Page 94 of His Accidental Duchess

There was a small, folded piece of paper on the coverlet. He took it, a feeling of dread building up in his chest.

Theo,

I have to go. I am sure you understand. If there is a son, I will bring him to you.

Anna.

He swallowed hard, a lump forming in his throat.

What have I done? Did I think that I could say whatever I liked to her and she would always be ready to forgive me? Did I think she had an endless well of forgiveness, that she was a toy I could set carelessly aside and go back to when I wanted to play with it again? Have I learned nothing?

“Papa?”

A small voice from behind him made him jump. He turned, shoving the note into his pocket.

Kitty blinked up at him, her little face unusually set and serious. “Anna’s gone, Papa. She packed up some of her things. Not all of them, but her favorites. She doesn’t like the fancy dresses.”

“I see.”

“She said that she was going home. Will she be gone forever, Papa?”

“Forever is a long time,” Theo heard himself say. “Longer than any of us can imagine, you know.”

Kitty nodded slowly, absorbing this. “I didn’t want Anna to go. I like her very much, Papa.”

“Yes. Yes, I… I like her too.”

The words were getting stuck in Theo’s throat. He glanced over Kitty’s head into the hallway, in hopes of seeing Martha or perhaps Mrs. Haunt, so he could ask them what was going on and why they had let his wife walk out of their house with her things.

What would you have preferred? Should they have locked her up in the attic to await your return? Is she not a free woman?

He closed his eyes, pressing his forefinger against the spot in the middle of his forehead, where a headache clamored for his attention.

When he opened his eyes, Kitty was staring up at him, her large eyes red-rimmed and wet with tears. In a rush, he realized that she was seconds away from bursting into noisy sobs.

Theo had crossed the room before he knew what he was doing, knelt down, and held open his arms. Kitty threw herself at him, wrapping her small arms around his shoulders, and rested her cheek on his shoulder.

“I want Anna back,” she said, her voice muffled.

“I know, darling. And your papa will go fetch her, I promise.”

“But… but what if she doesn’t want to come back?”

Theo pulled back, sitting on his heels, and wiped a few stray tears off her cheeks. “We can’t force people to do things they don’t want to,” he said carefully. “That’s something you’ll learn as you get older. But one thing you must know is that Anna loves you very much. She loves you, and I am sure that is something she’ll think about when I go to fetch her.”

Kitty sniffled. “And you, Papa?”

“Hm?”

“Does Anna love you, too?”

Theo blinked. “I… I’m not sure about that right now, dearest.”

Kitty nodded slowly, seeming to accept this annoying truth. “I like hugs, Papa.”

He bit back a smile at this sudden change of subject. “Then perhaps I should hug you more often.”

“You are very tall, you see. You shall have to bend down or kneel down, like you’re doing now.”

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