Page 101 of The Duchess' Replacement

Nora didn’t let the interruption stop her. “True, but you always took it one step further. You changed trade routes, you went out of your way to punish the people that you’re supposed to protect just because they hurt my feelings.”

Nora jumped back when Charles slammed his hand on the desk. He knocked over his chair when he pushed out of it.

“It was more than just hurt feelings, Nora. Our mother…” Charles looked down as emotion swelled in his throat. “When our mother needed them most, after all she did for them, they turned their back on her. I will never forgive them for their behavior.”

Charles’s vision blurred with unshed tears. He hated thinking of his mother’s final days, how broken and lost she looked and there was nothing he could do to help her.

Nora took a deep breath. “Charles. They didn’t understand and a lot of time has passed. We’re all different people now. I think it’s time to move on.” She lifted a slender shoulder. “I have.”

Charles hung his head. The buzzing sound was back in his mind and his whole body was humming with regret, anger, frustration, and despair.

Small arms reached around him and enveloped him in a hug.

“It’s not too late to correct this, Charles.”

A tear rolled down his cheek and onto his sister’s dark head. He quickly wiped it so his sister wouldn’t see. He looked at his wet finger for a moment. When was the last time he cried?

He shook his head side to side. “I’m not so sure about that.”

“Truly, Charles. There was nothing you could do for Mother, but you can fix this with Sarah.” Nora pleaded.

She tightened her arms around her brother. Her strength settled him. As Charles stood holding his sister, he started to understand, that in this moment, for the first time in his life, he allowed someone to comfort him.

It wasn’t a terrible feeling.

Sarah sipped her tea while trying to hear the rushed whispers of her sister and brother-in-law who were currently standing in the hallway outside of the breakfast room.

It’s been a few days since she arrived and while her sister was more than welcoming, Derek seemed to have an entirely different opinion.

“She is your sister, and while our home is always open to your family, you need to find out her plans. I may run into Stoleton and I don’t want it to be awkward.” Derek’s hushed tone carried down the hallway.

Her sister’s laugh drowned out his whisper. “And where are you going to run into him? Neither one of you are social butterflies. Is there a Duke Club I’m not aware of where introverted Dukes go to make friends?”

Eleanor’s squeal reverberated into the breakfast room.

Sarah was happy Eleanor found her happy ending with her Duke. If only the same could be said for Sarah.

She sighed and put her cup back on the saucer. She added another lump of sugar and began to stir the cup.

“Good morning, Sarah.” Her sister’s voice rang out.

Sarah turned to her sister and accepted the kiss on the check.

“Good morning, Eleanor. You look well rested. Angela sleep through the night?”

Eleanor shook her head. “She did. Derek keeps insisting we let the maids tend to her overnight, but I just don’t want to miss out on anything. I can’t imagine not being there for her when she cries, or not being the first person she sees when she wakes up. As long as I remember that, the long nights don’t seem so bad.”

“You’ve always had a good night’s sleep so your memory of those awful nights aren’t as fresh, but trust me, my love, they are the worst.”

Derek sauntered in after his wife and sat across from her.

Sarah couldn’t help but think back to the first time she me the formidable Duke Graynor. He wanted nothing to do Eleanor or her family and here he was the doting father and husband.

Sarah’s throat tightened. She had her own stubborn Duke to deal with. Sadly, she seemed further from her happy ending than Eleanor was at this point in her marriage.

Eleanor swatted at her husband from across the table. “Oh you, stop it. Those nights aren’t so bad. Plus, you’re not the one who gets up. I do.”

Derek raised an eyebrow. “Yes, but when my loving wife leaves the bed she takes all the warmth with her.”

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