Thorn, Son of a Duke: Regency Romance (The Dukes of Desire Book 3) by Sandra Masters

Author:Sandra Masters [Masters, Sandra]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Sertsam Publishing and Sandra Masters, Author
Published: 2020-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Thorn was ill prepared for the luxury of his suite of rooms. To his right was the bedroom with a large tapestried four-poster bed. A fire crackled in welcome. He walked in. The small parlour held an antique desk with all manner of writing supplies. Empty shelves were available for any of the books he might choose to read from the vast library they had passed on their way to his rooms. The rug was soft and deep, in a burgundy colour, which he liked.

As promised, a valet awaited him, and showed him through the bedroom to a large dressing room, where a huge copper tub filled with warm water awaited him. He was most grateful to strip off his travel worn clothes, and sink into the heavenly water. Twenty minutes later, cleaner than he had been for more than a month, and feeling vastly refreshed as a result, he stepped out, dried himself, and donned the clothes which the valet had set out for him.

Returning to the parlour he went to the window where the view was of the small well-manicured back gardens.

He stared out for a short time, then went to sit in a wing-backed chair, facing the fire. For a moment, he could have sworn that the flames resembled a lion’s face. Nonsense, he chided himself. It was easy to imagine whatever he wanted to conjure. There was a tap on the door. He rose to open it. The Duke stood there.

“Is everything to your satisfaction, Thorn?”

“Actually, it is hard for me to absorb such luxury. I wish that my mother could see this,” he said absently. Then he realised that the mention of her might be a sore subject for the family. “I apologise, sir.”

“Your mother’s name is not offensive to us, son.” He paused. “May I come in?”

“Yes, Father. I’ve forgotten my manners. Please do.” He closed the door and looked at the two chairs in front of the fireplace. “Would you care to sit?”

They walked toward the chairs and sat.

“Tell me about your mother’s last days. I know that you indicated that she’d been ill for a while.”

Thorn took a deep breath and exhaled.

“It was difficult to see someone so strong and beautiful become weakened. My mother was my everything, generous in her love. I learned to live without a father. It’s ironic that now I have a father, I must learn how to live without her.”

He searched his father’s eyes then related the story of her death in his arms. The Duke’s expression changed to one of profound sorrow. He crossed one boot over the other, displaying his tight muscular legs trapped by knitted cloth, and stiffened his back.

“If I had known about you sooner, I would have acted. I’m not an ogre. I deeply regret those lost years. There are words that never will be uttered in this house or in my presence. Bastard and baseborn come to mind. I will not tolerate such language.”

Thorn just sat a moment, and absorbed the words.

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