Page 104 of Once Upon a Devilish Duke

“It is true. You are here. I nearly dismissed the butler for lying.”

“It was not my intention to come unannounced. I apologize.”

Anna shook her head. “No. Please sit.”

“I would rather stand for a while, if you do not mind. I have been riding for days.”

“Of course. Let me order some refreshments; you must be starved.”

He saw the roundness of her stomach and wondered how long she had before the birth. “Thank you, Anna. You are looking well.”

Her eyes narrowed as she sat on the sofa. “What is wrong?”

“Where to start,” he said with a hint of a smile.

“Is your mother well? Has something happened?”

“Be calm. It is nothing like that. Is Thomas here?”

“He has gone to inspect some works over at the village. He will be home in time for dinner.”

“Good.”

Anna rang the bell and ordered some tea and sandwiches. Edward wandered the room, picking up knickknacks and trying to remember how long it had been since last he was here. Once the tea was poured and several sandwiches consumed, he could not stand the silence any longer.

“You must wonder why I am here.”

“I can only assume it has something to do with Thomas.”

“No, it has nothing to do with my brother.”

“Then what, Edward? This is highly unusual.”

“I have come for Maxine.”

“What do you mean you have come for Max?”

“I’m taking her back to Ashtonvale. Not right now, of course. First, I must explain how I came to this point. It is a shameful story, but I think you need to hear it.”

“All right. I’m listening.”

Anna sat through the whole thing and was weeping by the end. Edward found the retelling of it no easier than when he told Rose or his mother and sister, but it was necessary.

“Oh, Edward. I do not know what to say. You kept that all to yourself all these years? I wish you had trusted us to love her regardless, but I also understand that society would have rejected her had it become public knowledge. We would have kept the secret, you know.”

“My mind was not in the right place at that time, and I saw no other route but to leave. I regret it now, of course, and it took Rose to force me to face it. To realize what a fool I’d been.”

“Rose? Why am I not surprised? So, what is your plan? I assume you have one.”

“I would like to meet my daughter. She wrote me a wonderful letter, and I think it is time. Time that I apologize to her for not being the father I should have been.”

“I will go and get her, or would you like to bathe and rest first?”

“If I do not do it soon, I fear I will lose my resolve.”

Anna nodded and left him to fetch Max. This was it. His course had been set and now he must sail through whatever storm came along. She may shun him or tell him she hated him, but he had hope, from her letter, that she might at least hear him out.

When the knock came, his heart hammered in his chest and sweat broke out on his brow. The door opened slowly, revealing Anna holding the hand of his daughter. She looked very much like the miniature, perhaps a little older now, but the features were undeniable and that made it all ten times worse.