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‘That was our father’s doing.’ His uncle’s voice took on a harder edge. ‘Our mother had nothing to do with it.’
‘She still went along with it.’ Sebastian threw a cautious glance over his shoulder, but the boys were too busy chattering to be paying any attention to their conversation at that moment.
‘Actually I don’t believe that she did.’ Lord Tobias’s knuckles tightened over the reins. ‘I was only thirteen and away at school when it happened, but the next time I came home I could see that everything was different. My mother was deeply unhappy, but she was also powerless to defy my father. He was a controlling man at the best of times, but his temper was worse than ever after Elizabeth ran away. I was terrified of him.’
‘You were?’ Sebastian lifted his eyebrows.
‘I’m not saying that we were blameless, my mother and I. Maybe we should have done more, but at the time there didn’t seem to be anything we could do. Then, after my father died, we thought of contacting Elizabeth, but it had been so long and we assumed she wouldn’t want to hear from us. I thought about visiting Bath and Belles several times, but I never summoned up the courage. Now I wish that I had. I know this situation must be very disconcerting for you and I wouldn’t blame you for being angry, but I can’t tell you how pleased I am to meet you finally. You’re welcome to stay as long as you wish, all of you.’
‘You know that I’m a sailor, Henrietta’s a shopkeeper and the boys’ father is a stable hand?’
‘I do now.’
‘Then are you sure that you want to invite us? Some people might say we’re not fit company for a dowager duchess.’
‘Some people might. I wouldn’t. I stopped caring about what society thought a long time ago, around the same time as I lost my sister, as it happens.’
‘We might be a handful.’
‘I’ll enjoy it. I’m an old bachelor myself, but it’ll be nice to hear children’s voices about the place.’ Lord Tobias pulled on the reins, bringing them to a halt in front of the house. ‘You can keep trying to deter me as much as you like, but you won’t dampen my enthusiasm.’
‘What about the Duke?’ Sebastian lifted an eyebrow. ‘The new Duke, I mean? Has he reconciled with my mother, too?’
‘No.’ A shadow crossed his uncle’s face. ‘I’m afraid that my brother takes after my father in that regard.’
‘Meaning he doesn’t approve of her living here?’
‘I’m afraid not. He’s written to me about it in no uncertain terms.’
‘And?’
‘And I’ve replied in a similar vein.’
Sebastian smiled his approval. ‘I’d like to have been a fly on the wall when he opened that letter.’
‘Nobody should be told who they can or can’t share their lives with, or who they can love either.’
‘I agree.’ Sebastian looked up at the house and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ‘If you were away at school when my mother ran away, then I don’t suppose you ever met my father.’
‘No, although I wish that I had. From what Elizabeth tells me, he was a very special man.’
‘He was.’ Sebastian nodded, starting to suspect that his uncle might be, too. ‘Now, I ought to go and find Henrietta.’
* * *
Pouring her heart out to Elizabeth had been soothing, Henrietta realised, as Sebastian walked into the drawing room half an hour later alongside his uncle and her nephews. Now that her tears had dried, her mind felt ten times easier than it had that morning. Surprisingly, he looked more relaxed, too, albeit a little confused, as if he were trying to make sense of something.
‘We’re going to learn fishing!’ Micha
el announced, already hurtling across the room.
‘Are you?’ She gave him a pointed look that only just stopped him from leaping on to the sofa beside her.
‘Oh!’ He skidded to a halt and sat down gingerly. ‘Yes, Lord Tobias said that he’ll teach us.’
‘With your permission?’ Sebastian’s uncle looked towards her with a smile.
‘Of course.’ She smiled back. ‘That’s very kind.’
