"What is going on, Rolly?" the duke asked, once they were alone.

Trusting that Hugo would make sure she knew if anyone came close enough to the door to overhear her, Rolanda smiled at her elderly cousin. "We believe you're being poisoned," she told him gently. "And that it is part of a plot to remove a large number of the royal family and put your grandson on the throne with no one to influence him but this suddenly prominent Earl Rivers. Who is this man, cousin" How has he suddenly gained so much influence with you?"

"A plot?" Ranulf echoed, dubiously. "My dear, I am an old man. I do not expect to live forever. That does not mean I am being poisoned," he told her, either too stubborn or too horrified to admit she might be right.

"Randy, listen to me," she urged him. "When did you start to get ill" Was it after Earl Rivers somehow found a way to make your home his base of operations?"

"Rivers has been a great help to me, Rolly. He has been helping to run the estate in my illness, and ..." He narrowed his eyes at her line of questioning, not because he was angry but because he was trying to remember. "No, it was ..." He paused, as if he was having trouble remembering, his mind fuzzy from his so-called illness. "You should ask Esme. She will know," he added, not wanting to admit that he was having trouble remembering.

It took a great deal of effort to keep the impatient frustration out of her voice. "Why has he been helping at all, cousin?" she asked the old man as gently as she could. "Esme has been doing most of the work that you seem to think Rivers has done. I've seen the proof of that - every piece of official documentation at the palace since you fell ill has been signed by your daughter, in your name. We did not even know that Earl Rivers was here until Esme wrote to me."

This came as news to the old man, as evidenced by the arch of a bushy gray brow. Whether he was ill or not, he did not take kindly to having his decisions questioned, even by family, and yet, if she spoke the truth, then her question was a valid one. "I may be ill, but I have not yet taken leave of my senses. Is that why you have come here" Because you think Earl Rivers is trying to poison me?" he asked a little gruffly.

Rolanda folded his hand between her own, holding his gaze steadily. He might be a slightly crusty old man, but her father had been worse. She was not easily intimidated anymore. "I've come because the safety of our family is more important than pride, yours or mine," she told her elderly cousin sternly. "Because even if you are not being poisoned, you may die, and that will leave a child as Duke of Ansburg. No protection for your daughter, and no certainty that the voices that will influence your grandchildren will ever love them or act in their best interest. Randy, even if you don't believe Rivers would poison you, surely you care that your daughter will live a life safe from a forced political marriage; that your grandchildren will not be used by others with ignoble purposes?"

"My grandchildren," Ranulf echoed with a sad frown - the children of his eldest daughter, who he'd disowned simply because she'd married for love. "What would you have me do, cousin?" he asked, knowing he was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and also knowing he would not live forever.

"I need your permission to marry Esme off to a man who will care for her, and for the children," she told him softly. "And I need your permission to legally name both Esme and her husband as the children's guardians. The king has already said that they will have rank; I have the letters of marque. But I may need your help to convince Esme."

The duke opened his mouth to reply, but instead of speaking, he was taken with a fit of violent coughing that resulted in a small trail of blood from his lips. He gestured with one hand for a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, while he struggled to catch his breath.

Rolanda started, her eyes widening in shock at the sight of the blood. She scrabbled for a handkerchief, holding it to his mouth. "Cousin?" From outside the door came the sound of male voices raised. Rolanda's head snapped around, her gaze swiftly returning to the duke. "He can't know what I'm planning," she begged her elderly cousin. "If he is behind this, he'll hurt what?s left of your family."

Ranulf nodded in agreement to Rolanda's wishes, as he wiped the blood from his mouth and tucked the handkerchief out of sight. It wasn't a lot of blood, but enough to be worrisome. Could poison be to blame for his illness, and if so, who was trying to poison him' If Rivers truly was to blame, he wanted to know, not only for himself, but for what remained of his family.

