Page 51 of Her Lion of a Duke
“One might expect him to send a maid, rather than a mutt.”
“Brutus is a purebred, actually,” she said absentmindedly.
“In terms of his lineage, perhaps, but that does not mean he acts like one. My mother had a dog years ago, and it was perfect. She never made a sound, and I hardly knew she was there most of the time.”
Cecilia fought the urge to roll her eyes. His mother was perfect; he had made that clear. Everything Cecilia did would never measure up to her.
What Lord Renshaw did not seem to understand was that she did not want to be like his mother. She had very little interest in being anyone other than herself, especially if the other option was to be the mother of someone so self-conceited.
“I think that dogs are taught respect,” she replied. “They know who to show it to and who not to. He does not know you, and he is guarding his owner. That is all.”
“Then you should teach him. Tell him that I am someone to respect.”
“I could.” She nodded once. “But I do not know if he would understand me. He is a dog, after all.”
Lord Renshaw’s cheeks reddened, and she bit her lower lip to hold back a laugh. It had been too tempting to mock him, especially when he had taken the liberty to make so many unnecessary comments about her, but she could not make him angry.
“Does he know how to go back to Leonard, at least?” he asked.
“Of course, he does,” she replied, patting Brutus’s head. “Go on, find the study!”
Brutus left happily, bounding out of the room.
Cecilia shook her head at him with a smile. He meant well, but he was larger than he seemed to think, which led to him being rather clumsy.
“Horrid things. I will never have one.”
“Do you live alone, then?”
“It is my mother and me. She wants me to find a wife, but of course, that means I have to find a lady who is happy for my mother to continue living with us. I will not have her turned away, that is for certain.”
“That is admirable of you, though surely your mother would like you to start a family of your own?”
“I know what she wants, but I also know what she needs. She needs her son, so she will stay with me.”
Cecilia could have made any number of assumptions about their relationship; they both needed one another far more than any mother and son should, as they were dependent on each other,and they needed to be apart more than anything if they were ever going to be their own persons. But she kept her thoughts to herself.
Mercifully, it was then that Leonard entered the room. He crossed to her in long strides and sat beside her with a smile. Moments later, a maid came in carrying another tea tray. Leonard thanked her and took a biscuit.
“How was work today?” Cecilia asked.
“Not difficult, but there were many things I had to do,” he replied, taking a bite. “My, these are good. Cook has done them just as I like them.”
“I found them dry,” Lord Renshaw commented.
“Yes, well, you have never been easily pleased.”
Cecilia stifled a laugh.
“I was just asking your cousin how well you know one another,” she explained, opting not to mention his thoughts on Brutus.
“Yes,” Leonard replied. “He and I knew one another well when we were younger, though he spent more time with Henry.”
“You followed us often. We would go on adventures as boys, and you accompanied us happily.”
“Carrying your bags,” Leonard pointed out.
Cecilia could see what he meant. There was no warmth in his eyes as he recalled the past. Lord Renshaw was no exception to the people who overlooked him in favor of his brother.
