Page 16 of Kidnapping Cordelia

“That’s good,” she said with a sigh as Pip sat down and allowed her to scramble onto his lap. She was seven now, and no doubt some people would think her too old to treat so affectionately, but Pip did not care about that. She was the apple of his eye, and the little devil knew it too. “Papa, why are we going to town?”

She had not asked that question of him before and Pip hesitated. His father had always been honest with his children, preferring to give them the truth, even if that truth was difficult to hear, rather than placate them with an easy lie.

“I have things to do in town, sweetheart,” he replied carefully, which was true, but he knew he was prevaricating, hoping she might change the subject. He ought to have known better, for Tilly frowned up at him, sensing at once there was something he was not telling her.

“What things?” she demanded, a suspicious note to her voice that made him quail inwardly.

Damn it. He had not wished for her to know just yet of his real reasons for returning to society, but he could not keep it from her when it would impact her life as much as his own.

“Well, I have some business dealings that I need to attend to, people to see and… and…” Pip cleared his throat, wishing he could find a way of breaking the news gently but in the end, he’d best just get it over with. “It’s time I found a wife, Tilly.”

The silence that followed this pronouncement seemed to ring through the room and Pip held his breath.

“But you don’t need a wife, Papa,” she said earnestly, covering his hand with her own. “You have me.”

Pip’s throat constricted, and he swallowed hard. “I know that, little bird, and if I could leave things just as they are, I would, but it is my duty to provide an heir to inherit my title.”

“And I can’t inherit it because you didn’t marry my mother,” she replied, her tone thoughtful rather than accusatory.

“Darling, even if we had been married, you could not have inherited. Only a male heir can inherit the title.”

“That’s stupid,” she said indignantly, crossing her arms.

Pip choked back a laugh. “Well, yes, perhaps it is, but it’s the law, no matter how stupid it is, and your pops would be very upset if there was no heir to become Montagu in the future.”

“Pop wants you to get married?” she asked in a small voice, for she knew if her grandfather wanted something to happen, it would happen.

“Yes, sweetheart. He’s wanted me to marry for a very long time and has been rather cross with me for not doing so before now.”

“I see,” she said, and he could hear the anxiety in her voice.

Pip hugged her close and turned her head, so she looked directly at him. “You’re not losing something, you see, but gaining a mama. Won’t you like that?”

“No,” she said obstinately.

Pip sighed. He had been right to be worried about her reaction. “No matter what happens, and when or who I marry, nothing will change for you and I, darling. You know that, don’t you? You will always be my little bird, no matter what.”

Her gaze dropped to the floor, her bottom lip trembling ominously.

“Even if you have another daughter?”

“Of course,” Pip said, his heart aching for her. “I love you, Tilly. No little girl could be loved by her papa more than I love you. I would give you the moon and stars, you know this.”

Tilly swallowed hard, making a visible effort to control herself, before nodding. “Yes, Papa,” she said quietly.

Pip sighed with relief, glad to have had this chat with her after all. Though she was obviously troubled, he felt certain she would grow accustomed to the idea. In truth, it had gone better than he could have hoped, and it was a relief to him to know there would be no difficulty from Tilly if and when he finally chose his bride–to-be.

“Run along now and find Mrs Harris,” he told her, kissing her cheek and lifting her from his lap. “I must finish this letter and see it sent.”

“Yes, Papa,” she said obediently and dropped a very creditable curtsy before walking calmly from the room.

Regina Harris looked up as her small charge burst into her bedroom and threw herself down on the bed with a wail of fury.

“Whatever is the matter?” Regina asked, setting the mending she had been doing to one side and surging to her feet. The little girl smothered her face in her pillow, thankfully muffling what would have been a most horrific sound and pummelling the mattress with small fists. “Ottilie, you will stop this dreadful behaviour at once. You are a young lady, and this behaviour does you little credit.”

The girl stopped abruptly but when she looked up at Regina, her face was one of such utter misery that she could not scold her further. “Oh, love, what’s happened?” she asked, sitting down beside the little girl. “Has the earl decided we must not go after all?”

Much to Regina’s regret, Tilly shook her head, and that little ray of hope died a swift death.