Page 52 of Stolen By the Duke of Ice
Alone but together, such brave girls. And now, on the brink of adulthood, still feeling quite alone but nevertheless together.
Somehow, she could relate to their feeling of being alone.
A knock sounded on the door.
“Come in.”
A footman and a housemaid came in bearing trays of tea and sandwiches. They set the tea things down then bowed and curtsied to leave.
“Who rang for tea, Perkins?” Claire asked, for they had not.
“The Duke instructed for tea to be brought up, M’Lady.”
“Oh. Thank you.”
Dahlia saw that the serving was for three.
How does he know that I am here? I had barely planned it.
Suddenly feeling ashamed, Dahlia saw in her mind’s eye his fear—now she knew that it was not anger but fear—as he demanded they go back to the castle. She saw him wrapping the blanket around her and making sure that warm tea and food was sent to them after their time in the snow.
He is taking care of us. In his own way, he is taking care of me.
When the servants left Dahlia groaned.
“I was very angry at him.” She covered her face. “I accused him of being an authoritarian; I called him names.”
“Oh, Dahlia, you mustn’t be hard on yourself! You did not know!” Mary defended her.
“Butweshould have thought about Peter’s reaction to us being in the snow.We should have considered it,” Claire added. “The blame is ours.”
Gathering herself, Dahlia gave them a small smile.
“No, my dears, there is no blame. There should not be any blame. Please do not worry yourselves over this.”
I must talk to Peter. I must make him see that I finally understand.
It did not take Dahlia by surprise that Peter had not joined them for dinner that night. Mary and Claire assured her that it was not so unusual an occurrence for their brother to be unable to attend dinner.
“He and Mr. Phillips are probably still buried in work.”
“Mr. Cooper said that they had to leave earlier in the afternoon to attend to some estate matters, so he is probably still not back.”
And so, the meal had progressed as other meals shared between the three of them had before. Dahlia very much appreciated the constant company of other females now. She had been so used to finding and creating her own amusement whenever her parents were on a trip or whenever her friends were engaged elsewhere. Indeed, that was how Penelope Lovelace was born.
But now, she hardly had time for her embroidery and hardly opened the new book her father gifted her before she left. Surrounded by constant feminine chatter and by affectionate gestures, Dahlia saw what she had been missing.
Sisters are precious things.
They lingered over dinner and stayed even longer in the sitting room after that. Dahlia kept looking at the door in hopes of seeing Peter walk through it. It was the hour of eleven when they all decided to retire for the night.
It seems that I am to be disappointed.
“Good night, Dahlia.” Mary gave her a kiss on the cheek.
“I look forward to the next chapter ofThe Duke and The Aspiring Detectives,” whispered Claire as she embraced her.
Dahlia was still chuckling as she left the sitting room and headed to her chambers.
