“I am tired of this perpetual interference, Aunt Cynthia,” the Duke said, and Georgette was relieved to note that he was no longer shouting.
“And I am tired of the need to perpetually interfere. But those children are my blood kin too, and I shall not stand by simply because you cannot bear to look upon them. Whatever it is which stops you opening your heart to Eleri and Ffion, there is nothing that they can do about it. They are but four years old and entirely helpless; you expect too much. They have lost their parents and their grandparents. They have lost their home, and they have even lost their own country, for goodness sake. And all you can think about, Hamilton, all that concerns you in the world, is your determination to eradicate every trace of their homeland from them. Tell me, once that is achieved, will you finally love them?” Despite her obvious fury, it was clear to Georgette that Lady Cynthia Lyndon was sobbing.
At that moment, Georgette felt terrible; she knew she ought not to be standing there listening and yet, at the very same time, she knew that she could not walk away and leave Lady Lyndon alone in such a disagreement. Of course, Georgette knew that she could not simply make her way into the drawing room and offer her support. In truth, were there to be any movement at all, she could not even remain where she was. But if nothing else, she could be a silent ally. An unknown eavesdropper in the hallway silently praying for strength and fortitude to be sent to that good woman.
“And now it is you who expects too much, Aunt Cynthia. You cannot know what it does to me to look upon their faces. I cannot see them without remembering Josephine as she was at that age.”
“I see it too, Hamilton, but it only makes me love them more, not despise them,” Lady Lyndon said, rather desperately.
“And then they open their mouths, and I hear him.”
“Their father, Hamilton. The father they loved dearly and lost as they lost their mother. What on earth do you imagine that Eleri and Ffion can do about any of this except to appease you and clip their own tongues?”
“I have decided upon this course of action for the girls, and I truly believe it is in their best interests to adopt a very different accent from the one they currently have. It cannot help them in society to speak as they do; can you not see that?”
“I do not see evidence of that, Hamilton. They are the nieces of a Duke for heaven sake. What other recommendation could two young ladies need when they are grown?”
“It is clear that you and I shall differ in opinion on this matter forevermore, Aunt Cynthia. I do not relish the idea of arguing with you, nor does it give me pleasure to see you so dreadfully upset. Quite the opposite is true, in fact, and I am sure that you know in your heart that I mean what I say. But I remain firm in my resolve, and I shall not be swayed.”
“But it is nothing to do with society and their acceptance of Eleri and Ffion. It is your own acceptance, or lack of, which is at the root of this. It pains you to hear what you think of as the father’s voice from the children’s mouths. That is something that nobody can help you with, Hamilton. But it is for you to come to terms with it. You are a grown man, and they are but children. It is not right for you to expect them to lose everything they are to simply satisfy your own sensitivities.”
“This matter is at a close, Aunt Cynthia,” the Duke said. He sounded defiant and yet, Georgette rather thought that she could hear a little concern in his voice.
She could not help sensing that the Duke, whatever her low feeling for him, was not keen to upset Lady Lyndon any further than he had done already. He cared for her at least, even if there was nothing else in the world to recommend him as a human being.
“It is not at a close for me, Hamilton. If I were to leave it now, then all of this would be in vain, would it not?”
“I do not see how it helps you, Aunt Cynthia, to simply continue with this argument and find yourself ever more upset by it. As I have already said, it gives me no pleasure to see you in all this state.”
“As upset as I am, Hamilton, I am a grown woman. I am not a child, and I am not helpless against you.”
“And what exactly do you mean by that?” Georgette looked all about her, determined that she should not be caught by any of the servants. Her heart quickened as she realized that the Duke was once again becoming agitated.
“I mean that I shall survive harsh words, even if they do make me cry. And I shall not give up on Eleri and Ffion. They are my great-nieces and Josephine’s children, and I love them as I loved her. I shall not stand by and see them made sad by yet more losses. They have endured enough. And I shall not stand by and see them chastised and belittled simply for being themselves. It is a disgrace, Hamilton, and the boy I once knew would have known that by instinct. What I cannot understand is why the man does not see it.”