The Blood Burns in My Veins by Megan Derr
Chapter Twenty
"It's necessary to have wished for death in order to know how good it is to live."
― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
The first thing Dante had done upon reaching Esposito lands was tear down the monstrosity of a castle that had served as the lord's manor for centuries. Never again was he going to be confined within cold, damp, dark stone walls.
Unfortunately, that meant they must let rooms in Elsinore, the city a short distance away, until the new manor was finished being built. Which wasn't all bad, not really, but he did look forward to having a home that was a bit removed from the general chaos of the city. If he'd wanted chaos, he'd have stayed in Verona.
More importantly, Reina, Haru, and Kumiko continued to have the time of their lives. Everything that was possible to do as they traveled, they had done. Dante had thought he was extravagant with his own spending, but he had nothing on three young women set loose upon the world for the first time in their lives.
It was a much better use of his money and time than revenge.
Since arriving in Elsinore, located at the southeast edge of Monte Cristo, they had taken the city by storm, charming and entrancing their way into the hearts of everyone. Well, save for those hearts they'd left utterly broken when they'd realized Haru and Kumiko were a couple and not related. Plenty of hearts for Reina to soothe and comfort, though, which she was enjoying immensely.
Dante had been approached more times than he could count about his intentions for his daughters, and whether he could be persuaded to alter them to the favor of one suitor or another, but his only plans were to let them live. To see the three of them thrive for as long as they lived.
Of all the ways he'd thought his quest for revenge would end, he'd never once imagined it would end with him madly in love with another Ishikawa and with a runaway principessa and nobila as his adopted daughters, and yet another Ishikawa as his sister-in-law, in practice if not officially. Who would have thought a bastardo like him would wind up a doting father?
He looked up as the door to his office opened without warning, something only four people in the household did: Haru, Reina, Kumiko, and Naoki. This time it was Naoki, dressed in a vibrant peacock blue jacket that stopped at his waist, baring the snug breeches he wore and giving Dante an absolutely delightful sight to gaze upon. He'd cut his hair to his chin not long after they'd reached the mainland and had never seemed happier than in the moment his hair was gone.
Well, except in the aftermath of all the times Dante had fucked him in front of an eager crowd.
"Get that gleam out of your eye," Naoki said with a laugh as he stepped further into the room, pointedly leaving the door open. "I didn't come here for a tryst, delightful as that sounds."
Dante pouted. "Then why have you come, tesoro mio?"
"I wanted your thoughts on something."
"Is this about the magia school you keep visiting?" Dante asked.
"How—" Naoki sighed. "Never mind. Why do I bother asking when I know very good and well I am bound to the nosiest, most interfering and overreaching bastardo in the empire." He crossed his arms in front of his chest and gave Dante a look. "Tell me what you've already done, then."
"I didn't really have to do much," Dante said. "You already had your new magia license from our stayover in Caderou, and your education from Verona was simple enough to tweak to match our other credentials. I anticipate you'll receive an invitation to be a guest lecturer before the end of the week, and I have every faith by year's end you'll be given permanent employment. It would suit you."
"You're lucky I like your interfering ways," Naoki replied, and dropped his arms before stepping around Dante's enormous desk to lean against it, right between Dante's legs. "What else have you been up to?"
"Only paperwork. Finances, mostly. Investments, savings, real estate, all the usual nonsense that keeps our family well-attended. Also mail." He nodded to the little pile of letters off to his left, Naoki's right. "Including an invitation from Forthwind and Brom to come for a weekend and see all the work they've done."
"Sounds delightful." Naoki's eyes gleamed as he winked. "Will be even more fun when the first batches of wine and cider are ready in a few more years."
Dante chuckled, running one hand along Naoki's thighs, lazily anticipating when he'd be spreading them wide later that night and sinking into his tight, welcoming heat.
"I already told you that's not happening, so get that gleam out of your eye," Naoki said with a laugh, though he made no move to remove Dante's hands. "You—" he stopped at the sound of a discreet cough.
Dante looked past him to where the butler, Busoni, waited patiently. "What is it?"
"Pardon, my lords, but you've an unexpected guest. She says she bears a 'package' that Lord Naoki requested some time ago."
"What? Where is she?"
"I've put her in the red parlor, my lord."
"Thank you." Busoni faded off, and Dante immediately rose, headed downstairs to the red parlor at the front of the house, Naoki on his heels.
Waiting for them was what he'd expected and not: a woman holding a child. Not Selinah, though. Dante had been sort of hoping his sister would come herself. To see if she was miserable. If she'd learned anything. She wasn't his problem anymore, though, so it was probably for the best she'd stayed true to form and sent someone else.