The door opened to admit the man himself, a robust gentleman of around forty years, stern and frowning as he advanced into the room. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. "The dismissal of the physician' Ranulf, who is this woman?"

Ranulf pushed himself up in his bed so that he was sitting straight up, proving to the earl that he was not quite so far gone as the man might think. "This woman, as you so put it, is the king's sister and my cousin, Princess Rolanda," he informed the earl, carefully studying the man's reaction to this bit of news.

The reaction was quickly concealed, but it was there - Rivers blanched, his gaze flickering swiftly to the bottles of medicines on the table before returning to the duke. "My apologies," he offered smoothly, folding himself into a low bow.

Over his head, Rolanda made significant eye contact with Hugo. Now was a perfect time to conduct a swift search of the man's rooms, and she had no doubt that Esme would help him.

As Rivers rose once again, she composed her features. "Your apology comes too late," she informed him. "I assume you are Earl Rivers" This is the man, cousin?"

Hugo scowled, not liking the idea of leaving Rolanda with Rivers, but he didn't have much choice. He would just have to be quick about it. He quietly closed the door, so as not to draw attention to the fact that he was departing, if only for a short while.

Ranulf didn't seem to notice either, his attention mostly on Rivers. He hadn't missed the earl's reaction to his cousin's introduction. Now, it was time to see what the man had to say for himself. "Yes, this is Earl Rivers," the duke confirmed.

"I do not recall either myself nor the duke issuing an invitation for you to enter our presence, my lord," Rolanda began, determined to hold him here as long as she could. She could make speeches off the top of her head that had been known to last an hour - that skill was going to come in handy right now.

While outside the room, Esme was not so very difficult for Hugo to find. She was in the main hall of the manor, giving instructions to the housekeeper about rooms for the princess and her small retinue, as well as the expected merchant and his small wards.

Hugo walked briskly through the manor until he reached the main hall, where he wasted no time in approaching Esme. Though he knew Rolanda would try to stall, he didn't want to chance the man catching them ransacking his room for evidence of his treachery. "Rivers is with your father and Rolanda. She wants us to search his room," he told her. He hadn't needed her to tell him what she wanted, as they'd discussed all this at length before arriving at the duke's manor.

Dismissing the housekeeper, Esme turned to the knight that had arrived with Rolanda. She vaguely recognized him, but had no inkling of the closeness of his degree to her cousin as yet. "Oh, of course," she nodded, catching her skirt in one hand. "This way. I assume she is keeping him busy?"

"She is for now," Hugo confirmed, worried Rolanda might not be able to keep the man busy long enough for them to give his room a thorough search, but he couldn't do anything about it now but hurry. "How long has this been going on?" he asked, keeping his voice low as Esme led the way.

"He first began to make himself known about two years ago," she told him, hurrying up the stairs toward the guest rooms Rivers had taken over for himself. "It was only when my sister and her husband died that he began to spend more time closeted with my father, and that my father became ill. I regret not acting sooner, but I had to be sure that the children's uncle was not a part of the plot."

"If you require assistance, tell the servants to call Captain Brunei," she told him softly. "He's been waiting for an oportunity to throw that vile man off the premises since he arrived."

Hugo nodded, though he didn't anticipate having any problem with the man. The young knight did, after all, have a physical advantage over the man. "Go wait for the children to arrive and take them someplace safe until he is gone," he instructed, in case they arrived before he had a chance to eject the earl from the manor.

"Of course," she agreed. "I'll take them to my mother's parlor - no one goes in there anymore." She glanced over his shoulder, down the corridor to where a sharp silence suggested that Rolanda or the duke were having their say. "You should hurry," Esme added. "I would not be surprised to learn he threatened violence to your wife."

"If he dares touch her, he will answer to me," Hugo said, unafraid of the king's anger were he to overstep his boundaries. He had a feeling the king would not blame him for doing whatever was necessary to defend the princess. With that said, he turned on a heel and started back down the corridor toward the duke's quarters.

