course, she will. Your Aunt Bekah and I are married now. We are a family, you, Ivy, Aunt Bekah, and myself.”
“Are you and Aunt Bekah going to leave us like Papa and Mama did?”
“I plan to be around a long time,” he said, then heard the little boy’s stomach growl. “Are you hungry?” Zachary nodded his response. “Let’s see if we can find something to eat.” He walked out of the study and down the hall to the breakfast room from where delicious smells were emanating. He helped Zachary sit at the head of the table. After filling a plate for the both of them, he delivered the plates to the table, and took the chair to the boy’s left. Zachary kept asking different things about London, and Thorn answered as best he could.
They were half-way through the meal when Rebekah and Ivy joined them. Thorn began to stand, but Rebekah waved him to sit. Thorn watched her assist Ivy in filling her plate and then aid the little girl in carrying it to the table. She then returned to the buffet to fill her own. Once she sat down, she picked up her fork and began pushing her food around on her plate. He noticed she had dark circles under her eyes and her face looked splotchy. Yesterday had been exceptionally difficult on her.
“Uncle Thorn says we are going to London,” Zachary announced excitedly.
“When?” Ivy asked, sounding just as excited as her twin.
“As soon as possible,” Thorn answered before taking another bite of food.
“When were you going to tell me?” Rebekah asked, placing her fork gently on her plate.
Thorn watched her movements and knew they belied what she truly felt. He could see the anger shimmering along the surface. “Today. I need to return to London as soon as I can.”
“You have scarce been here a few days. Can’t your sins wait a little longer?”
“Not now, Rebekah.”
“If not now, when? Why do we have to go with you? Can’t we just stay here as we always have?”
“There are things you do not know about.”
“Tell me. Explain them to me. I assure you that I am not a stupid woman. I do understand basic concepts when they are explained properly.”
“I said, not now. Eat your breakfast,” he instructed her as if she were one of the twins.
“I find I have lost my appetite,” she said, pushing back from the table and standing. Rebekah placed her napkin beside her plate before walking out of the room.
“Aunt Bekah cried last night,” Ivy announced to the table. “Before I fell asleep I heard her say that more children should have a papa like mine. Did she mean that my Papa was good?”
“I think she meant he was wonderful. I’ll be right back,” he quickly stood and chased after Rebekah. He caught up with her at the top of the stairs. “Bekah, listen, I’m sorry this seems like it is all happening very quickly, but it has to. There are things you don’t need to know about.”
“You have no leave to call me anything but Rebekah, and I understand Thornton. You continue living your life while the twins and I will live ours. What I don’t understand is why we can’t remain here. We will just be in your way in London.”
“I have to have you and the twins close.”
“Your mistress won’t appreciate it.”
“What do you know of my mistress?”
“Do you truly think that your actions stay in London? People travel and people talk. I know more about you than what you probably think I do. I know it is more than I wish to know.”
“You know nothing.”
“You mean I do not know that your mistress is the great actress Aimée Beauchamp. I do not know that you operate the most notorious gaming hell in London. I do not know the last thing you ever had planned was to become a father to two children. I do not know that your brother, along with several others, tricked you into signing the documents to see us married. You see,
“Are you and Aunt Bekah going to leave us like Papa and Mama did?”
“I plan to be around a long time,” he said, then heard the little boy’s stomach growl. “Are you hungry?” Zachary nodded his response. “Let’s see if we can find something to eat.” He walked out of the study and down the hall to the breakfast room from where delicious smells were emanating. He helped Zachary sit at the head of the table. After filling a plate for the both of them, he delivered the plates to the table, and took the chair to the boy’s left. Zachary kept asking different things about London, and Thorn answered as best he could.
They were half-way through the meal when Rebekah and Ivy joined them. Thorn began to stand, but Rebekah waved him to sit. Thorn watched her assist Ivy in filling her plate and then aid the little girl in carrying it to the table. She then returned to the buffet to fill her own. Once she sat down, she picked up her fork and began pushing her food around on her plate. He noticed she had dark circles under her eyes and her face looked splotchy. Yesterday had been exceptionally difficult on her.
“Uncle Thorn says we are going to London,” Zachary announced excitedly.
“When?” Ivy asked, sounding just as excited as her twin.
“As soon as possible,” Thorn answered before taking another bite of food.
“When were you going to tell me?” Rebekah asked, placing her fork gently on her plate.
Thorn watched her movements and knew they belied what she truly felt. He could see the anger shimmering along the surface. “Today. I need to return to London as soon as I can.”
“You have scarce been here a few days. Can’t your sins wait a little longer?”
“Not now, Rebekah.”
“If not now, when? Why do we have to go with you? Can’t we just stay here as we always have?”
“There are things you do not know about.”
“Tell me. Explain them to me. I assure you that I am not a stupid woman. I do understand basic concepts when they are explained properly.”
“I said, not now. Eat your breakfast,” he instructed her as if she were one of the twins.
“I find I have lost my appetite,” she said, pushing back from the table and standing. Rebekah placed her napkin beside her plate before walking out of the room.
“Aunt Bekah cried last night,” Ivy announced to the table. “Before I fell asleep I heard her say that more children should have a papa like mine. Did she mean that my Papa was good?”
“I think she meant he was wonderful. I’ll be right back,” he quickly stood and chased after Rebekah. He caught up with her at the top of the stairs. “Bekah, listen, I’m sorry this seems like it is all happening very quickly, but it has to. There are things you don’t need to know about.”
“You have no leave to call me anything but Rebekah, and I understand Thornton. You continue living your life while the twins and I will live ours. What I don’t understand is why we can’t remain here. We will just be in your way in London.”
“I have to have you and the twins close.”
“Your mistress won’t appreciate it.”
“What do you know of my mistress?”
“Do you truly think that your actions stay in London? People travel and people talk. I know more about you than what you probably think I do. I know it is more than I wish to know.”
“You know nothing.”
“You mean I do not know that your mistress is the great actress Aimée Beauchamp. I do not know that you operate the most notorious gaming hell in London. I do not know the last thing you ever had planned was to become a father to two children. I do not know that your brother, along with several others, tricked you into signing the documents to see us married. You see,
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