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“To wait is a form of strength,” Beatrice said. “Knowing when to choose one’s time is a gift.”
“A great gift indeed,” came a voice. “One that your husband, ma’am, and your uncle, child, used to best advantage.” George, Prince Regent of England, stepped into the grove from one of the four paths leading into it. He was dressed without his typical magnificence, which was nigh on a greater shock than the fact of his presence.
Opposite him appeared Alfred, Duke of Lowell. From the third path prowled Alwyn, Duke of Llewellyn, and finally, finally, into the grove strode Arthur, Duke and Alpha of the Osborn Sleuth. For that was what he was, and that was what they were, as all in the family and in the house followed behind: Ben and Charlotte with Bernadette and Tarben, the footmaid nursemen, Mr. Conlon and Brosnyn, Morag, Mrs. Porter armed with a skillet, Glynis and Ciara and every single footman. They ringed the edge of the grove, strong in their numbers and so close to complete in their hearts.
“The Duke of Osborn is wise and good, in himself and in his sleuth.” Georgie caught Beatrice’s eye. “Do not, ma’am,” he commanded, and she ceased the descent into her distinctive obeisance.
Charlotte made to retrieve her daughter, and the creature growled, and Beatrice had had quite enough.
“Arthur,” she said, “do fetch your niece.”
“Cousin,” said His Highness. “Your wife has spoken.”
***
Sweet, holy,blessedFreya and all her Valkyries. Was Madam attempting to ignore Hallbjorn to death? For the conversation she was conducting with their niece was as leisurely as one conducted around the hearth nibbling marzipan. He picked up his pace, not caring that his regent’s directive was they should appear at the grove as one, like performers on a stage; nevertheless, Prinny had his way as he and the three dukes appeared at the heads of their respective paths simultaneously.
Madam rose from her curtailed curtsy and took in the aid he had gathered, her eyes smiling. Even as Arthur moved to fulfill his wife’s decree, Hallbjorn bunched to attack. Ursella gave the creature a wide berth and held up one little hand as she passed. “It is time for beddy-bye, bad man,” she said, and like a marionette whose strings were cut, he collapsed and commenced snoring.
“Well done, Ursella,” Arthur said. Madam lifted the child in her arms and made to pass her to Ben, who had rushed forward with Charlotte, but the child held fast.
Ursella patted her mum’s cheek and then cuddled into Madam’s shoulder as she reached out to clutch Arthur’s coat. “Oh, Uncle Artie, he was so mean, and he said he was going to make us be his sleuth, but I could see that he is very, very old and not at all well.”
“Not at all well?” He reached out and ran a hand down her plaits and then took both the cub and her aunt within his embrace.
“No.” She shook her head. “Not in his heart or his head. He thought I would be frightened, but I was not.”
“What a brave girl you are.” And the Omega to their sleuth. What a blessing.
Ursella nodded, solemn as a bishop. “I see things as they are, and so I am not afraid. And I felt you in my heart, even if the bad man thought we could not.” She moved her hand to set it on Arthur’s heart. “When this is better, we all will be.”
He leaned in and kissed his niece’s forehead. “Very soon, my fierce little cub. Freya would look upon you and shiver.”
“I do not fear the war goddess. Mani will mind me.” She yawned, and once handed over to her father, she flopped into sleep.
“Who is Mani?” Madam was never one to pass up an opportunity for enlightenment.
“Goddess of the moon and patroness of Omegas, so there’s our answer, not that there was any point in posing the question.” He exchanged a look with Ben and Charlotte and nodded.
“We shall take her in with the footmaid nursemen,” Charlotte said, “and leave you to it.” The women embraced, and Ben hugged his cub as if he could take her into his own body; they left with the rest of their brood and several attendants. A parting glare from Morag alerted Arthur to the consequences should he fail to follow through.
He would not fail.
For love was never failure, and right thinking never faltered.
“Custom decrees I can only honor my father’s memory by avenging it,” he said, addressing his prince, his peers, and his people. “Look upon this creature and ask yourself did you stand in my place, would you see such a challenge through?” The beast was in dreadful condition, and his bear was appalled to the same degree as he pitied it. Should they choose to fight, it would be over in an instant and would leave a dreadful burden on their conscience. “This is not the picture of a healthy Alpha, one to follow, one to trust in his inner circle, one to hold asentioable to bond any, much less many.” Arthur shook his head.
“How has there been no challenge for this place from elsewhere?” Madam asked.
“The knowledge Hallbjorn did not hold it was suppressed,” Georgie said.
Madam huffed. “After all this time?”
“When I deign a thing is not to be discussed, ma’am, it is not spoken of.” Georgie’s awful stillness descended, and Freya deliver them, Madam was as unimpressed as that fortuitous evening in the Montague conservatory.
“So, therefore, if it was not known there was none to hold Arcadia, then it could not be taken,” Madam observed.
“Truly, none support these archaic ways in our modern times,” Arthur assured her.
