AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Reasonably kind sister and beloved granddaughter.
And above all, one thing that would never change, no matter how many horrible words, thoughts, or deeds were thrown at me.
Sofia’s mama. A really damn good mother.
EPILOGUE
ONE MONTH LATER
Xavier
Henry was dead. Had been for four whole days.
He held on a bit longer than the doctors thought he would, but a week ago, he was pronounced brain dead. And after that, once the ventilators were detached, he died peacefully in his room at Corbray Hall.
Now I sat in the office, waiting for the lawyers to come and clear up the remains of Henry’s will, but also trying to determine who would be a useful steward if and when I decided to leave. I never wanted to play the duke, but here I was, having left Jagger to run the Parker Group while I was up to my neck in portfolio analyses and tenant bills and the infinite other small businesses that kept the estate and the Parker net worth running.
I hated it. And now it had become my life.
I stared up at the burnished walnut walls, outfitted with fancy woodwork, some kind of tartan wallpaper, and mini portraits of every duke there had been in the estate’s history, all looking at me down their long English noses. My heavy bag hung still in the corner, unused for several weeks.
It was odd. Generally, I needed an outlet for my anger, but since Francesca left, it was as though she’d taken it with her. Anger and love for me seemed to walk a thin line. Both were based in passion, I supposed. And everything I’d felt passionate about had either died or gone back to New York.
God, I hated this room. Every time I was in it, someone died or was about to die, or wanted to die (if they were me, anyway).
It was here I’d first learned that Lucy had passed, informed by Father, with a smirk on his face. Like he knew it meant the inevitable, that I’d crack and marry Imogene Douglas and carry on the Parker line just as he wanted.
Then, years later, when Henry told me Rupert was gone, and I’d packed up and left for good, intent on never returning at all.
And again, when the nurse crept in to inform me that it was time for Henry to go.
Dead, dead, dead.
There was a knock on the door, and I perked up, ready to put on a slightly less miserable face for the lawyers.
Instead, Imogene Douglas walked in.
I frowned. “Imogene. I wasn’t expecting you.”
She shrugged and shut the door behind her. “I know. It’s just, I was about to leave for London, you see. The summer’s over, and I’ve got that job at Sotheby’s, if you remember.”
I shook my head. I didn’t remember. But then again, I hadn’t seen the girl in nearly a month, and at that time, it had been balls-awkward when she’d tried to kiss me, and I’d nearly chucked her across the room.
Daughters of viscounts do not care for rejection. I learned that fact with a very hard slap across the cheek.
“I know it’s been uneasy between us,” Imogene said. “But I wanted to check on you after hearing about Henry. We haven’t seen you since—”
“You don’t have to say anything,” I told her. “It’s in the past.”
“Yes, but—”
“Imogene,” I cut her off.
“Iknow,” she said, rounding the desk to come sit on it next to me. “I’m not going to talk about the event. From before. I wanted to make sure you’re all right before I go.” She glanced at my computer screen and clearly caught the title in the email. “Is that from her? After all this time? Good lord, she really does not deserve you, does she?”
“Imogene.”
Something in my voice must have scared her because she got up immediately and went to sit in one of the club chairs on the other side of the desk.
