She smiled and two small dimples creased her freckled cheeks. The woman was quite pretty with her red curls and green eyes, but when she smiled, she became absolutely radiant.
“I will return in a moment,” she said.
As she left, her slim hips swayed under the muslin of her amber gown. Listening to her give orders to the footmen, he smiled. She was obviously used to assigning tasks for the servants.
God, he hated the idea of being back in this country. If he had only surrendered his citizenship and moved to America before his father’s death. Then he would not be here. He wouldn’t be eligible for the title. Instead, he would be in Virginia with Abigail, enjoying the warmth of a late May evening.
Being an American, his stepmother had ingrained in him the ideals of freedom from tyrannical forces. How no man had the right to call himself king. The people had the right to choose their leaders, and titles should mean nothing.
While she preached to him about the importance of freedom, his father continued to speak of the duchy and their responsibility to it. Or more importantly, the opportunity it would give them financially. Once the title fell to either of them, they could give their family wealth and respect. In order for that to happen, Will had to keep his British citizenship. He’d only done it to make his father happy. What Will wanted remained in Virginia.
For the past five years, he and Abigail had faithfully written to each other monthly. Every six months, he would propose to her again, telling her that he would give up everything for her. Each time, she had another reason he shouldn’t give up his citizenship for her. During the war, their correspondence had been sporadic, but she had told him of her love for him. When the war ended, Will had begged her to come to Canada, but she told him she could not disregard her father’s feelings. After losing his only son in the war with the British, he could not lose his only daughter to an Englishman.
Not that any of that mattered. Now that he was the duke, he could do what he wanted. He was here for only one thing. Once finished, he and his siblings would be on the first ship out of England forever.
After telling the footman to awaken the servants, Elizabeth quickly walked up the stairs to organize the children. In the first room, she found the two oldest women, and a young girl who couldn’t have been more than five. The little girl gave her a shy smile.
“Good evening, ladies.”
The two older women folded their arms over their chests in unison. “Good evening,” the woman with blond hair said.
“I am your cousin, Elizabeth.”
“I’m Sarah,” the littlest girl said excitedly.
Elizabeth walked over to the girl on the bed and said, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Sarah.”
Sarah giggled. “I’m not a lady yet.”
“Oh, but you are, at least I think you are. Will is your half brother, right?”
Sarah shrugged, but the other two nodded.
“Well, since your brother is now the duke, that makes you a lady,” Elizabeth replied with a smile.
The little girl giggled again and looked over at her sister. “See, Lucy. I am a lady.”
“You won’t be a lady for a very long time, Sarah,” Lucy retorted.
Elizabeth turned toward the young woman named Lucy. “And it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Lucy.”
“Thank you, Elizabeth.”
“I think she must also be a lady, Lucy,” the woman with blond hair stated.
“Are you Ellie?” Elizabeth asked.
“Yes, Lady Elizabeth.”
“Well, it is a pleasure to meet you all. I have to admit, I’m a little confused about who is related to whom.”
Ellie smiled. “It is a little difficult. Will, Alicia, Lucy, and I are from the same parents. James, Michael, Ethan, and Robert are my stepbrothers. Sarah is the youngest, and she is my half sister.”
“That clears it up a little. The servants are on their way to make up the beds for you. Tomorrow we shall see about setting up a nursery for the younger children, which will free this room for you both to share.”
“You mean we don’t have to make up the beds?” Lucy whispered.
Elizabeth smiled at the sound of awe in her voice. “No, Lucy. We have servant