Page 26 of Duchess Material

“No. I hate politicians. She and I have that in common. You, father, are my greatest liability.”

“Oh, really? Not your mother and her motor mouth?”

Margaret slapped John’s arm. “You mind yerself! I am your best patron.”

“You’re also the love of my life, darling. Did I mention that?

“Nice attempt at a save, Dad.”

His parents weren’t normal. It was not quite a marriage of convenience but gave John the financial capital to rise to cabinet minister. In contrast, Margaret was a horrible gossip often turning the screws. Born into a wealthy republican family in Belfast, Margaret could not be tempered. Ed did not wade into their marital waters. Compared to his parents, Natalie’s family seemed downright average. Ed was desperate to keep a wall between the two camps. Meanwhile, his parents were intent on getting into Natalie’s good graces. Ed tried to prolong the assured sense of calm that came with a lack of parental meddling. It would be a long time before he willingly brought her into his own family life in any real way. They were fascinated. Ed was reticent.

* * *

“If I tell you something, can you keep it quiet?” Winston asked Gerry.

“What?”

The men stood facing their mother’s extensive museum-like liquor cabinet.

“Lucy and I are… dating.” Winston said.

He brimmed openly since Lucy agreed to it. He wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but Lucy was not ready. Gerry was different case. Lucy would tell Natalie, meaning Gerry was Winston’s one tell.

Gerry patted Winston on the back so hard he almost dropped his glass. “Well, fucking finally, bruv! You got brave?”

“Yes. I mean, it’s been a long time coming,” Winston said. “We weren’t sure what to do. This wasn’t instantaneous. We took time to consider it. Lucy wanted to be cautious because of our whole living-together-in-harmony thing.”

“Well, I’m happy for you. Your whole ‘thing’ was strange. It’s like the two of you are old married people.”

“It’s a bit like that, yeah.”

Their sister Bernadina approached with a cocked eyebrow. “What is a bit like what?”

Nina, as she was known, just started university. She was home for the first term break. Only their second biological siblings, she was their full sibling in heart. She’d won the genetic lottery with Rita and Bruno, Gerry’s Mexican-Swiss expat stepfather. Unlike her brothers, she was compact. More like her father, she had a tanner complexion with fewer annoying freckles. She was the lone non-ginger child. She had their mother’s cheekbones and big blue eyes that could win her anything. She was the baby and they certainly spoiled her. Nina was smart as a whip and quick with a comeback.

Winston shifted his weight nervously. “Nothing.”

“Don’t be a wanker. Tell me. I hate when you infantilise me.”

Gerry looked at Winston, who relented. “You have to promise to tell no one.”

“Oooh, a secret!” Nina rubbed her hands together.

“Lucy and I are dating.”

“What? Georgie is going to punch you in the face!”

Bruno entered the room at the worst time.

“Why is Georgie going to punch someone?”

“Winston is dating Lucy!”

“Nina! I told you not to—”

“Loose lips sink ships,” Gerry sighed.

Sheena, following Bruno, perked up. “Wait, you and Lucy? Really? FINALLY!”

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