As he drew closer to the duke's private rooms, the altercation within became clearer. Rolanda's voice was sharp but her words indistinct; the earl, on the other hand, was very clear indeed. "I have not slaved for a year to keep this estate in order, given up my own time, my own privileges, to be questioned by a child in a crown who knows nothing of the burdens of privilege!"

Hugo hastened his stride, not bothering to knock or give any warning before pushing open the door to intrude on the trio. "Might I remind you, Earl Rivers, that the Princess is here by request of her brother, the King, and as such, any orders or demands she makes can be interpreted to have come directly from him?"

The earl hesitated, seemingly having forgotten just who he was talking to, and Rolanda took the opportunity presented to her. "Earl Rivers," she said coldly, "since you are clearly buckling under the privileges of your own rank, I see no reason for you to remain here. The Ansburg estate and lands will be well looked after in your absence. Sir Hugo, please escort the earl to the gates and see he leaves. He is not welcome to return."

Knowing what Hugo now knew of the earl and considering what he and Esme had found in the earl's room, he was hard-pressed not to express his pleasure at escorting the man to the gates. Instead, he only took hold of the man's arm to tug him toward the door. "Come, my lord. It is time for you to leave."

"You cannot simply cast me out!" the earl objected, pulling at his arm in Hugo's grasp. He looked to the duke as his last resort. "My lord, you know I have only ever done my best for you!"

Ranulf looked tired, worn out not only by his illness but by all the drama around him, some of which he was starting to realize was of his own making. "I am not sure what I believe anymore, Godfrey. For now, I think it best if you do as the princess says. I will summon you if your presence is required."

Anger flared in the earl's eyes. "You will regret this day, your grace," he threatened, even as Hugo pulled him toward the door. "You will rue the day you turned aside my friendship!"

Rolanda stood abruptly. "Are you threatening the duke, my lord?"

Earl Rivers glared at her, his mouth working silently for a moment. She nodded.

"I see. Sir Hugo, straight to the gates, if you please. Let us not have this excuse for a noble on the estate a moment longer than is entirely necessary."

"With pleasure, Your Highness," Hugo said, as he pulled Earl Rivers toward the door. It was not difficult to figure out who was going to win this battle, considering the knight was taller, broader, and younger than the earl.

The older man snarled as he was pulled out through the door, shaking his arm in Hugo's grasp in an attempt to regain at least some of his dignity. "You will, of course, allow me to collect my belongings," he said coldly, clearly expecting to be obeyed.

"No, I don't think so," Hugo replied, reluctantly letting go of the man's arm. Where was he going to go, after all" "The princess' orders were quite clear on that. I will make sure you have a horse and an escort to see you safely home," he said, as if he was doing the man a favor.

The earl made a creditable attempt to look down his nose at the taller man. "You will allow me to collect my belongings, sir knight," he insisted. "I outrank you, you will obey me."

"No, my lord," Hugo said, coming to a halt to face the man, letting him see that he would not be intimidated. "I answer only to the king and those of royal blood. My orders are clear, and they will be followed, if I have to drag you to the gate. Is that clear, my lord?"

Rivers' expression was arrogantly smug. "You would not dare lay hands on me," he predicted - incorrectly, but with confidence. "I am an earl of this land. You are nothing more than a thug with powerful friends."

Hugo's expression darkened. Up until now, he was doing his best to school his expression and remain calm, but the man's arrogance was starting to get on his nerves. "I am a knight of the realm, as was my father before me and his father before him. My loyalty is to the king and his bloodline. Earl or not, my horse has more honor than you. Now, would you prefer to leave of your own accord and preserve what little self-respect you have left, or shall I make good on my promise and drag you out' It is your choice, my lord, but either way, you are leaving," Hugo told him, leaving no room for quarrel.

