Page 95 of Married to a Frozen Duke
"Alexander, please..." Ophelia started.
"That vase," he continued, his voice rising, "was brought back from China by the third duke in 1721. It survived wars, floods, fires, and three centuries of careful preservation, only to be destroyed by your brothers' childish resentment and complete lack of respect for anything they don't understand."
"Respect?" Charles found his voice again, though Ophelia wished he hadn't. "You want to talk about respect? You've shownour sister nothing but cold tolerance since she arrived, treating her like an unwanted obligation rather than your wife, and you expect us to respect your things?"
"My things? These aren't just things, they're history, they're heritage, they're..."
"They're objects," Edward interrupted. "Objects you value more than people, apparently. That vase mattered more to you than the family being evicted, doesn't it?"
"Get out." Alexander's voice was so quiet it was almost a whisper, but it carried more force than a shout.
"Alexander..." Ophelia tried again.
"I want them out of my house. Now."
"You can't just..."
"I can and I will. They've disrespected my home, destroyed irreplaceable artifacts, and insulted me at every opportunity since they arrived. They will leave immediately."
"We're not going without Ophelia," Charles said, stepping forward with his fists clenched.
"Ophelia is my wife. She stays."
"She's our sister!"
"She's the Duchess of Montclaire, and she will conduct herself accordingly, which means not defending vandals and troublemakers who happen to share her blood."
Ophelia felt something snap inside her at those words. "Vandals and troublemakers? These are my brothers!"
"Yes, and they've just proven exactly why I was right to distrust your family from the beginning. No respect for tradition, no understanding of value beyond monetary worth, no ability to conduct themselves with even basic propriety..."
"Stop it," Ophelia said, but he was building to something, she could see it.
"This is what comes of allowing Coleridges into this house. Destruction, disrespect, and disorder. Your brothers are leaving, Ophelia, and they're not welcome to return."
"You can't ban my family from seeing me!"
"I can do whatever I deem necessary to protect this estate and its contents from further damage."
"Damage? You think a broken vase is damage? What about the damage you're doing to our marriage by treating my family like criminals?"
"They destroyed priceless artifacts!"
"By accident!"
"An accident that wouldn't have happened if they had even an ounce of proper behaviour or respect!"
Charles stepped forward, and for a moment Ophelia thought he might actually strike Alexander. "You want to talk about proper behaviour? How about marrying our sister and then treating her like a burden you have to bear? How about making her feel unwelcome in what's supposed to be her home?"
"Charles, don't..." Ophelia warned.
"No, Phee, he needs to hear this. We've watched you trying to make yourself smaller and quieter and more acceptable to him, and it's killing us. You're disappearing, turning into some ghost of yourself to try to fit into his perfect, cold world."
"That's not...”
"Isn't it?" Edward joined in. "Your letters have been getting shorter and more formal. You barely smiled during dinner last night. You're becoming exactly what he wants; a proper, silent, invisible duchess who doesn't disturb his perfect order."
"If she's changing," Alexander said icily, "it's because she's learning to conduct herself appropriately for her position, something you two clearly never will."
