Page 74 of Yours Truly, the Duke
Fredericka locked her wary gaze on Wyatt. She looked gorgeous standing with her hands on her hips and hair ruffled around her face from wearing her bonnet. “What were you doing under there?”
“Telling stories,” he answered calmly, feeling quite happy with how he handled the children by himself.
Fredericka remained quiet, suspicious, and surveyed the messy room from one end to the other. Wyatt had a feeling he was in trouble with his wife when he saw what she was eyeing in particular. A table crowded with glasses stacked high and holding varying degrees of leftover portand brandy. Mounds of cards in disarray and small crystal trays filled with half-burned cheroots and pipe tobacco ash. She couldn’t fail to miss the lingering scent of stale smoke and liquor in the air.
She continued to look around the room with more angst than he had expected. There was nothing he could do but tell the truth. “We built a pillow fort. It seemed like a good time to do it since most of the furniture was already moved out of the way for the club.”
She settled her anxious attention back on Wyatt. “The children didn’t come in here while you were gaming, did they?”
“No, no, of course not.” He glanced at the golden-haired youngsters. They were all wearing the most innocent expressions he’d ever seen. They looked sweeter than the cherubs painted in Raphael’sThe Sistine Madonna. Wyatt was damned proud of them. They didn’t utter a peep. “Fredericka, you know I wouldn’t have let them come in here while the men were playing. We made this after they left.”
“This room is a disaster. Is this the way it usually looks after one of your meetings? If so, what kind of card games do you play?”
“You think they did this?” Wyatt smiled. “No, we did most of this.” He motioned to himself and then to the children.
Her brow grew tighter. Obviously, that wasn’t the right thing to say.
“I did most of it,” he corrected. “I had to move things out of the way to build the fort.” Best he get her off the subject quickly. If possible. “Elise was telling us a story about a fairy who was lost in a garden. She said you often told them stories about flowers.” Wyatt looked at the children again, hoping Bella or one of them might speakup and agree they were having a good time, but they were in their wooden soldier stance.
“Miss Elise, Miss Bella, Master Charles?” Miss Litchfield called from the stairway. “Where have the three of you taken off to?”
“In here, Miss Litchfield.” Fredericka glanced over to the children and motioned toward the doorway with her head. “All of you go to Miss Litchfield and stay in the schoolroom until I get there.”
“M-may w-we wait o-outside instead?”
Wyatt grimaced. Charles’ stutter was back in full force.
“Not until we’ve had a chat about what’s been going on. First, I must finish my discussion with the duke. I won’t be long.”
Bella and Charles gave Wyatt an expression that seemed to say,You are in big trouble.Even Elise seemed to have a spark of sympathy for him hidden in her expression as she turned and followed her brother and sister.
Fredericka focused on Wyatt, and after the children were gone she asked, “Did the children see you playing in here with the gentlemen?”
“No.” He shook his head decisively. But then wavered by adding, “I don’t think so. I mean, probably not, but maybe a glimpse or two.”
He watched the frown she wore form into a tight glare.
“I can’t believe this. They were to stay with Miss Litchfield in the schoolroom.” Fredericka motioned to the topsy-turvy room with pillows scattered about the floor. “What were you thinking to allow them to play in this? This is not the way properly brought up children behave.”
“Why not?” He gave his wife an innocent shrug. “They needed a little entertainment and so do you. Come sit in the fort with me.”
She blinked rapidly. “What? No.”
“Come on.” He smiled and reached his hand out to her. “You need to relax more, Fredericka, and not worry so. You’ve probably never been inside a pillow fortress, and you know you want to see what it’s like. Just for a moment or two.”
“You are truly unbelievable.” She shook her head as she looked at the room again. “I knew you would be drinking and carousing with your friends as you so often are. And I knew we’d be in your way, but I didn’t know you would include the children in your behavior. I told you it’s not proper for young girls to see grown men at their play.”
Her strength to stay the course was commendable, but her unbending spirit irritated the devil out of him. “They weren’t in my way. You aren’t in my way, Fredericka, and nothing unsavory was going on that would have harmed them. The club wasn’t carousing. We were playing cards—laughing, drinking, and some of them smoking. Maybe a swear or two, but the children never came in here. They only saw friends having a good time. Peeking around the corner to glimpse a card game, a formal dinner party, or even a political conversation is all the same to a child. It’s what children do.”
“No. It’s not what Angela’s children do. It’s my responsibility to protect them and see they do everything right. Spying on adult pastimes is not acceptable. Certainly not for little girls. Whatever you were doing this afternoon was not good for them, and neither are you. I don’t know why I thought you might somehow make us seem like a normal, happy family.”
He stood staring at her, his feet braced slightly apart. “They were not harmed today any more than Bella was by getting pushed down in the park.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do. It is all part of growing up. They are curious. I did things like this when I was their ages.”
Fredericka threw her hands up and huffed a laugh. “You cannot be considered an example for anyone. You were pampered, coddled, and allowed to do whatever you wished all your life.”