The earl glared at him, but knew he could not push his luck any further. "Hugo d'Aranie," he said coldly, "know that you have made an enemy today." He turned on his heel and marched toward the stairs, shouting for someone to have his horse made ready.

Hugo did not bother to respond to the earl's threat, knowing it would make no difference and only serve to fuel his anger. Instead, he only fell into step to follow the man and escort him to the gate. He would also leave word with Captain Brunei and instruct him that the earl was no longer welcome in Ansburg and not to allow anyone into the manor who did not have an invitation.

The earl attempted to refuse the escort, attempted to make plans to return for his personal items, attempted anything he could to ensure he would be able to walk back onto the estate unchallenged, but Hugo was ready for all of it. It took more than an hour to see the man off the ducal estate, but there was a certain satisfaction in watching him ride away.

When Hugo returned to the main hall, there was someone watching him. A small someone, still in her traveling coat and boots, peering around a door that had been closed when he'd passed through with the earl.

"Is you really a kernigget?"

There was some satisfaction is forcing Earl Rivers to leave Ansburg, and yet, Hugo did not take the man's threat lightly. He wished the king had given him the authority to arrest the man, but he could only do as he was told. Still, the evidence they'd found in the man's room was damning, and it might not be long before the earl found himself charged with treason and conspiring to commit murder, among other things.

These thoughts crowded his mind as he made his way back to the manor, only to be disrupted by the voice of a small child he had not noticed as he'd walked by. "I beg your pardon?" he asked, clearly not expecting such a question.

Rolanda nodded to him. "Of course, doctor. And thank you."

Hugo waited for the doctor to leave before speaking again, turning to look at the now resting duke. "That did not sound very encouraging," he murmured quietly to Rolanda, frowning in concern. Whether he recovered or not, something had to be done about Rivers.

"It's not," Rolanda admitted softly, wrapping her arms about herself as she looked over at the resting duke. "The doctor believes Ranulf was already ill before the poisoning began. Even if he recovers, the damage may be too much. Damn that man! Why didn't we know sooner?"

"Ro, it's not safe here," he told her, reaching to take her hands in his. "Not so long as Rivers is free." Though he wasn't quite sure what the earl could do to cause them any harm while they stayed at the manor, he did not dare ignore the man's threats. "You should have let me lock him up. He's as guilty as sin. We have proof!"

"But we don't have the means to hold him here, and we do not know how many of the staff here are loyal to him over the family," Rolanda told him, her fingers curling into his tightly. She looked tired, the sheer stress of being here and seeing how things were for herself enough to weary her soul. "We'll have to move quickly. The doctor should be able to work out a way to safely move Ranulf in this state, and I'll order Esme to marry if I have to. We need those children safely out of harm's way. What proof did you find?"

"I doubt he is alone in this plot," Hugo agreed, with a worried frown. The sooner they left the manor and returned to Rift Fell the better, at least until all they determined who was guilty and who was not. "Proof?" he echoed, brows arching upwards. "We found all the proof we need in his room," he said, lowering his voice so that the duke would not overhear. The young knight was obviously agitated, but only because he was worried, not only for her safety, but that of the duke's family, as well. "The children are downstairs. Your cousin is beside herself with worry," he informed her, more gently. He could see how all this was wearing on her, but they needed to finish what they'd started. "How soon do you think the duke can be moved?"

She frowned uncertainly. "I would like to move them in the morning. It will likely be a three day journey or more with the duke so ill, but with a complement of guards from the estate, and perhaps others from Rift Fell if I send word ahead, we should be safe to make that journey. If I can get them married off tonight."

Hugo did not know how the duke's daughter would feel about marrying the children's uncle - a man Hugo understood to be a merchant of some kind, without noble blood - but there were worse fates. "It is the best course of action to keep the children safe," he said, hoping the lady would agree.

"Then I suppose I should break it to them," Rolanda said reluctantly. "Could you arrange a guard to be put on the duke's door" I don't feel that any of us are safe here."

