Lot straightened quickly as the woman hid under the covers.

  There was nothing to fear here, she wasn’t anyone more than . . . the Duke looked at her and she felt strange as there was clearly another woman there wiggling under the bed. He glared at her and she didn’t flinch as she felt the extreme discomfort he was feeling.

  “Enough.” The word was cold as he got up out of bed. He got up them and crossed his arms standing next to Lot. Lot felt uncomfortable as she wasn’t

  Lot knew that she shouldn’t look, but her eyes darted down there, before he had turned to put on his pants. The sheets rustled as the Duke put on his boots. Two hands snaked out and restrained him. He made a sound of annoyance as he broke the grip easily.

  He got up them and crossed his arms standing next to Lot. Lot felt uncomfortable as she wasn’t sure why a man of this stature would want two women like this on either side of him. She moved farther away from him as her intention had been to ask him when she could leave because she already felt so out of place here.

  When the sheet lifted, Lot flinched, when she saw the young madam who had whipped her hand. Her corset was undone far too much for modesty to be a virtue of that young lady. Behind them, Lot could hear the tapping of a cane and the Duke immediately put his hands around her and drew her closer as he turned the both of them to someone, Lot drew a breathe when she saw.

  There was no doubt that this was his mother.

  Lot was confused very much as to why he had decided on the appropriateness of her meeting his mother when he had just awoken like this.

  “I see one of you has at least learned discretion.” Her voice was cold as she looked at the Missus who smiled with a forelock on her nose that she blew out . . . she didn’t look grown up at all.

  “Well, my lady, you can see that I am delightfully ruined now.”

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  The Duke’s hand on the small of her back crossed over to her hip.

  “Who is there to see?” The Dowager pulled the sheets from the bed. “Get up off the bed. Look?

  “Don’t give her the knowledge beyond what a maid should have. Have her thrown out of the castle. I will write a letter this afternoon telling of why this engagement has soured. You will be free then, my dear.”

  She got up then, Lot cringed, when she saw the shoes on the bed. There were scrapes of dirt against the white bedsheets that the maids who had come into the room behind them started to look at in annoyance.

  “Madam, I am the daughter that you would have always said you wanted. I am the child of your heart. Can I not also be the child who bring your grandchildren into the world.” The maids escorted her out of the room as her whims became more and more inappropriate and more shrill.

  The dowager duchess looked at the empty bed with a dismal look. “You were always a disappointment.”

  The duke started to pull Lot out of the room.

  “Don’t you think you have some explaining to do either?” The duchess said bringing her attention to Lot. “You’ve brought a young woman and a child into my home without causing a whisper. Now, the entire staff is to know . . . not just the garrison. That there is a child there within the Duke. First the garrison, then the maids, and now the entirety of our duchy that we have an heir.”

  Lot babbled as she looked from the stern expression of mother to son. “I can disappear. I’m no noble missus who should be anywhere here.”

  “I suppose noble missus is what I should call myself?” The duchess said saucily.

  Lot swallowed. “Madam, I meant no offense. I’m just here with my sick son. I came from the village that was overrun by ogres. My husband–”

  “You had a husband–” The duchess said coldly. “Just has you had a mark of a whip on your arm and soon it will fade and when people ask you, you should never admit that you ever had one. If he was a soldier, dead more likely. It will be best if you forgot him.”

  The Duke shook his head. “She knows nothing of us. It’s nothing of me to take her and leave her.”

  “Better you keep her. A country girl will be grateful, a city missus will not. She’s got farmer hands. You have found a person. Your father had concubines. You’re a man with needs, a general with wants. Might as well play into the legends of our house. Have her then if you refuse any of mine. Though I must say my latest choice was regrettable.”

  Lot stared violently. “What?”