Page 48 of Yours Truly, the Duke
“Fredericka.” Wyatt grimaced. “That’s not what I meant. There’s no reason they can’t be in the drawing room or anywhere else in the house. I only wanted to know why.”
“No, no, you’re right.” Fredericka dismissed Wyatt’s effort to explain. “Now that you’re up and about you want your privacy. It’s perfectly understandable you don’t want us belowstairs to bother you. Come along, children, Miss—”
“Stop, Fredericka.” His eyes narrowed, darkened, and zeroed in tightly on hers. “Hold on a minute. All of you, stay where you are. I didn’t mean what I said.…” He paused and inhaled a sharp breath. “Not the way it sounded to you.” He looked at each child. “I only meant you should be outside enjoying the fresh air. Running, skipping, chasing each other, throwing balls. The kinds of things boys and girls do when they are frolicking on a beautiful day.”
Fredericka was certain she looked at him as if he had lost his sanity. Perhaps she’d lost hers too for coming to London in the first place. From the day she met him, she knew he needed her to secure his property, but he didn’t want her around.
Not wanting to lash out at him in front of the children, she said, “They are very loud when playing outside. They would have awakened you.”
“Hell’s bells,” he murmured irritably while keeping his hot gaze on hers. “Are you telling me you kept them from going out and having an enjoyable time only to sit here like little—”
He hesitantly bit back the rest of what he’d intended to say, which was judicious of him. By now she could imagine what it was going to be. Andthatdidn’t sit well with her either. Whether or not he said it, he thought it, and that was almost as bad as speaking it out loud. With hot eyes, Fredericka shot another blistering look toward Wyatt.
“I can’t believe you wanted them to sit quietly because you were afraid to wake me!” Wyatt rushed on. “What were you thinking?”
“That you were in training and needed your rest. That we don’t belong here and are in your way.” How else was she to feel when he’d made it perfectly clear hewanted her to leave for Paddleton as soon as transportation was settled?
“In my way?” His shoulders straightened as his head leaned forward. “Exactly what kind of ogre do you think I am that I can’t abide a little noise from children for a few days?”
“I was only considering your comfort and the children’s proper behavior in your house, which you apparently don’t appreciate,” she retorted defensively, unable to keep her voice from rising a notch or two. He had some nerve taking her to task when he’s the one who said she needed to go back to Paddleton because he hadthingsto do.
“I lived in a boarding school for ten years!” he exclaimed. “I can sleep through anything.”
“Obviously,” she answered in a frosty tone, cutting her eyes around to the elaborately painted porcelain clock displayed on the mantel that showed it was well past noon.
He eyed her with what looked like anger, which was probably the same way she was watching him.
“I like children. All of you,” he said, specifically looking at Elise, before settling his eyes on Fredericka. “Now that you are going to be here a few days, you need to enjoy yourselves. And you shouldn’t be so prickly about everything I say.”
Filled with indignation, she stiffened. Why didhealways get upset withherover impolite thingshesaidto her? “I’m not prickly,” she admonished. “How dare you suggest I am?”
“You are,” he argued, not backing down a whiff but standing his ground. “You take offense at almost everything I say.”
“Almost everything? What an exaggeration, Your Grace. But if I do, have you ever thought the reasonmight be because you are always saying the wrong things to me?”
“No,” he answered. “It’s not what I say but how you take what I say.”
“Auntie, are you two arguing?”
The soft voice startled Fredericka back to reality. Her heartbeat surged and her cheeks burned with disappointment in herself. She inhaled slowly. Clearing her throat, she glanced at the children, who, looking scared, had gathered around Miss Litchfield. She knew keen arguments reminded Elise of her parents.
“No, of course not,” she answered. “We are having a discussion. A mild one.” She looked at Wyatt and implored him to help her. “Isn’t that right, Your Grace?”
“Very mild,” he added quickly.
What was it about the duke that made her lose all rational reasoning and her good sensibilities and disposition? She had always been even-tempered before she started caring for the children, and a clear-headed person before she met Wyatt.
Calming herself, Fredericka gave Elise a smile. “See, all is fine, dearest. Miss Litchfield, take them upstairs and put on their coats for an outing. I will join you shortly and we’ll all play outside.”
“Auntie?” Elise said in a trembly voice as she studied Wyatt with childlike concern. “I want to stay with you.”
Fredericka’s heart constricted. Maybe it would help Elise if she could see that arguments could be settled without hands being raised and no one getting hurt. “Yes, of course. I have more things to discuss with the duke, but there’s no reason you can’t wait and go out with me.”
“Yes, stay,” Wyatt replied in a soothing tone. “You have no cause to worry about your aunt when she’s withme. We are trying to come to an understanding about something we disagree on.”
Elise smiled and ran over to lock her arms around Fredericka, who promptly placed a kiss on top of her head and squeezed her close.
“I’m not worried,” Bella said in a cheery voice, smiling at Wyatt.