"I could remain here, if you wish," he volunteered, unsure if he would be much use to her in trying to convince the duke's daughter to marry. Then again, she might want him to come along, if only for moral support.

"I may need you to distract the children while I talk to their uncle and aunt," she admitted. "I truly do not know how any of them are going to take any of this, but Ranulf agreed to it at least."

"Very well. Let me find a guard to stand watch and I'll join you shortly," he said, pausing a moment before leaning close to brush a kiss to her cheek. "Try not to worry, Rolly. We are doing the right thing."

Her hand curled to his cheek, holding him close for a long moment as she breathed slowly. "I'm so glad you're here, Hu."

"There is nowhere else I'd rather be," he assured her, smiling softly. "Go meet your cousin's children. I will join you soon," he added, touching a kiss to her hand before letting her go.

She smiled as he kissed her hand, bracing herself before stepping out into the corridor. Making her way to the stairs, she rang the first bell she found to summon a servant to ask where the lady of the house was. Given directions, Rolanda proceeded down the stairs and to the parlor where the little group waited, smiling at the sight of Esme sitting on the floor with the children. That bodes well, at least. She cleared her throat as the door closed behind her. Esme looked up.

"Oh!" She scrambled up onto her feet, pulling the children with her. "Master Kramer, Matias, Anna ....may I present her royal highness, Princess Rolanda, the king's sister."

Leopold moved to his feet and offered a respectful bow. There was no sign of shock or surprise on his face, only polite reverence to at last meet the sovereign princess. "Your Highness, it is a pleasure to meet you," he said with almost courtly grace.

Beside him, Matias nudged his sister and whispered, "You have to curtsy, Anna," just as he gave the princess an almost too-flourished bow of his own.

Rolanda felt her irritation at the business with the earl melt away at the sight of the little family rising to meet her, inclining her head to the grown man with a smile before turning that smile downward to the children. Anna swayed a little as her brother nudged her, little mouth wide open at the sight of an actual, honest-to-goddess princess. Her curtsy was dreadful, but at least she tried.

Rolanda chuckled, lowering down onto one knee. "It's a very great pleasure to meet my youngest cousins," she told the children in her warm way. "So you would be Matias, and you would be Anna. Am I right?"

Leo had trouble stifling a grin at the children's attempt to offer a show of respect for the princess.

"Yes, ma'am, Your Majesty," Matias replied, assuming she would know which of them was which. "Are you really our cousin?" he asked, curiously. She was pretty, but she didn't really look the way he imagined a princess would look. Then again, they weren't at court, so she wasn't dressed in finery with a crown on her head.

"I am, young man," Rolanda assured him. "Your great-grandfather was my great-grandfather's brother. And it doesn't matter when we're alone, like this, but the way to address me is 'your highness'." She winked at him, turning her gaze to the silently staring Anna. "You're very quiet. Your Aunt Esme says you like dolls."

Anna nodded, shutting her mouth with a snap even as she clung to her brother's hand tightly.

Rolanda chuckled. "I happen to know that the queen makes dolls," she said. "Perhaps we should ask her to make you one."

Behind the children, Esme bit down on a grin of her own, glancing at Leo in amusement.

"Yes, your highness, ma'am," Matias replied very seriously. This was the first time he was meeting someone royal, and he was understandably feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

Behind them, Leo exchanged a grin with Esme, who he was coming to think of as more than a friend. There was something charming and gentle in the way she interacted with the children that reminded him how much they missed their mother.

"Does you have a kernig- a knight, your cousiness?" Anna asked suddenly, the words bursting out of her as though she couldn't hold them back any longer.

Rolanda fought hard not to laugh, but the warmth in her voice was definitely amused as she answered. "I do, little miss," she assured the child. "His name is Hugo, and he's here with me."

Anna nudged Matias a little harder than was absolutely necessary. "I told you."

