Page 16 of The Duke's Impossible Deal
“I can teach him things that you cannot.”
Tobias’s words echoed in her mind, and for a moment, she wondered what he would say if he were here.
The thought turned her stomach, and she pushed it away, working to keep her expression warm and pleasant despite the anger that rose within her.
“After all, a duke is still a duke, even when he is away from his duchy. And this will not be forever. We will return, eventually. Besides, you two love London! Think how much fun you will have.”
“We won’t.” Georgia tugged free of Rowen’s arms and stamped her foot. “It’ll be awful. I just know it.”
“An earl’s place is with his people. I should be here.” Alistair straightened, puffing out his chest in a way that only made him look younger.
“You are only nine, my darling. And no one would want you to stay somewhere unsafe. And… when we are with the Duke, you will have all sorts of lessons that will give you the skills to be the best earl you can be.”
Rowen tried to inject excitement into her voice, but suspected she was unconvincing when her son and daughter both arched their eyebrows at her in perfect unison.
“I am the man of the house. I’m supposed to take care of you and George,” Alistair insisted, his grey eyes somber.
His words broke Rowen’s heart, and it was all she could do not to pull him close and tell him that he was wrong. Her fingers flexed, and she clasped them in her lap to keep from reaching for him.
“I don’t need looking after. I can look after myself,” Georgia added.
“I am your mother, and it ismyjob to look after you. Do you understand?” She met her children’s eyes. “You are only nine. Your only task is to learn as much as you can and be nice to each other. And you will have lots to learn while we are at the Duke’s castle. Latin and Greek, and arithmetic.”
“I don’t want to live with the Duke. I don’t know him, and I don’t like him,” Georgia growled. “I don’t need a stepfather. I haveyou.”
Rowen swallowed past the lump in her throat, but before she could say anything, Alistair chimed in, “I don’t want to live in London. It is loud and dirty, and I hate it there.”
“No, you don’t. You love it. Think of all the things we can do and the adventures we will have. We could go to the Royal Menagerie and see the lions and the tigers.” Rowen gave both of her children an encouraging smile.
Georgia waved a dismissive hand. “Billy told me that they ate the tiger.”
“The cook’s son? He does not know what he’s talking about. The tiger is alive, and he definitely has not been eaten.”
Rowen was fairly certain the beast was still alive, but even if it was not, there was no way it would have been eaten.
I shall have to have a word with Cook about the kind of things her son says to the children.
“I know this is all a big change and that it is happening rather fast, but you know that I am only trying to keep you both safe and happy.”
“I don’t want to go.” Georgia’s lip trembled.
“I’m scared,” Alistair admitted. “In the stories, all stepmothers are nasty and evil. What if stepfathers are the same?”
“Do you think I would marry anyone who I thought would be nasty to you?” Rowen arched an eyebrow. “Besides, the Duke is—was a friend of Uncle James, and your uncle would not be friends with a horrible person, would he?”
“I suppose not,” Alistair conceded. “And he did say I could attend the wedding if I wanted.”
“Exactly.” Rowen felt the tension leave her shoulders.
Georgia looked between her brother and mother. “I do not want to be his groomsman. I want to be a bridesmaid.”
“Then you shall be that.” Rowen stood up and rolled her shoulders back, feeling several kinks pop in her neck.
Perhaps Verity had a point about moving.
Georgia frowned. “But what about Alistair?”
“I want to attend the wedding, but I think people will laugh at me if I am a bridesmaid.” Alistair gave Rowen a questioning look.
