Page 33 of The Duke and the Wrong Bride

“Grandeur?” Her father snorted, taking another large, thankfully not messy, sip of his wine. “It looked like a fire ran through them. No offense, of course, Your Grace.”

Charlotte’s eyes widened, and she looked at Henry, fully expecting him to remind her father whose house he was in and who he was speaking with. She knew her husband well enough by now to know that he wasn’t one to be spoken about like this, and she prayed that he somehow managed to contain his anger.

“None taken,” Henry responded stiffly, and Charlotte sighed in relief.

“It’s these old castles,” her father continued as if the point was a pleasant one. “Half of them are older than the crown. Truth is that a lot of them should have been demolished centuries ago.”

“Oh, now you’re just carrying on.”

“I am not! I am making a point.”

“Which is?” Charlotte’s mother widened her eyes at her husband.

He scrunched his face as he considered, cheeks already flushed red from too much wine. “Well… I know I had one.”

“Because it sounded as if you were insulting our hosts.”

“That wasn’t my intent at all!” He looked down the table at the Duke. “It wasn’t, Your Grace. I was simply making an observation.”

“Consider it observed,” Henry said coolly, and again, Charlotte sighed in relief.

“What’s this?” Nathanial was up and out of his chair, having wandered across the room to where an old suit of armor stood.

“Nathanial!” Charlotte cried and went to stand up.

“Stop that!” Hannah was up and grabbing the eleven-year-old boy by the hand as he reached out to touch the armor.

“Why does Nathanial get to play!” Stephen whined.

“Stephen!” Charlotte’s mother warned him. “What did I tell you about behaving?”

“I was just looking!” Nathanial cried out as Hannah forced him back to his seat.

“Look with your eyes,” she said to him.

“I want to see!” Stephen jumped up and ran to the armor, forcing Hannah back out of her seat to catch him.

“A perfect point!” Charlotte’s father picked up. “All these old suits of armor. A bit tacky, no?”

“Father…” Charlotte groaned with embarrassment.

“I was just saying.”

“Why can’t I touch it?” Stephen pleaded as Hannah forced him into his seat, at which point Nathanial went to stand up again, which had Hanna reaching for him also.

“I want to!” Nathanial wailed.

“Piece of advice.” Charlotte’s father then chuckled, taking a large slip of wine, finishing the drink. “If you can, try and avoid twins. They will be the death of you.”

“Phineas!”

“I was only joking, dear.”

“Then why is nobody laughing?”

Charlotte’s father looked down the table at Henry, who was observing the scene with more calm than Charlotte could believe. “I would also advise you not to get married, but too late for that.”

“Phineas, that is enough!”

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