Chapter 393: Bad timing (2)
"You are all very lovely," Alessandra said, grateful her daughters were so understanding.
"Well, we are your children. We only cause trouble to make father’s hair grow white. When he returns home, we should care for him. It has been so long since we combed his hair or painted a portrait of him," said Lily.
"When have you ever combed our father’s hair? He has never allowed me to," Penelope said, thinking it wasn’t fair.
"I fear none of you won’t get the chance to put your hands near your father’s hair. He cherishes his hair more than you know, so you might face a punishment for every strand he loses," Alessandra said, thinking it best they leave the hair alone.
Alessandra stood up. "When your father, brother, and Tyrion return home, you must be kind to them. What they face now will have them both tired and feeling stressed. Now is not the time to bother them."
"We know, mother. I think we shouldn’t walk on eggshells around them since they would not like to see us being worried. We must try to act as we normally do while taking care of them," Penelope suggested.
"That is a swell idea. I wish I knew what time they would return so I might have a warm plate of food waiting for each of them. Come, I must speak with Gerald," Alessandra said, offering her hands for her daughters to hold.
Penelope waited so her sisters could each hold one of their mother’s hands and then stood.
This action was noticed by Alessandra.
"Should we cook for them?" Isabelle asked.
Alessandra let out a nervous laugh. "I don’t think we should. I have only ever succeeded with baking. We want them to be happy when they return home."
"We are lucky to be able to afford cooks, or our future husbands might not last. Mother, have you ever cooked for our father?" Lily asked, certain it couldn’t have gone well.
"I have, but he is so honest that my heart cannot take it. I only bake, but even then, your father would speak of me wasting flour. He is not fond of sweets, so I bake only for you four. Well, now five," Alessandra said, thinking of Tyrion.
"Tyrion is not fond of sweets," Penelope said, knowing her mother would spoil him.
"That cannot be true. I have seen him with many treats," Alessandra said, vividly recalling the times Tyrion would be scolded.
"Oh, mother. The foolish prince used to take them to Penelope. When father forbade the servants from giving us sweets, Penelope would take what Tyrion had. I have benefited from it," Lily said, thankful Tyrion was so in love.
Alessandra looked at Penelope, shocked by this news. "I don’t know whether to be shocked by how many sweets you ate in secret or to be surprised by how close you were with Tyrion in the past. All I ever heard was of you causing trouble for him."
"That was only when we played in the palace. We were well behaved other times at balls and other gatherings," said Penelope.
Lily leaned close to her mother to whisper, "It has always been quite apparent that those two liked each other. Well, that Tyrion fell first. Penelope had him smitten with her from the time they were children."
Penelope didn’t like seeing Lily enjoy herself at her expense. "Should we tell mother about the border?"
Lily almost choked because of Penelope’s question. "You!"
"You’d best be careful since I enjoy speaking of love stories as well," Penelope warned Lily.
Isabelle opened the door and found Gerald outside with his hand raised, ready to knock.
"Gerald, we were just coming to speak to you about dinner. Is my husband or son home?" Alessandra questioned, sensing Gerald came with news.
"No, duchess. A man from the court awaits you at the door. It is Mark Wilkerson again," Gerald passed on the message.
"That man again," Penelope muttered. "I don’t like that it is he who came to speak with you. Why now, when father is away?"
"I don’t like it as well, but I must know what he came for. What if it is about your father or the others? We cannot turn Mark away. I only hope what he brings is good news," Alessandra said, squeezing Lily’s hand.
Truthfully, Alessandra knew that Mark’s coming to the estate wasn’t good news since Edgar would never pass on a message to be sent by Mark.
Alessandra walked down to the front door, where Mark waited for her.
"Duchess, I apologise for disturbing your time with your daughters. I will not be long," Mark promised.
"I hope it is not news to ruin my day," said Alessandra.
"I wish I could say otherwise. Will your daughters stay?" Mark asked, thinking it would be best if they left.
"My daughters will stay unless it is awful news," Alessandra said, hoping it wasn’t so.
"I know what concerns you, and I assure you it doesn’t have anything to do with the matter of Quinn. It is about your family. Well, your half-brother and sister. It concerns your ownership of the mines. They are causing quite the stir in the court," Mark revealed.
Alessandra sighed, relieved that it wasn’t news about her husband or son, but she wasn’t happy to hear about the mines.
"My grandmother handled this matter for me. She left her share of the mine to me, and the Cromwells have never questioned it. They are my mother’s children, but it was my grandmother’s decision," said Alessandra.
For years, Melanie never spoke of being skipped in inheriting what once belonged to her, but now the mines were a concern?
"Your grandmother did well to ensure no one could take your part in the mines away from you, but other matters and accusations are coming up. It is my duty to bring it to your attention," Mark said, handing Alessandra a paper. "But it is most likely the court will ignore your siblings."
Under the king’s order, every man in the court was to focus on Quinn. Mark was only carrying out the small matters today since he would have no time for it in the coming days or even weeks.
"I have cut my family off from what is sent from the mines, so I am certain my brother will continue to show up at the court until he finds himself an audience. It is awful timing," Alessandra said, annoyed that her family wouldn’t stop.
"It is bad timing, but you must remember no one else knows what we face with Quinn Monroe. Your family might not know it is bad timing," Mark said, trying to keep the peace.
Alessandra smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "It doesn’t matter what they know. Their greed will not stop even if my life were to be in danger."