“But I’m not his real―”
“None of that,” Juliet told her sternly. “As far as he or she is concerned, you’re their mother.”
They sat together on the sofa across from Caroline.
“Was it hard for you?”
“What?”
“Becoming attached to Drake’s girls,” Emma said as if Juliet were a simpleton.
Juliet cocked her head to the side. She’d never really thought of how her relationship with Drake’s girls came to be. It’d just happened. “No, Emma. It wasn’t hard at all to grow so attached to Drake’s girls. I know I’m not their mother in a biological sense, and they know it, too, but that doesn’t affect our relationship one way or the other.”
“What do you mean by one way or the other?”
Juliet smiled. “Well, just because I’m not their mother biologically doesn’t keep me from acting as if I am when it comes to things they’ll love me for, such as spoiling them with treats from the kitchen on Friday afternoons. But it also doesn’t stop me from disciplining them when they’ve been naughty―”
“Drake’s girls, naughty?” Caroline burst out, easing the tension in the room. “Well, I never.”
Juliet and Emma both grinned. “You’d be surprised just how naughty those little darlings can be,” Emma said with a chuckle.
“I’m sure you were able to witness them at their finest during your week as their governess, weren’t you?” Juliet asked, recalling all the naughty little things she’d caught them doing to avoid finishing their lessons.
“Though you acted as their governess far longer than I did, I have a suspicion I witnessed far more dastardly deeds than you did.”
“I just bet you did,” Juliet agreed. “At least I was able to get them to get some work done. The way I heard it, they somehow managed to get you to write their letters for them, then they got to pierce your eardrums playing horrible music.”
Emma shook her head. “That was exactly how our days went. But I heard you were quite the taskmaster, Juliet. Marcus and I were nearly astonished when Celia sent us a perfectly scrolled note of thanks after we sent her those books for her birthday.”
“Just so,” Juliet said, unable to stop the pride she felt on her stepdaughter’s behalf from showing. “But that’s just it, Emma. Though I was acting as their governess, I was still also acting as their mother, and I didn’t let my fear of what they may do or what their father may say, deter me from being as stern as I needed to be with them.”
Caroline snorted. “Juliet, dearest, I have a hard time picturing you being afraid of anyone, especially those three little girls.”
“Oh, they’re something to fear.” Emma’s stern voice and wide eyes gave Juliet pause. They might have a few bad habits, but they weren’t rotten. “Someone told me that Mrs. Jenkins was concerned about Kate’s unusual closeness with her pillow after she’d unsuccessfully tried to smother Mrs. Jenkins with it while she was sleeping.”
“Kate?” Caroline squeaked.
Emma nodded. “Kate.”
“I hope you didn’t believe that,” Juliet said.
“Every word.” Emma’s green eyes held a telling gleam.
“No, you didn’t. Only a fool would believe that, and I don’t take you for a fool.” A burble of laughter built up in Juliet’s throat. “That someone who told you that was Drake, wasn’t it?”
Emma’s lips twitched. “How did you know?”
Juliet rolled her eyes and fell back against the settee. “I may not have known my husband as long as you two have, but I do know his awful attempt at a jest when I hear it. That has Drake’s humor stamped all over it.”
“Don’t worry, Caroline,” Emma said. “At the time he said it, I didn’t realize it was a jest, either. Marcus had to tell me.”
Caroline smiled. “That was the worst jest I’ve ever heard. But see, it just goes to prove my point, those three little girls are nothing to be afraid of.”
Juliet almost replied, but Emma stole the words straight from her mouth. “Caroline, you have no idea what those little girls are capable of. I’ll spare you the details so Edward can demonstrate for you just what children are capable of when you manage to make a temporary enemy of them.”
Caroline still didn’t look convinced as she leaned back and carelessly played with the fingertips of her glove.
“Emma?” Juliet asked a moment later when the room had grown quiet again. “Is there another reason you’re afraid to welcome this baby as yours?”