Free Realm 03 - A Touch of Cashemere by Regina Jeffers

thought. “No civilities!” she amended. “May we leave for Cheshire soon, Uncle Charles? I tire of these games.” She thought to prove something to Yardley. Prove to him she was not the spoiled girl he thought her to be. She was brave and mature. A woman worth choosing. She did not understand why she needed to prove anything to the cantankerous lord, but deep inside she recognized her weakness. “It is not as if I need Lord Yardley in my life!” she declared to her confused mind. “I have other options!”
    When they entered the warehouse, Cashé’s mouth gaped in surprise. Her sister and the duke embraced intimately, despite others about them. “Just as Uncle Samuel suspected,” she thought. Only when the baron cleared his throat did the couple cease the kiss, and even then Thornhill refused to release her sister from his embrace.
    Finally, their presence became evident to Velvet, but only a slight blush betrayed her sister’s “cozy” display. Yet, Velvet’s pure delight at seeing both of her sisters took precedence, and Cashé took comfort in their shared embrace.
    “Uncle!” Velvet squealed before rushing into Ashton’s welcoming arms. “How did you come to be here?” However, before the baron could answer, Velvet grabbed both Satiné and her in an encompassing hold. Their oldest sister alternated kissing both their cheeks. “I am so happy to see you. You have no idea what your presence means to me,” she whispered to them.
    The baron took possession of Velvet. “The earl brought Cashémere to Chesterfield Manor,” he explained to her, “and, of course, we had to assist the duke in your rescue.”
    Velvet appeared stunned by his statement. “To think that you came to support His Grace’s efforts.”
    “Your sisters did more than that, Velvet. Look at how they are dressed.” Baron Ashton gestured to the twins. “They distracted your kidnapper long enough for Fowler to stage your rescue. They were quite bold.”
    “My Goodness!” Her sister gasped in wide-eyed acknowledgment. “We could be triplets!”
    Cashé wrinkled her nose in disgust. Before she thought about her words, she said, “Except that you are so unkempt.”
    Satiné warned in a hiss. “Cashé!”
    While Fowler reclaimed Velvet, Cashé considered her twin’s reprimand. Her revulsion was as much for the situation as it was for Velvet’s unseemliness. Cashé found it all quite odd; Uncle Samuel and Aunt Alice had taught her that intimacy of any kind was purely for the procreation of children, never for pleasure. Yet, Velvet showed no regret for her actions, and Uncle Charles offered no censure. She did not understand how no one else found Velvet’s ruination repugnant. Why was she the only one who thought it so?
    The earl reappeared with a physician in tow, and everyone moved quickly to tend to Velvet, Fowler, and Hill. When the physician decided to transport his patients to his office, a clean up of the incident became the next phase. The viscount saw to the wounded, and Yardley reported the incident to the local authorities, as well as settling the damages with the shopkeeper.
    Ashton announced, “I will take the girls to Chesterfield Manor. I assume, Your Grace, that you will see my niece safely to Cheshire.”
    Fowler bowed in respect. “Velvet is under my protection, Your Lordship.”
    Cashé pulled at her uncle’s sleeve. “Do you think it best, Uncle, to permit Velvet to travel with Thornhill? Uncle Samuel would object; we need to consider Velvet’s reputation,” she whispered.
    “His Grace has shown his affection for your sister by his actions,” he assured her. “Fowler will protect Velvet with his title. The man is part of our family, can you not see that he loves your sister and will bring no shame on our name.”

    From the rooftops of the neighboring building Murhad Jamot watched as a middle-aged English gentleman–the one he had encountered in the blacksmith’s stables–leave the warehouse with a