Chapter 13: The Children (C)

"Your papa is always away, isn't he?" I asked the girl in my arms. She was playing with my necklace, wanting to take the emerald out.

"Uh-huh, he likes working."

"As what? What is his work?"

"He's a Duke." My heart jolted. A Duke?

"He's not a Duke." One of the boys came out then and from his brown eyes and deep frown, I knew he was Alan. "Papa is not a Duke, he works for a Duke." Ah, I can see why Maya would confuse the two.

"That's better. I was worried for a moment there..."

"Why?" Alan snapped at me, cutting me off. "You don't want to marry a Duke? You want marry a sailor and travel the world?" But God! That child looked so angry if it was possible, his hard eyes would burn holes in mine.