"Ask for Darnel, the groom," Esme suggested to Hugo. He would be able to keep Anna occupied with Gossamer while Matias learned a little swordplay.

"Thank you, Lady," Hugo replied, offering a small nod to Esme, before reaching for Anna's hand, sensing the boy was too proud to follow suit. And with that said, the knight escorted the children away, Matias too excited to offer any hugs or farewells as he fell in step beside the knight, flooding him with questions.

Leo chuckled. "I'm afraid Sir Hugo has his hands full."

Rolanda watched them from the room, laughing herself as she turned back to her company. "It is good practice for him," she assured Leo, unconsciously twisting the gold ring on her finger. She was about to go on, when the door opened again, admitting the housekeeper and another maidservant to deliver a tray of coffee and sandwiches.

Esme rose to speak softly to the housekeeper before she left again, turning to serve the coffee.

Leo noticed the ring but was too polite to ask about it and didn't want to assume. If there was something she wanted them to know, he was sure she would tell them in her own time. "How is the duke?" he asked, knowing only what Esme had told him.

Rolanda paused, watching Esme with a critical glance, needing to be sure this would not come as a shock to her cousin. "It seems certain that he has been poisoned over a prolonged period of time," she said quietly as she took a cup from her cousin. "The doctor is confident that his level of comfort should improve, but there is no certainty that he will recover."

There was a clatter from the tray. Esme had almost dropped the cup she was holding, setting it down hurriedly as she laid shaking fingers on the table.

Leo jerked his head toward Esme and moved quickly to his feet, not so much to rescue the tray and the coffee as to catch Esme by the elbow, in fear she might faint. His concern was obvious, but there seemed to be a little something more than concern there, too, as he helped ease her into a chair.

"There is a chance for recovery though," he pointed out, more question than statement.

Esme leaned gratefully into the support Leo offered her, sinking down into the chair with tearful eyes. Though she had always had her differences with her father, he was her father. A world without him in it was a very cold place for her, an unmarried woman of unknown noble rank.

"Yes, there is a chance he will recover fully," Rolanda agreed softly, more interested in the unexpected dynamic between Esme and Leo than in the prospect of a death in the family. She'd never pretended to be perfect. "But even if he should, circumstances demand that steps be taken to protect the family he cannot guard himself."

Leo remained close, choosing to take a seat closer to Esme than to the princess and ignoring the offer of coffee and sandwiches for the moment. His main concern at the moment was obviously for Esme, not his own comfort. He looked to Rolanda at her remark though, knowing his own existence was inconsequential, except for the fact that he was guardian to the duke's grandchildren.

"What steps?" he asked, bluntly.

Rolanda met the merchant's gaze calmly. "Your marriage to my cousin here, the legal transfer of the children's guardianship to you both, and the ennoblement of your family to Earl and Countess of Ansburg," she told him, as bluntly as he had spoken.

Esme, still caught in the shock of knowing her father could well die sooner rather than later, gasped at the abrupt declaration. "What?"

Leo's mouth dropped open, his eyes widening in surprise. He had expected the princess to suggest taking the children to Rift Fell for safe keeping, but he had not expected her to suggest marriage and the last thing he had expected was for her to suggest was giving him a title. He was still leaning toward Esme, his hand on her arm, but he leaned back now, looking as shocked as she was. "Marriage?" he echoed, looking from one woman to the other.

Rolanda looked from one shocked face to the other, and made a supreme effort not to give in to whatever argument they might raise against her.

"As things stand, the Duke is in no position to minister to his lands nor to protect his family," she told them sternly. "Without protection, Esme, you are a flower ripe for plucking, and there are plenty of men in this land who would wed you and bed you purely for your connection to the throne, let alone your position in this house. Whatever has been said, legally Matias is the heir to the ducal house and will be duke on the death of his grandfather. With the situation the way it is at present, there is no protection for him or Esme under the law."

