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“Daddy, Don’t Marry Her!” — Three Triplets Crashed the Duke’s Wedding, and He Recognized Them

“Daddy, Don’t Marry Her!” — Three Triplets Crashed the Duke’s Wedding, and He Recognized Them

Chapter 26

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Mrs. Bell nodded. "Then he may stay."Rowan looked at Evelyn; Evelyn looked entirely innocent.Later, Sarah from the sewing school sang a ballad. Her voice shook at first, then steadied. No one applauded too early; no one spoke over her. When she finished, Mrs. Bell cried openly and blamed pepper; Aunt Lavinia asked for another song.Pippa whispered to Rowan, "This is family."He looked around: Evelyn speaking with Clarabel; Kit sharing biscuits with Mrs. Bell under the table; Milo showing Dr. Penrose the thunder chart; the sewing girls laughing near the window; Aunt Lavinia pretending not to enjoy tenants in her drawing room."Yes," Rowan said. "If everyone agrees."Pippa considered. "Family should have rules.""It does.""Who writes them?""Everyone, eventually."She leaned against his side, only for a moment. Then she ran to stop Kit from bargaining away a candlestick. Rowan stood still after she left. Evelyn saw from across the room. She smiled—not a large smile, but enough to make spring arrive inside him.That night, after guests left, Rowan found Evelyn in the wash house. She was extinguishing lamps; the room smelled of wax and pressed linen."You should sleep," he said."So should you.""I am too awake.""Dangerous."He came no closer than the cutting table. "I do not want London to decide when I name my family."She lowered the lamp glass. "No.""I did not want scandal to decide, either.""No.""I want you to decide with me."She looked at him. "Decide what? How we stand in public? Whether the children are named at a church dinner, a tenant feast, a legal notice, or not at all until they wish it? Whether you are called Miss Hart, Duchess, seamstress, mother—all of them, or something else?"She leaned one hand on the table. "That is a great deal to decide.""Yes.""You are not asking as a proposal.""No, I am asking as logistics."Her mouth curved. "Romance trembles.""Romance may wait its turn."She laughed softly. "Good. Then my answer is this: we begin here, at the school sale next month. You attend not as patron, but as father carrying parcels badly.""I can carry parcels badly.""I know.""And you?""I will be Miss Hart who runs the school. If anyone asks more, I will decide whether they deserve an answer.""And the children?"
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“Daddy, Don’t Marry Her!” — Three Triplets Crashed the Duke’s Wedding, and He Recognized Them

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