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The instant I put it on before we left the house, Loren busted out laughing.
Which was precisely why I made that choice.
Now, however, Mom and I were sitting at a table in a room at the constabulary, dainty china teacups in saucers filled with tea in front of us, and we looked like we were waiting to be called in to two different auditions for two separate period dramas.
Mental note: first thing when I got home, tell Carling to send for the modiste ASAP. Mom needed to be kitted out for this world. And we needed to take advantage of Dad-not-Dad’s money while we had access to it.
That meant, although the hospital was returning Maxine’s personal things that day, she was getting a ton more dresses (and slippers and whatever).
And I was augmenting my own wardrobe.
He brought us to this world, he’d pay for us to exist in it.
One way or another.
For the now, I had to concentrate.
Because we weren’t in there alone with the inspector.
We had witnesses.
The marquess and duke were standing at our backs like sentries.
The inspector, wearing his stuffy black uniform with chest panel buttoned across the front with brass buttons, sat opposite us.
He had a pewter fountain pen in hand, held over a sheaf of papers contained in a battered leather folder, and had gazed for long seconds at the bruise under my eye before he said, “Shall we begin?”
Mom and I had a plan.
We’d researched it as thoroughly as we could and blocked it all out.
I knew this world better, so I was going to take the lead.
But Mom was a mom.
Her daughter(s)’s health, welfare and safety were on the line.
Thus, instantaneously, she thwarted said plan and took over.
“Yes, indeed. My other daughter is home without me. Both daughters have recently, and throughout their lives, endured trials and tribulations at the hands of their father. So allow me to share the fullness of grievances I have against my husband, and do that swiftly, so I can take my one darling daughter, and return with her to my other darling girl, as they both need me.”
She was gearing up to another “We’ll never be hungry again!” moment, I could feel it.
“Momma—” I tried to cut in.
She turned to me, reached out, curled her gloved fingers around mine, locked eyes with me, and shook my hand.
“Darling, please.”
Oh shit.
Back she went to the inspector, but she didn’t release my hand.
“Beware, sir. My husband is a consummate actor. I know this, as he was acting with every breath when he won me.”
“Milady,” the inspector murmured in a way it seemed he was going to say more, Mom just didn’t give him the chance.
“It was not simply when I gave him twins, but before, well before, when the mask slipped. But mark my words, it all fell apart when I gave him my girls. I, to this day, do not understand it. My daughters were not the first twins born in this universe, or any other.”
I pressed my lips together at the “any other” thing.
“But he had an uncommon, unhealthy aversion to them. He considered them an aberration. It was mad. He sent Satrine away after I first nursed her. I couldn’t believe it. I was undone. I begged and pleaded, but he’d hear none of it. Once she was gone, he wouldn’t even admit to Satrine existing. She’d vanished from his life, and he considered that vanished from this earth. But for me, it was the worst moment of my existence.” She drew in a delicate breath. “Sadly, I would have others.”
“Countess,” the inspector tried to get in there again.
He totally failed.
“Bereft of one child, I showered attention on the other. Only for her to suffer an accident that no mother, no parent, except my husband, could abide. But she was my baby. My other child lost to me, I didn’t even know where my Satrine was. I grieved for her every day and loved her sister all the more for her loss. I had every intention, I assure you, sir, every intention to love and care for my Maxine, regardless of her state, for as long as I was breathing. To my deep misfortune, this option was cruelly wrested from me.”
I gave her hand a tone it down squeeze.
She did not tone it down.
“Off I was packed to Fleuridia. And off Maxine was packed to cold, desolate hospitals where others, not her mother, cared for her. Make no mistake, they did this well, and I am grateful to them. But I am her mother, and it should have been me. The only consolation I had was that he sent my Satrine with me. I finally had my other daughter back.”
I heard Loren and Ansley shifting behind me, I gave her another squeeze, but Lady Corliss was on a roll and there was no stopping her now.
