The Settling of Scores

Chapter 19

Warrick House the next morning

            Priscilla spent a restless night. She didn't know whether it was anticipation of the events to happen today or her first night in a bed that didn't sway from the movement of the ocean. Either way, she slept little and was up early.

            She thought over the questions she wanted answered by her father's solicitor. She imagined all the questions she could think of Lord Oliver thought of too, the man had a sharp intelligent mind.

            When the maid came to see about lighting the fire in the fireplace, Priscilla got up and dressed in one of her nicest day dresses. She wanted Solicitor Pottersfield to know she was no longer some poor little housekeeper. When she was sure she achieved the look she wanted, Priscilla made her way down to breakfast with the family and invited guests. They were eating in the large dinning room, according to Farnsworth, since so many would be joining them for breakfast.

            Jamie, his tutor, Mr. Armstrong and the Duke were already in the dinning room helping themselves to breakfast from the many dishes sitting on a sideboard. "Good morning, Priscilla," Jamie told her when she entered. "Mother will be down shortly. My sister is cutting a new tooth and she wanted Mother to come hold her."

            "Having three at one time as we did means three times the teeth cutting," Devlyn said. "I'm surprised I wasn't pressed into fatherly duty this morning with one of the boys."

            "I can imagine," Priscilla replied smiling at the thought of the Duke of Warrick walking the floor with one of his children.She'd leaned last night that both he and the duchess were very much hands on with the raising of their children and not left to others.

            "When all three were not feeling well a few months ago, Mother, Father and I were up late walking the nursery floors with them. They didn't want any of their nannies to hold them only the three of us would do," Jamie said smiling. "We've spoiled them Nanny Ferguson says."

            "I think it would be hard not to spoil them," Priscilla told him smiling. "They are three of the most adorable children I've ever seen."

            "Nanny Ferguson was Mother's nanny and she's tried to restrict our visits but Father raises his eyebrow at her and walks right on in and I usually follow his lead. Mother gets upset if we visit without her since she cannot seem to over rule Nanny's orders the way Father does."

            Devlyn chuckled. "You'd better not let your Mother hear that," he said smiling.

            "I already have," Amanda said sweeping into the room. "I had to obey Nanny Ferguson when I was young and I cannot seem to make myself go against her orders now that I'm older and a grown adult. Shouldn't Cheyenne and Tony be here by now?"

            "I was wondering the same thing," Devlyn told his wife. "Maybe Cheyenne is not feeling well this morning."

            "She's stopped having morning sickness a month or so ago," Amanda told him as she took a plate to fill with the delicious delectable's on the sideboard.

            Priscilla finished filling hers and just taken a seat when Farnsworth announced the Duke and Duchess of Wolverleigh. Priscilla had wondered what Cheyenne Baldwin would look like after meeting her cousin Ma'xehetane Collins. She was a stunning woman, Priscilla thought, as she entered the room on the arm of her handsome husband. Tall, black-haired with dark green eyes and her skin color fairer than Ma'xehetane's was but then Duchess of Wolverleigh was only one-quarter Cheyenne according to her cousin.