The woman who had come was of ambiguous origin, though her clothes were definitely continental, and her hair was cut shorter than any woman in Verona would be permitted. She had dark skin and hair and freckles across her nose and cheeks that drew the gaze to her sharp gold eyes. She smiled and rose as she saw them, and bowed as elegantly as a woman holding a child could. "Your lordships, I apologize for my abrupt arrival, but I thought you would prefer haste over propriety."
"You thought correctly," Dante replied. "You are…?"
"Valentine Morrel. I was hired by Lady Selinah Ferro as a wetnurse and general caretaker and ordered to locate you and deliver the child. I have all the requisite papers, though currently they are with my husband for safeguarding. His name is Maximillian."
Naoki had eyes only for the child. "Has the child been named?"
"No, my lord. Lady Selinah said she would leave all the, um, bothersome details to you."
Dante snorted softly. "That does sound like her. Thank you for traveling so far to execute this duty."
"It's been an honor, my lord. I am happy to have at last delivered this little darling to her real home. She is just now reaching fifteen months, and sleeping quite soundly at the moment because she wore herself out chasing bugs when we paused for an early lunch. Would you like to hold her?" she asked Naoki.
Naoki didn't reply, simply took the girl as she was held out and went to sit on the sofa across the room so he could cuddle her close. Dante didn't think he'd ever seen Naoki so happy and at peace.
"Sit, please," Dante said, motioning Valentine to one of the nearby plush red chairs. "Now your duty is done, do you have plans, Mistress Morrel?" When she hesitated, he said, "Please, I prefer frankness and honesty."
Smiling briefly, Valentine replied, "I was hoping your lordship would be willing to hire me on to continue caring for the child. I accepted this job hoping to settle wherever we ended up, as there is little for us back home. My husband is a musician by trade, so he can work anywhere, and has heard many great things about the arts here in Elsinore. I understand, of course, if you want to hire a different nursemaid…"
"Not at all. The child knows you, and a familiar face will be most welcome while she grows accustomed to her home. I would like to see your history and recommendations, of course, but only as a matter of form."
"Of course, my lord. I'll return to my husband once the child is settled and bring all the papers."
"Stay with the child. Have your husband brought. There is room aplenty here in the townhouse for you both. Currently we are residing here while our estate is being rebuilt, so we will be moving in another year or two into the country, about an hour's ride from the city. I'll ring for the housekeeper."
In short order, Dante had temporary arrangements for the child until the nursery could be fully prepared, rooms for Valentine and her husband, and servants sent out to purchase everything a child could possibly need or want. By the time everything began to calm down, Haru, Kumiko, and Reina returned home, setting off a whole new flurry as they discovered they were now aunts to an utterly adorable niece.
Dante made a swift and quiet retreat to his office, where he bid the staff bring his supper whenever it was ready.
He poured a glass of whisky and settled in his chair again, but there really wasn't anymore work to be done for the day. He was ruthless about keeping on top of it, and the girls took care of the day-to-day correspondence since the vast majority of it was for them anyway.
Well, since there was no more work to be done, he supposed he could try leisure. Sadly, his current study was woefully lacking. Despite his love of books, he had few of them, since elaborate plans of revenge made that sort of purchasing pointless. Now, though, he was a proper settled country gentleman, or near enough, so maybe he should start changing that.
His study walls were entirely bookshelves, minus a couple of spaces given to a writing desk and a bar. Only one shelf, though, contained any books, and that a mere half-dozen, along with a stack of pamphlets, programs, and other tokens from various plays, museums, and more as they traveled. Hmmm. Maybe having all of those bound in a book would be a good start. The girls would love it.
Dante started writing, jotting down ideas, cost estimates, things to research…
"What has you so enthralled in here? Writing a book?"
Dante looked up with a laugh. "Nobody wants to read a book written by me, even if I knew how to do such a thing. No, though I am planning a book of sorts."
"Oh?" Naoki asked. "Planning so intently you didn't even eat your dinner or notice that everyone but you has gone to bed?"
"Has it gotten so late?" Dante glanced at the clock above Naoki's head, where sure enough, it had grown quite late. "You should have come and rattled me from my cage sooner, tesoro mio. How is our daughter? Have you chosen a name?"
"I was thinking Haydée."
"I like it," Dante said with a smile. "She's going to be spoiled rotten, you know, between her doting fathers, her adoring aunts, and her completely ridiculous uncles."
Naoki moved around the desk to perch where he had earlier in the day, clinging lightly to Dante's shirtfront as he rose. "At least she will be loved."
"That she will, tesoro mio, that she will."
Fin