Claire stopped walking and stared at the back of Tyrion. What could Tyrion possibly know about her family?
"With all due respect, Prince Tyrion. You do not have a place to speak on my relationship with my sister or anyone else in this family," said Claire.
"Oh, I don’t? At the door, you said I was family, but now it seems it’s changed. You must make up your mind," Tyrion said, turning around to face Claire.
"You are indeed family, but you have married into it. You wouldn’t find my husband speaking on matters of my family because he knows his place. I don’t have the right to speak about the Castros," Claire said, seeing it only fair that Tyrion stayed out of her family affairs.
"Two things can be true at once. The duke and duchess have always been more family than friends since I was a boy. Unfortunately, you don’t fall in that circle," Tyrion said, closing the space between him and Claire.
"Before you make a fool of yourself today, we should get something understood now. Whatever concerns my wife concerns me. So, when little people like you make her worry about mother, you get my attention. Do we understand?" Tyrion asked, leaning forward so Claire heard him.
"Don’t think that because she married a prince who left the palace, that you can’t be dealt with by me. I am not the duke to be merciful so long.. I’ll strike at the first sight of you troubling my wife."
Tyrion stepped away from Claire and looked over his shoulder. "Look at us being late. We must go."
Claire stood still as Tyrion walked off without her. She was shaken up to her core over his words.
’When did I ever do something to Penelope? To Alessandra?’ Claire wondered.
Claire tried to think of what she could have done for the prince to be upset with her.
"What did Melody say?" Claire asked herself out loud. "No," she shook her head. "Melody wouldn’t have gone that far."
Claire ran after Tyrion so she could hear what the reason for the visit was. If Edgar had heard of what happened when Melody gathered everyone, then Luke needed to fix it now so they wouldn’t be at odds with the duke.
Claire followed Tyrion into the dining room, where all the other men sat. Luke appeared pleased that he had so many powerful men in his home, but surely he had stopped and thought about why they were here.
"My sister Claire came to be with me for a moment, but she was just about to," Luke stopped talking after Claire frantically shook her head. "Serve us some drinks. Duke Edgar, what do you prefer to drink?"
"Nothing," Edgar answered. "I am cautious about who I drink from."
Luke laughed at Edgar’s response. "You say that like I would poison you."
"Some people have the silly idea that with me out of the way, they can target my wife. I cannot accept drinks from just anyone," Edgar replied, rejecting the offer again.
"Well, I am not anyone, Duke Edgar. You are married to my sister, and I am not a man who goes around with poison. I can firmly say that should anything happen to you, Alessandra would be well," Luke promised.
"She will be well. I would not let any harm befall my mother. I stand behind her with so much love that I would kill for her, no matter who it is. You can rest at ease that you don’t need to step in," Elijah said.
Claire looked at her brother, hoping he could read her mind to understand that there was danger.
Claire didn’t want to think it at first, but Melody must have said something to either Alessandra or Edgar. It was the only explanation for why the prince behaved as he did.
"The joys of having a son. They are so protective of their mothers and pick up where we leave off. It does bring me some relief that Alessandra would be cared for, but we mustn’t think of anything happening to the duke. You must live a long life," Luke said, raising his hand in the air for a toast.
Luke stood up from his chair to pour drinks so he could make a proper toast.
As Luke walked to where the glasses and bottles were, he glanced at Claire. She mouthed something, but Luke couldn’t make out what any of it was.
Luke knew that something was wrong for the duke, prince, and Elijah to come visit him when only Elijah visited when he was a boy. Edgar couldn’t be in the family spirit now.
Despite knowing that the men were here to cause trouble or to threaten him, Luke had to play it safe. Showing fear would only have Edgar think that he had done something wrong when he didn’t
Luke poured drinks for everyone and set them before each man when he was done.
Edgar ignored the drink poured for him. He wouldn’t drink from Luke even if his life depended on it.
"What do I have to owe for the pleasure of the three of you coming to see me?" Luke asked.
"The mines. Since you are so interested in what doesn’t belong to you, let us speak. While it is good that you see Melanie as your mother, you are not blood-related to the Cromwells. Tell me, how did you convince yourself that you can speak of the mines?" Edgar asked.
Luke took a sip of the wine he poured and leaned back on his chair. "I could ask you the same, Edgar. What right do you have to come here and question me about mines?"
"You’re too much of a coward to speak out about your interest in the mines, so you will use your mother and sister to speak out. I would rather go to the main source of the greed and come to you," Edgar answered.
"Source of greed? This is why we should have met more often, Duke Edgar. It is not greed, but rather, I am looking out for my younger sisters. I thought a man like you would understand wanting to have what you are owed," Luke said, knowing Edgar well.
"I do believe in it only when you are entitled to what you seek. I don’t have the patience for you to dance around the truth. You can be greedy all you want, but when you try to take what belongs to my wife, that is where we have an issue," Edgar said, taking a gun out of his coat to rest it on the table.