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Chapter 46 – Two fathers, one divide.



Craven had returned at six making straight to his suite of rooms. He did not want to be disturbed and had informed Giles that none of his family should enter while he was bathing. Giles had nodded to his employer that he understood, and left to inform the duchess of her husband’s instructions.

Annandale, however, was a different matter. He had every intention of speaking to Craven whether the man was in a bath or not. Caring not for convention, he strode in the room.

Craven was sitting in the tub in his dressing room, being soaped by his valet. Noticing he had a visitor, he scowled at him.

“Why Thomas, welcome to my humble abode. I see you and your pup have made yourselves at home in my absence. Does it make a change to live in a mansion not falling about your ears?”

With a nod to the valet to leave them alone, Annandale watched the man leave as his temper rose against the man in the bath.

“Indeed it does, Henry. Your absence makes me feel so welcome in your pile.”

Sneering at Annandale, Craven continued to soap his body. He was still deliciously sore from his time with Catherine that afternoon and was impatient to return to her after the ball. She would need more punishment this night. He would take out his frustration at Annandale on her delectable tits when he returned. Chains might be part of his entertainment later as he had not used them in some time.

“Why do you wish to speak to me, Thomas? My dealings are mainly with your son.”

Annandale fought his temper with all his being. He was glad he had chosen to deal with Henry rather than let his son loose on this man. William would just punch the man without thinking and he did not want Henry walking Buffy down the aisle with a broken nose. Pulling up a chair in order to sit beside Craven as he washed, Annandale lowered his voice before he spoke.

“Joyce knows you have a mistress, Henry. Luckily for you she does not know who, but she does know where.” Before Craven could interrupt, he continued. “I remember the terms of your marriage with Joyce, Henry. Anne was one of Joyce’s closest friends before you drove them apart with your lies about how she wanted you. We both planned this marriage since Buffy was in the cradle and I will not let you put a stop to it now.”

Craven laughed as he stood upright. “Stop it, Thomas. I have no intention of stopping it.” As he wrapped himself in towels and walked through to his dressing room, he bid Annandale follow.

“William will be taking my little virago off my hands, Thomas. She has become a little bitch lately and I cannot wait to remove her from this house. The fact that your idiot of a son is willing to take on Dawn and Joyce as well, is but a bonus.” He towelled his hair vigorously as he spoke and did not see the look of fury in Annandale’s eyes before he controlled it.

“I made a promise to you and Anne long ago, Thomas, that Buffy and William would be wed. The fact that your son will become a Duke one day is another bonus. Buffy was born to be a duchess and I intend she become one.”

Craven sat on the chair by the fire in his room still swathed in towels. He looked contemptuously at Annandale before he continued.

“You seem to forget something, Thomas” Craven sneered his name. “Your son has gone into this marriage for fifty thousand pounds and ten thousand a year. I doubt he would even have noticed Buffy in a room full of men if he had not been so easily bought. After all, Drusilla can be highly inventive with the right persuasion.”

As Annandale made his way to Craven’s chair, the duke stood and stopped him.

“Don’t try and placate me with words like ‘love’ and ‘fidelity’ when it comes to your son, Thomas. We both know that no matter how large or small his dalliances, he always goes back to the Angelus whore. Good God, man, William does not even seem to realise that most of the ton have had her, several times too.”

Annandale had to concede defeat. One could not fight the truth. He, too, knew that many of the ton had been Drusilla’s lovers yet his son had denied it all saying that it could not be as he was with his dark princess almost every night. That was one mystery Annandale had never been able to solve. How could so many men pass through Drusilla’s bedroom, yet his son be totally unaware? One day he would know the answer, but right now his son’s happiness was at stake. The man in front of him could withdraw his support at any time and that would be disastrous for William and Buffy.

“Do you still plan to support them, Henry?”

Craven could not help but laugh sneeringly at Annandale.

“So we come down to the truth now, do we Thomas? All you care about is how much longer Craven money will support your son and my daughter.” Craven turned to ring for his valet before continuing. “As long as he keeps Joyce and Dawn out of my hair I will continue to support him. Hell, he can take Xander too once he finishes with Oxford. I have had more than enough of family life Thomas, you and your son are welcome to them.”

Annandale could not believe his ears. How could this man be so callous about his family?

“Do you care nothing for them at all, Henry? Your wife is probably dying and yet you send her away?”

The truth of Annandale’s regard for his wife dawned on the duke and he smiled maliciously.

“Taken a liking to her have you, Thomas? Well I have to warn you all she will do is lie there and let you pump. She has no imagination, and will not even have the energy to buck if what you say is true. Have her with my blessing, old man. You will not enjoy the ride.”

Annandale wanted to kill this man in front of him. He wanted to kill him so much that he knew he would have to leave his chamber before he did. Before he left, he felt he had to disabuse Craven of his opinion. If he did not, he knew this man would do everything in his power to hurt Joyce.

“I have no interest in you wife, Henry, other than that of a friend. I think she needs one just now. William has taken a shine to her and is looking forward to removing her to Annandale, and I cannot say I blame him. As a dear friend of Anne, Joyce will always be a dear friend of mine. Do not try and tar me with the same brush as yourself, Henry, it will not wash.”

As his valet entered the room to help the duke dress for the ball, Annandale continued his tirade.

“This marriage will take place in two weeks, Henry. Try to keep up the pretence you care until then.”

With that parting shot, Annandale left the room to return to his own.





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