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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 6

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"Yes.""Third, Cedric is not to come near them."Rowan's voice cooled. "Cedric will not come near this house.""Fourth, Lady Clarabel deserves freedom from this.""She does.""Fifth..." Evelyn stopped."Say it.""Do not ask me to marry you because three children ran faster than my better judgment."He nodded slowly. The sentence hurt; it also saved him from his worst instinct. That instinct wanted to repair the public scandal by putting a ring on it. Evelyn deserved more than being turned into a solution."I will not ask today, or tomorrow, or tomorrow.""Good."From the breakfast room, Kit shouted, "Mama! Lady Clarabel says jam can be architectural!"Evelyn closed her eyes. Rowan said, "Do you need to intervene if there is toast left?""Yes."They returned to find Kit building a jam wall, Milo documenting the structure with crumbs, and Pippa judging the stability. Clarabel looked guilty and entertained. "I was trying to distract them."Evelyn surveyed the table. "You have founded a village."Kit beamed. "It has a gate."Pippa said, "The gate fell."Milo said, "It was an ambush."Rowan sat across from them. "May I ask something?"Pippa narrowed her eyes. "One thing.""Who taught you to storm chapels?"All three pointed at one another. Clarabel said, "Excellent discipline."Evelyn said, "They were born as a committee and have resisted monarchy since."Rowan smiled. It was small. It hurt. It was real.That afternoon, Rowan sent for Lord Cedric Vale. Cedric arrived before sunset with an expression of injured innocence already arranged. He was tall, fair, and handsome in a damp way; he wore grief badly and excuse well. Rowan received him in the library. He did not invite Evelyn; he wanted to, but he did not because her day had held enough. Clarabel came instead.Cedric stopped when he saw her. "Lady Clarabel... Lord Cedric, I expected His Grace alone.""Many expectations failed today."Rowan stood behind the desk with the broken silver rattle beside his hand. "Did you intercept letters from Miss Hart?"Cedric glanced at the rattle—too quickly. "What an ugly accusation."Clarabel sat gracefully. "Then answer beautifully."Cedric's mouth tightened. "During the war, correspondence was chaotic.""Did you intercept letters?""I protected you."Rowan felt a door close inside him. "From what?"
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“Daddy, Don’t Marry Her!” — Three Triplets Crashed the Duke’s Wedding, and He Recognized Them

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