Page 60 of Defending the Duke (The St. Clairs 4)

“Will you be long?” she asked.

“A few hours. Possibly more.”

“Do you remember that my family is coming for tea this afternoon?”

He hadn’t and was reluctant to be around so many boisterous St. Clairs.

“I have a good bit to do, Laurel. I sadly neglected my duties as Duke of Linfield when I first returned from the war. Now that I have a wife and a family to consider, I am much more aware of my responsibilities and need to pay attention to them.”

She approached him, her emerald eyes reflective. “Family is very important to me, Anthony.”

“It’s never been to me,” he said, regretting how harsh the words came out. “I’m sorry. I do like Aunt Constance. I tolerate my half-sister. She’s a bit of a featherhead, though.”

Laurel’s eyes flashed and he wondered if her acknowledged temper would rear its ugly head. “Hannah is your sister. You’re to quit all this blasted nonsense about her being a half-sister.”

Her cursing shouldn’t have surprised him. “Well, she is. I can’t change the fact that the duke married again and had another child by a woman I never met. I only laid eyes on Hannah for the first time a couple of weeks ago.”

“And whose fault was that?” she asked testily.

“Mine,” he admitted.

“I am a bastard half-sister to Jeremy, Rachel, and Luke—yet they have openly embraced both Hudson and me. Did you know the three of them all have different mothers and they are all half-siblings? That the man who raped my mother wed three women?”

Anthony rose and took her hands in his. “I didn’t know your mother was attacked.”

“Oh, you thought Everton had taken her as a mistress? No. He brutalized her in the dress shop she worked in while his mistress was being fitted for a new gown at his expense. Mama was sixteen, Anthony. Younger than Hannah.”

He squeezed her hands. Words were beyond him.

“The St. Clairs accept me as one of them. The least you could do is accept Hannah. She is a very sweet girl. A little talkative but she has a heart of gold and worships the ground you walk on.”

“I resolve I will refer to her in the future as my sister. You have my solemn promise.” It was the least he could do and would make both Laurel and Hannah happy.

“Good. I’ll ask again—will you come to tea? I want everyone to get to know you and you to know them,” she pleaded. “Just because family hasn’t been important to you in the past does not mean it has to remain that way. You can change. Our children will be our family and I know you will love them. They will want to spend time with their aunts and uncles and cousins. Why, there already are so many little cousins for them to play with as it is.” She paused. “Please. You need to be present when we have children. Focus on them. Listen to them. Play with them.”

Anthony thought of how his father had done none of those things for him and wondered if he could actually be the kind of father Laurel desired him to be.

“I’ll be at tea,” he promised.

Laurel kissed him. “Oh, thank you. I’ll leave now so you can work.”

He watched her go and thought how simply by agreeing to attend an hour-long tea how much he had pleased her. He needed to do little things such as this more often.

His solicitor arrived and they had their heads together for several hours, making plans and discussing the business scene in London and beyond. The man recommended hiring a business manager who would help Anthony select the best investments and he decided he would speak to Everton about it at tea today.

At the appropriate time, he made his way to the drawing room and found it filled with people, including his aunt and sister. He watched Hannah for a moment. She was talking animatedly with the Duchess of Everton and he thought perhaps he’d been too harsh in his assessment of her. She favored her father a great deal, which had probably prejudiced him against her. He vowed to clear the slate and behave in a more brotherly fashion.

Laurel called a greeting to him and the others responded as he joined them. The maids rolled in three teacarts to feed such a large group. The women began talking about fashions they’d seen this Season, which led the men to a conversation of their own. He didn’t know Alford or Merrick, other than being introduced to them at the wedding breakfast. He discovered both men were intelligent and clever. Merrick, in particular, had a wicked sense of humor. Anthony asked Everton who served as his business manager and the four men engaged in a long discussion on investment opportunities available. Everton invited Anthony to White’s to meet a few other peers who might have some insight regarding good investments and Anthony agreed to do so tomorrow afternoon.

By then, the women claimed their attention again. Anthony learned a great deal in a short time about Laurel’s family. The group spent several minutes discussing the Duchess of Everton’s latest book and her upcoming appearance and book signing at Lady Mayfield’s bookstore. He began asking questions and discovered how long she’d been writing and how the proceeds were given to various charitable organizations, orphanages receiving the bulk. Laurel asked the names of the orphanages and learned that one recently added to Catherine’s list was in her former neighborhood.

“Do you ever visit them, Catherine,” his wife asked, “or do you merely hand over the funds?”

“I visit as often as I can,” the duchess said. “I’ve started bringing Jenny with me. When the other children are older, I’ll allow them to come along, as well. I think it’s important for them to understand how privileged their upbringing is and how they should do everything in their power to help others.”

“The next time you go to the one I’m familiar with, please allow me to accompany you,” Laurel said. “I’ve wanted to do something for the people in the area I grew up in.”

“I’d be happy to have your company,” the duchess said. “In fact, I am encouraging others to lend their patronage to various orphanages. The need is so great. Since you are familiar with the vicinity and I have only visited there twice, you might consider throwing your full support behind it and help raise funds for that particular place.”

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