Page 53 of His Grace, the Duke
James handed offhis great coat, top hat, and gloves to a footman, his eyes locked on the butler. “Where is she?”
“In your study, my lord,” Wilson wheezed.
James ground his teeth, stalking off across the entry hall. Damn foolish to leave the house this morning! He wanted to be here when his mother arrived to head her off. But he hadn’t expected them until later this evening. It didn’t make any sense.
Of course. Bloody George lied about their travel plans.
Making a resolution to kick George in the shins when he next saw him, James made his way to the back of the house. A footman stood outside the open door of his study, jolting to attention as James approached.
“Is she in there?”
The footman nodded.
Taking a deep breath, James squared his shoulders and entered.
“Ah, there you are, my darling. How good of you to come greet me at last.”
His mother’s tone was icy, even if her words were cordial. She sat behind his desk, blonde hair piled in a stately column of curls, her face flawlessly powdered and rouged. Her armor was firmly in place, and this study was her chosen battlefield. She was ready to draw blood.
“Mother,” he said with a curt nod, going straight to the drink cart. “Can I get you anything?” he called, rattling around as he poured three fingers of whiskey into a glass.
“No,” she replied. “James, come sit. We have much to discuss.”
With his liquid reinforcement in hand, James leaned against the cart. “I don’t need to sit for this. Just say what’s on your mind.”
“Don’t get flippant with me. I am furious with you. I raised you better than to pull such a scandalous stunt before the wholeton! I may be just an overbearing mother to you, but I am still mistress of this house. I am a duchess—”
“Only until George marries. Then it will be the lovely Miss Nash who claims that title.”
She hissed like an angry cat. “That little tart willneverreplace me. I will be Duchess of Norland until I die—”
“Incorrect. The moment Father died, you became a dowager,” he needled.
Her lips quivered like she was holding in a scream.
“But don’t worry,” he added. “Loss of rank is not completely devoid of perks. As a dowager duchess, you are granted the most comfortable chair at every social gathering. That must be seen as advantageous.”
“I will not be made irrelevant!”
Before he could reply, she let out a few sobs. His darling mother loved crying for an audience. It usually worked onGeorge, but only because crying women made him so deeply uncomfortable. It embarrassed James to admit how many times it had worked on him in the past.
“I don’t know what I’ve done to earn your spite, James. It cuts straight through my heart.” She pressed dramatically on her chest with her glittering fist.
He just rolled his eyes. “Come now, Mother: You and I both know you don’t have a heart—”
“If I am heartless, it is because the demands of this life ripped it from my chest! Who do you think ran all of this while your father still lived? You think he could manage it on his own? No,” she answered, her tone full of scorn. “No, he was too busy with his bad investments and his risky speculations, his drinking and his gambling and hiswhores.”
James blinked, wholly taken aback. “What are you—”
“Your beloved father was spending the estate’s money faster than we could bring it in,” she snapped. “Ihad to secure Alcott Hall. I made the tough choices, James. I kept us in these houses, in this title, in this comfort. You think you are the silent duke?” She scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. “Please, child, I invented the position. I work to secure a title I can never claim. A title both my sons now take completely for granted!”
“I take nothing for granted,” he growled, slapping his glass down. “Since Father died, I have done everything to take care of the family as George has been derelict in his duty. We both have suffered. We both have put in work thanklessly for the betterment of a family that does not respect us. I didn’t see you then, and I am sorry for it. But you are not seeing me now—”
“Oh, I see you,” she replied with a glare. “I see a spoiled,ungrateful fool! You are selfish, James. Why can you not just do as I say? I need you to help me keep this all together, and you are determined to watch it fall apart!”
Her words found their marks, sinking deep into his chest, leaving him breathless. He could practically feel the strings tied to each barb. How soon before she began to tug on them? How soon before he was once again dancing to her tune? James was her own dutiful marionette.
He was exhausted. He couldn’t live like this anymore. He took a deep breath and dragged a hand through his hair. “I thought I was doing the right thing by helping you force George down the aisle, but now I see how wrong I’ve been.”
