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“Apology accepted. I was simply saying that I’m happy you’re going to marry Lady Ainsley. She’s quite jolly in her own way, and I think she’ll be good for you.”
“If by jolly you mean ruthlessly sarcastic,” Royal said.
Kade laughed. “She’s also smart and quite the prettiest lady I’ve ever seen. Don’t tell Victoria I said that, because she’s very pretty, too.”
“It will be our secret. And it so happens I’m in complete agreement.”
“You’re good for her too, Royal,” Kade said, turning serious. “She needs someone to look after her. Someone who will protect her from whatever is scaring her.”
He mentally blinked. They’d been so careful to hide the full truth about Ainsley and Tira from everyone but Nick, Victoria, and Logan. Even Angus didn’t know many of the details, especially those concerning the rape.
“Scaring her? What do you mean?”
Kade made an impatient sound. “I’m not a child anymore. I know exactly what’s going on.”
“And what do you think you’ve figured out?”
“She’s Tira’s mother. It’s hard to miss it, given the eyes. Plus, you did go visit Lady Ainsley and then mysteriously returned with a baby.”
Royal placed both hands on his brother’s shoulders. “We can never acknowledge the truth to anyone. Do you understand?”
“I won’t say anything outside the family, I promise. But I’m old enough to know these things. And to help.”
“I didn’t intentionally cut you out, laddie. I didn’t tell Braden or the twins, either.”
“I hate to tell you, but they’ve figured it out too.”
Alarm spiked in Royal’s gut. Braden could be trusted, but the twins tended to blurt out any thought that came into their heads.
“They won’t say anything either,” Kade said. “We all want to protect Tira.”
“Ainsley needs protection too. It’s important, Kade,” Royal said sternly. “We all have to pretend that Tira ismydaughter, or things will go south very quickly.”
His brother immediately looked contrite. “I’m sorry. I only want to help, and I . . . I just wanted you and Lady Ainsley to know that.”
“You have helped enormously by accepting her with such kindness.”
Kade waved a hand. “It’s easy to like her.”
“Tell that to your grandfather.”
“You just leave Grandda to me,” Kade said stoutly. “I’ll bring him around.”
Royal smiled. “Good luck with that. But please keep this discussion between us, and always remember that Tira is my daughter. Because in every way that matters, she is.”
“I know she is.” Kade’s voice cracked in the endearing way of a boy his age. “I would doanythingto protect Tira, even if it meant sacrificing myself for her.”
That promise wasn’t just youthful bravado on his brother’s part. Despite his sensitive nature, the lad possessed more heart and courage than any of them.
Royal gave him a brief hug and got him moving again. “I’m hoping the only sacrifice you’ll have to make is hearing Angus complain when Ainsley and I move out of Kendrick House.”
“You know he won’t like that you’re taking Tira away. He dotes on her.”
“It can’t be helped. If Grandda and Ainsley were to live in the same house, there’s no telling what will happen.”
“It would be like living with two of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” Kade said in a droll voice.
“Except not as restful.”
