Page 80 of A Necessary Wife

“How selfless of you,” he drawled, feeling sick at the mere thought of betraying Amelia.

“Amelia has promised I was free to engage in affairs, too.” Expected him to grow tired of her one day. But after making love to her, Milo definitely couldn’t imagine another lady in his arms. “We have an honest marriage. Passionate and a friendship I value. The exact opposite of my first and what you think we could have. Why would I want anyone who offers less?”

Phillipa clucked her tongue. “She is not your equal.”

“No, she is my better half.” He stepped aside, putting distance between himself and Phillipa. “Do you even like my children?”

“What sort of question is that? Your son is your heir. Of course I like him.”

“And my daughter?”

“She’ll have as many servants and gowns as makes her happy. Nothing needs to change.” Phillipa walked away a few steps. “They’ll run after her, praise her, and keep her far away from us, just as your first wife always preferred. She’ll never know the difference. But of course, our own children will always be my favorite.”

Milo heard the hitch of a breath and glanced at the door in horror. Someone was out there. Perhaps his daughter. He moved to the door and opened it. Lucy stared at him with tears in her eyes, but this time they were genuine. At her feet was a posy of pretty flowers.

Milo reached for his daughter as Phillipa turned around.

But Lucy stepped out of his reach and further into the room, her gaze locked on Phillipa. “You said I would be your favorite,” she accused. “You promised.”

“Oh! O-of course you will be, darling,” Phillipa said too quickly, rushing toward Lucy.

But the damage was done. Lucy recoiled from the woman who had lied to her, and looked at her with the proper degree of distrust for her false smile and empty promises.

Milo moved toward Lucy and caught her hand. “Come away, my darling girl. There’s only false friends here.”

Lucy wiped away her own tears and picked up the fallen posy of flowers. “Take me somewhere nicer, Papa.”

“Milo, please stay and let me explain to the girl what I really meant,” Phillipa begged.

“I understood perfectly,” Lucy answered. “You’re the one who should be gossiped about meanly.”

Phillipa was despicable.

He drew his daughter from the room, watching her with so much pride but also concern. The Lucy of old would have thrown a tantrum and screamed by now. She suffered a grave disappointment and it struck him that her reaction was much like Amelia’s could have been. Chin held high as her faith in love and goodness were tested.

Amelia, like him, was afraid of love and disappointment. He did not want that for his daughter, too. “Are you all right?”

“Papa, she lied to me,” Lucy whispered when they were some distance from the nursery. “Why would she pretend to like me when she didn’t?”

There were some things Lucy was too young to understand yet and his heart hurt for her. “Some people are born like that. They scheme and pretend affection to smooth their way to what they want. But there is someone who wants to become your true friend, if you’d let her. Someone patient and kind, who never expects anything in return but honesty. She will never play tricks or speak lies about others or exclude you. Amelia married me just to look after you and Adam, you know. She adores children but never could have her own until she married me.”

Lucy frowned, and after a moment, she nodded slowly. She inspected her flowers with a sad expression and let her hand holding them drop to her side. Lucy had not behaved well toward her new mama and their friendship was a long way off.

Yet, Milo was not concerned. Amelia had a good heart, the patience of a saint, and desire to love their children. He reached for his daughter’s free hand and dragged her down the hall. “Shall we go and find your brother and then mama?”

Adam had stayed with the maid at the stairs, playing with a pair of toy soldiers. His tension eased when the boy asked if they were going to find mama.

“We are indeed,” Milo promised, ruffling his hair.

For the first time, Lucy smiled at the idea of finding Amelia. “Where did she go?”

“I don’t know but if we search long enough, I’m sure we’ll find her happy to see us,” he promised.

His children would know the love of both their parents one day soon.

And Amelia would learn the growing affection he felt for her, too.

CHAPTER NINETEEN