Page 60 of Her Bear of a Duke

"Very well," Lady Annabelle sighed. "When I lost my sister, I was forced into a life that I could not even begin to explain. It is something you can only explain to those who have suffered such loss, which of course you have with your brother. I have been searching for a way to continue her memory, and I had almost given up hope when I received our niece's letter. This is precisely what I have longed for for years, and in spite of how you feel about me I know that it is what you want, too."

Morgan was quiet, and Dorothy truly did not know what he would say. He looked as though he wanted to send her away, but Dorothy knew that he could not do that to Catherine. He was yet to discuss the matter with the girl, and ask what she had done, but he did not punish her. It was not in his nature to upset his niece, and Dorothy knew that that remained unchanged.

"You may see her for the afternoon," he said quietly, "but nothing more. I also expect you to allow the governess to stay with you. I shall speak to her first, too."

"Oh, Your Grace, thank you!" she sighed happily, throwing her arms around him in a most unbecoming manner.

Dorothy hated the way she felt about it.

"I almost forgot," she said brightly, handing Dorothy a letter. "This is what Catherine wrote. You may find it of interest."

She turned from Dorothy again and returned to embracing Morgan, who quickly pushed her back and kept his distance. Unsettled, Dorothy unraveled the letter.

"Dear Lady Annabelle,

I do not know how to begin this. You do not know who I am, and until yesterday I did not know you either. You might not want to read this at all, but I hope that you do.

My name is Catherine Lockheart, and I am your niece. I am eight years of age and the daughter of your sister. I live with my uncle, the Duke of Ulverston, and it is my hope that you may visit me sometime soon.

I will not keep you. You may come and see me anytime, and I hope that we can know one another well, and that you have stories to tell me about my mother.

Sincerely,

Catherine Lockheart"

Dorothy's heart ached.

CHAPTER 22

Morgan could have fallen to the floor when he saw Lady Annabelle enter his home.

He had been aware that Catherine was out of sorts, and he tried to wait until she felt better, but it was unlike her other outbursts. As a child, she was prone to moments when she was difficult, but she never hid herself away from him entirely. Each time he approached, he heard her hide in her room. Something was very wrong, but there was nothing that he could do when she refused to see him.

Sitting in her room with her, he was quite aware that she wanted him to leave, but she was not angry with him. She was afraid, if anything, which he supposed that he understood.

"Forgive me," she whispered.

"Catherine, I am not angry. I only want to know why you did this. I want to know how you did it."

"I found the letter in your study. I wanted to know what had happened, and I wanted to find my family. I saw Lady Annabelle's name, and then I continued looking. I found an address scribbled in a drawer with her name, and I wrote a letter."

He frowned, but fixed it. She was not allowed in his study, and she knew that perfectly well, but it was not the time to punish her.

"You are too clever for your own good, sometimes," he sighed. "Catherine, I am not angry with you. I wish you had told me that you planned to do this, or even that you had done it. That is all."

"I wanted to tell you. That is why I have been hiding. I have been ashamed of myself, and I could not look at you."

"You must not be ashamed of yourself. You did what you thought was best, I only wish I knew why."

"It was because I have so little family," she said quickly, taking him by surprise. "I only have you, Aunt Dorothy, and the staff here. I am happy here, truly I am, but knowing that there is an entire side of my family that I could meet… It got the best of me."

Morgan took her in his arms and soothed her gently. He was angry that a lady who hurt him so terribly had appeared, but he did not hold that against his niece. She had never been a selfish little girl, so he had to allow her one moment of it.

"She will be coming to speak to you," he explained. "Your governess shall be with you, and you must not be alone with her."

"Why not?"

"Because," he grimaced, "because we do not know her. I know that she is your aunt, but that is all that we know."

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