A princess on the run, Briar Aldrich has no choice but to take on the role of scullery maid when Lord Sterling Huntington stumbles upon her in the woods and doesn't recognize her. But how safe is she actually in his home? And how safe is her heart?
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The anger was back, gnawing at him, demanding to be released. And this time, it would. He stomped through the halls of the estate, making his way to his sister's room. Theodore had followed him. He was calling after him but Sterling was not listening to what he was saying. He had one objective in mind and one only. When he reached the door to his sister's room, he threw it open without knocking but she wasn't inside. He faintly heard Theodore telling him to calm down as he made his way to his study, the only room left unchecked. Cora was waiting for him there, sitting neatly on the edge of his desk and examining a trinket. He grabbed it from her hands and set it back onto the desk hard.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" he shouted at her. Theodore came to a screeching halt beside him, eyes wide and shocked at the tone in which he was speaking to their sister. He had never yelled at her before, had always been the gentleman. But she had crossed a line and he had had enough of her.
"Excuse me?" she asked, now angry herself.
"You dare threaten one of my servants?"
"You are a lord! You cannot be seen cavorting with a kitchen maid!"
"I am a lord. I'm the lord of this estate and its functions fall within my jurisdiction. You will make no threats to any of the men or women working or living under this roof, do you understand? You have no authority to do so!"
"You would have created a scandal! We don't need another man in this reputation with a seedy reputation. Theodore is bad enough!"
"Hey!" Theodore took offense from the corner of the room.
"Shut up!" Cora shouted back at him.
"First of all, I have never done anything to blemish my reputation! That girl was not in my room for the reason you suspect. She was helping me into bed after I had drank myself into a state! But did you ask me what she was doing there? No! Of course not! You assumed you knew best as you've always done! As you're doing now with the subject of my wife!"
"What is all the yelling about? I can hear you all the way from the parlor," the Duchess said as she entered but Sterling hardly heard her and it seemed Cora did not at all.
"Someone has to ensure this estate does not fall to Theodore or god forbid whatever inbred I marry!" Cora shouted in his face. "You are what is best for the people of Northbrook, you insufferable fool, and you need to secure your line!"
"I will!" he shouted back. "I will marry and have children and they will care for this damned estate for generations! But I will not be pushed into a marriage I do not want!"
Cora glared at him, hands on her hips, chest heaving with the measured breaths she was taking to keep from exploding again. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed.
"You are my sister," he told her, lowering his voice significantly and trying to appear calm. "And I love you. But you will cease telling me what I can and cannot do this instant."
