“You have it,” Falmouth said immediately.He gave Matthew a look.“Though I am not entirely sure you need it.Your Grace.”
The side of Matthew’s lip twitched, despite his desire to remain serious.
“Thank you.I would prefer to have the blessings of your family.”
“As if we should be so foolish as to turn down a duke.”Falmouth snorted, then colored as he realized what he was saying, what he was implying.
Matthew just chortled.
There really was something to be said about the impulsiveness of youth.Although Falmouth would need to learn to hold his tongue amongst the rest of theton, right now, he reminded Matthew of himself at that age.However, he was not going to punish Falmouth for his blunt honesty the way that Matthew’s father had him.
“Well, I am still happy to have your blessing.”He cleared his throat.“As we are soon-to-be family, I wanted to speak frankly to you about Mr.Blash.”
An expression flashed across Falmouth’s face, too quickly for Matthew to tell what it was, but he got the distinct impression that there was not much love lost between Falmouth and his guardian.
“What about him?”The young man’s tone was carefully neutral, guarded, in a completely different manner than his open bluntness from a moment ago.
“I believe he’s stealing from you.”
ChapterTen
Johanna
“This house is amazing!”Bridget whispered, pulling Johanna down the hall by her hand.“You’re going to marry a duke?Did you meet him at that house party?Is that why you came to London, to beg him to marry you?How did you convince him to say yes?Did you know that Charlotte and I get our own maid?And mama gets one!And Rose gets one!And Micah has a footman now!His own footman!What are we supposed to do with them?Do you have your own maid?Do you have more than one since you’re going to be a duchess?Will I have to call you ‘Your Grace’ or can I still call you Johanna?”
The rapid pace of questions was normal for Bridget, and Johanna did not even attempt to answer them.There was no point; Bridget would just keep talking over her even if she did.Besides which, most of it was Bridget working through her nerves.
Her grip on Johanna’s hand was very tight.She was nervous, and it was coming out in the barrage of questions, which she was using to distract herself.
Johanna got quieter as she became unsettled, while Bridget got louder.
Her questions came to an abrupt halt when they turned the corner and saw Lady Stark and Rose in the corridor, speaking with their heads together.Johanna’s heart stuttered for a moment.Not everyone was accepting of Rose as part of their family, given that she was illegitimate, even though she was obviously acknowledged.Someone as high on the instep as Lady Stark… She had been kind to Johanna, but would that extend to her cousin when she’d been born on the wrong side of the sheets?
To her relief, when Rose looked up, there was a slight smile on her face.Rose did not smile unless she meant it.She must like Lady Stark, and she would not like Lady Stark unless the lady was treating her well.
“There you are,” Rose said, brightening even more when she saw Johanna.She hurried forward with her arms outstretched in front of her.
The hug Johanna gave her was even tighter than those she’d exchanged with her siblings.Though Micah was her brother and Bridget her sister by blood, Rose was her sister of the heart.The two of them had leaned on each other over the past few years, and Johanna did not know how she would have gotten through them without Rose.
“Everything is well?”she whispered in Rose’s ear.
“Everything is well.”
The sigh of relief Johanna exhaled left her feeling like a stiff wind could knock her over.Rose would not say that unless it was the truth.She always spoke the truth, no matter how unpleasant.
Mother was in no worse condition than Johanna had left her in; otherwise, Rose would have said something.
Hopefully, that meant it was not too late.
Bridget pulled on Johanna’s arm.
“Johanna!Mama!”
“Ladies do not pull on people,” Lady Stark announced, giving Bridget a gimlet eye, though there was no malice in her gaze.“They might gently touch someone on the shoulder or hand to give a wordless reminder.Come along, dear.Your sister will see your mama, and I will see to you and your sister.We have work to do.”
Looking somewhat bewildered, Bridget immediately followed in Lady Stark’s wake, much to Johanna’s astonishment.There was just something about the duke’s grandmother that made it impossible to say no to her, even for a normally rebellious and rambunctious thirteen-year-old girl.
“I never thought I would see the day,” Rose whispered, clearly thinking along the same lines, as Lady Stark and Bridget went around the corner.