She met Leo's gaze head on. "The king proposes to raise her rank to Countess, to allow her independence from the ducal house if necessary. I propose to keep your family intact with this marriage. There is no discomfort between you, I cannot see it being such a terrible fate as all that. And as Earl and Countess of Ansburg, you will legally be responsible for the estate and the children until they come of age. No one else will be able to claim them from you."

"I ..." Leo started, needing a moment to process what the princess was proposing and what, it seemed, was coming directly from the king. It was a neat plan - a plan that would protect Esme from being forced into marriage to someone she might hate and would protect the children, both from being taken from him, and from anyone who might want to use them for some means of their own. "And what of Earl Rivers?" Leo asked, needing to know that particular danger would be taken care of.

"I am told we have proof of the earl's plans to cause harm to this family," Rolanda told him. "He will be taken when we return to Rift Fell, as will those of his conspiracy whose names we have. I intend to send word to the capital today of what has been found here, and to ensure we have an escort to meet us sooner rather than later."

Leo nodded. All of that was well and good, but he was not sure what Esme thought of this plan. The important thing, of course, was keeping her and the children safe. The prospect of marriage was not an unpleasant one for him. He could not deny he had feelings for her, but he did not want to trap her in a marriage she did not want. He looked to Esme to see what her reaction to all this was, more concerned for her feelings than his own. He had nothing to lose and everything to gain, but she might not feel the same.

"Esme?" he asked, as gently as he could, his hand finding its way back to rest against hers.

Esme had fallen silent beyond her initial reaction, turning over the details in her mind as Rolanda laid them out before them. It was a good scheme, and it certainly provided everything any of them might need when it came to protection and position, but ....She felt herself stiffen just a little as Leo's hand touched her back, more from shyness of her own reaction to that touch than from any dislike of it. She did like Leo, far more than she had thought she might; the prospect of marriage to him was not unpleasant, however unexpected it was. But was he amenable to it' She raised her eyes to his, searching his gaze.

"It ....it is a good plan," she said quietly. "But ....are you contented with it' Your business, the children ....I know it is not the marriage you might have wished for."

Her smile faltered as she thought of her father. "Matias ....he may be duke far sooner than any of us could have suspected," she warned Leo, trying to keep her voice level. She was not at home with letting anyone see her tears. "We should - we should prepare him for it."

Leo's smile faltered, not only because he could sense the grief and worry in her, but he was worried for the boy, as well. It was his blood-born right to become the next duke, but somehow, Leo had failed to see this from this coming. "I am not sure how to do that," he admitted, though he had been trying to give the children the best education his station could afford.

"Nor am I," she confessed uncomfortably. "A great many things are going to change, but ....I propose we ask Hilde to be their companion, not their nurse. It gives her greater freedom within the household, and puts her on a par with the housekeeper and the cook. I also propose we keep their current tutors, and add lessons in a year or so, when they are comfortable with their change in status. Matias may be duke in name, but he will not have to take up those duties until he comes of age. We will have plenty of time to ease him into it, and ....Well, I believe that you will be an excellent example for him to follow."

"Me?" Leo echoed in a dubious tone of voice. "I know nothing about being an earl and even less about being a duke," he told her. He did, however, know how to run a successful business, and maybe that would prove helpful. "It seems we have decided then," he said further, though they were not really being given a choice. "How do we tell the children?"

"You know how to run a business and a household," Esme reminded him gently. "I know how to run a large household, and most of how to run an estate. We will find a way, together." She squeezed his hands, glancing toward the window uncertainly. "I do not know how to tell them," she admitted. "You know them better than I do. Will they take it well?"

"It depends on how we present it to them, I think," he said, following her gaze to the window. "They adore you. They will be happy to have you for a ..." He trailed off. Dare he say mother" She was the closest thing they'd ever have to a mother, just as he was the closest thing they'd ever have to a father. "It is Matias who worries me most," he admitted, though the boy was still too young to understand what might be expected of him.

