quite understood her.”
Freddie produced an imitation of a quiet snore.
“We love Great-great-aunt Rosamund,” repeated Lu. “And her home is where we shall stay.”
“Unless I can pry you out by means of legal action,” said Peter, and there was that frown again. Selina found she didn’t like to see him frown. Which was probably the most bizarre thought she’d had all day, and that included all the eye-popping combinations of colors she’d imagined plucking out of her wardrobe.
“Don’t you know,” Peter was saying to his sister, “I could fill the drawing room of the Stanhope residence with fencing masters, if you so desired it, Lu.”
“I do not.” Her small chin was still lifted, her dark brows arched in challenge.
“I have to admit,” Selina said, “it is a particular pleasure to have a fencing master attend you at your leisure.”
Lu turned a scowl in Selina’s direction.
“Listen to Lady Selina, won’t you?” Peter said, his face softening. “You like her. She’s interesting. She’s easily the cleverest woman of my acquaintance.”
A little frisson of delight curled up like a cat inside Selina’s chest, and she tried to get hold of herself. Good God, there was something about these offhand Kent compliments that could charm the hat off one’s head. Even this monumental green silk bonnet.
“In fact,” he said, and he turned to Selina as if about to speak. He paused for a moment, and then said, “Yes—I think that—” His warm brown eyes rested on her face consideringly.
“You think that…?” she prompted after a moment. Her cheeks were starting to feel a bit warm, and she really did not want to blush, for goodness’ sake. Selina did not blush. Sherefusedto blush.
“I’d like to speak to you and your brother about this exact situation. Can I call on you at Rowland House?”
She wasn’t entirely sure what situation he was talking about—curse the man, he always made her feel as though she’d lost the plot—but…
She knew herself. She knew her fatal flaw.
She was curious. She always wanted to know more.
