AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Estwood had looked into Kinkaid’s background for David, as well as the ownership of the cottage. Kinkaid was the son of a moderately prosperous farmer who’d fallen on hard times. He’d become a soldier when his father’s farm was sold, but Estwood had been unable to find out how Kinkaid had met Emelia in the first place. They had struggled financially, especially when Emelia's family had disowned her over the scandal of leaving the Duke of Granby, but the pair had been otherwise happy. After fleeing to this charming backwater to hide, they had presented themselves as married, though they didn’t wed officially until Horace died. Kinkaid followed Horace, barely two months later, so Emelia was a widow twice over, though he doubted she had cried over his father.
“Your Grace. I wasn’t expecting you,” she said from the doorway.
“My apologies for not informing you of my visit,” he replied politely, though his fingers clenched tightly against his thighs to stop the rage. Disgust. Scorn.Anguish. The pain of the boy he’d once been screamed out in pain as the only person whom David had truly loved, had abandoned him.
Moisture gathered behind his eyes, and he looked away, ashamed.Christ.Andromeda had done this to him. She and Aunt Pen. They’d conspired together to unman him.
Weak. I always knew you were your mother’s son. I’ll have to make a proper duke of you.
He turned back to Emelia, watching as she dabbed her eyes with the corner of the apron tied around her waist. She looked about to burst into tears at the sight of him.
“Will you come in for tea, Your Grace?” She pushed at Ren who stood behind her. “I’ve a spice cake. Your favorite.” Her hands fluttered to her throat. “I mean, you used—”
“A slice of cake would be most welcome.” An ache started inside him, looking at the woman he hadn’t seen since he was a child. She had remembered spice cake was his favorite.
Ren glared at him with warning as David followed Emelia into the cottage, stooping low beneath the doorway.
“If you so much as bring a tear to her eye, duke or not, I’ll make you regret you ever came here.”
David paused and took in his bastard brother, no more than a lad, whom he’d spent the vast majority of his life detesting. Scornful words about his brother’s parentage begged to spew from behind his lips. He leaned over, gratified when Ren stepped back a pace, and answered.
“I already do.”