"We won't ever let him be used," she promised Leo, careful not to pass comment on even the suggestion that she might ever be a mother to her sister's children. A loved guardian was the most she dared to hope for. "He loves you, trusts you. And I know you won't allow him to be overwhelmed with whatever comes. He knows that, too."

"I don't know," Leo lamented with a frown. "I'm not his father. I've done my best, but ....I fear I can never replace Ernst." But then, he wasn't looking to replace his brother in the children's hearts or memories. He was only hoping to raise them with love and affection so they would know that even though their parents were gone, they would never be alone.

"Leo ....you shouldn't even think that," she told him quietly, her hand rising as though to touch his cheek, only to hesitate and fall away before she could make contact. "Neither of us can replace their parents, and nor should we try. But we can raise them in love, and remind them how much their parents loved them."

"And how much we love them," he added quietly, not quite realizing she'd been about to touch his cheek. "We can make this work, Esme. I know we can. We have to," he said, but was he trying to convince her or himself"

She nodded, understanding that odd sense of conflict he was trying to express. "The most important thing is that we stay a family," she said firmly. Her next words were difficult to say, but no less truthful. "That will be easier for us when ....when my father dies."

A brow flicked upwards at her statement, followed by a concerned frown. "We are not Ernst and Avila, Esme. Your father will have no choice but to accept us and to accept his grandchildren," he reminded her, perhaps misunderstanding what she meant.

"I don't mean ..." She sighed, looking down at their joined hands once again. "My father is not an easy man to live with," she told him quietly. "As much as he adored Avila, he blamed Ernst for her leaving. He wants to know his grandchildren, but I don't think he can be trusted to be respectful of their parents' memory."

"Hopefully, the children can win him over then," Leo replied, doubting the old man would want to cause the children any pain, whatever his feelings about their parents. "I'm afraid it is me he may take offense to," he admitted. After all, he was not of noble blood and he was the brother of the man who took the man's eldest daughter away from him.

"He can't," Esme said simply. She raised her eyes to his. "My father swore an oath to me that I would be allowed to choose my own husband, regardless of rank or situation, because he feared I would run away as Avila did. Well, I choose you. He knows better than to try and make an enemy of you."

But she wasn't really choosing him, was she" They were being forced into this marriage for the good of the children. It really had very little to do with any affection she might have for him, though he hoped he could make her happy. "You and I both know we are not being given a choice, but I do care for you, Esme, and given time, I think I could come to love you."

"There is always a choice," she told him. "Though it may seem we have no choice, no one can force this upon us. So yes, I do choose. And I hope that love will come for us, in time." An almost shy smile flickered on her face for a moment. "I care for you, too."

"Then, I choose you, too," he said, knowing he would never find another woman like her as long as he lived. He leaned close to brush a kiss against her forehead, chaste but affectionate. "Shall we break the news to the children?"

Esme blushed as he kissed her forehead, her shy smile warming at the unexpected but welcome affection. "I believe we should, yes," she agreed. "After all, it would seem that today is our wedding day."

That jolted him back to reality. He'd forgotten that Rolanda had said they should be married today. Well, there wasn't much choice but to tell the children then. Thankfully, he chuckled, mostly at himself and his own absentmindedness. He'd been so focused on the idea of getting married, he'd forgotten it was going to happen today. "So much for long engagements."

"We are apparently going to be a scandal at court," Esme agreed mildly, shaking her head with a smile as she turned toward the door. "Shall we?"

"Well, that should be interesting," he said, with the hint of a grin, as he looped arms with her to lead her toward the door.

She laughed softly, allowing him to lead the way with only minor steering on her part out of the manor and onto the wide stretch of grass that was the working lawn, away from the more cultivated gardens. That was where the children were playing with Hugo and Rolanda, Anna's piercing giggles reaching across the intervening space as she clapped her hands at the antics going on.