Alaric expects that Lenore will receive a response from her family. However, he doesn't expect her to receive four letters from the Rowanharts—nor that one would be addressed to him. It seems that the report he received was correct regarding Lenore being taken away from her family by her uncle. In a way, that confirmation comes as a relief. She has parents and siblings who still care about her.
That hasn't always been the case for his wives in the past. Too many were sent to Barrowmere without a choice, their family appeasing the emperor by abandoning a daughter. When he thinks about it, he doesn't remember them receiving many letters from their families—if they received any at all.
Alaric receiving a letter from his in-laws is new. A swift slice with his letter opener has the folded papers in his hands in no time. It's written by the Viscount, as Alaric expected. To the Viscount's credit, his writing is neat, with no signs of anxiety or haste. However, some of what's written feels like it should be said to Lenore instead of him. Perhaps the Viscount was flustered by Lenore's letter, and that emotion spilled into the one he sent to Alaric.
It begins with a greeting followed by an apology. Edric Rowanhart explains the circumstances that led to Lenore living with Claude. This information isn't new, but it provides confirmation that the report his people put together while waiting for Lenore to arrive in Barrowmere was accurate.
As the younger brother with a title given to him by his older brother, Edric finds himself bound to the wishes of Claude, who wields the power of a duke with frightening precision to get what he wants. Unfortunately, Lenore caught Claude's attention—for reasons even Edric doesn't understand.
That, too, is information Alaric has yet to uncover. Unless there's a secret revolving around Lenore that Claude discovered when she was young, then the only explanations that make sense are that Claude wanted a back-up plan in case he ended up forced to agree to a political marriage and didn't want to send Alina away—which is what happened—or he wanted to keep Lenore close to control Edric.
Yet, neither possibility seems to answer all the questions related to the situation.
He continues reading. Edric admits that he can't go against the emperor, and that divorce isn't an option because of that, but he asks that Alaric send Lenore back to the Viscount's home if he doesn't plan on caring for her, and she'll be provided for. Perhaps he should've expected such a request, but it seems unusually bold, given what he knows about the Viscount and his inability to protect Lenore years ago.
Edric must be looking for a second chance or a way to atone for his failure. That, at least, Alaric understands. However, Alaric finds himself unwilling to so much as entertain the idea of sending Lenore back to her family. Her presence in the manor is light, bringing a long-lost balance to the heavy atmosphere that's set into his halls.
He looks at the carefully arranged knitted flowers in the vase on his desk. So many decades have passed, and not one wife took a look at the manor and decided that it needed flowers that can survive in a blighted land. It drags a smile onto his face. Such a unique woman—he wants to see what other changes she might bring to this manor.
With that in mind, he takes a blank piece of paper and starts penning his reply to Viscount Edric. If anybody else wrote the same message, it might be seen as cold or even insulting. However, Alaric is known as a man who's lived lifetimes, yet remains untouched by signs of physical age. He knows that the world sees him as weary, making him forthright and unwilling to waste his energy on unnecessary pleasantries.
As such, he points out in his letter that he—as a duke—has the ability to protect Lenore better than a viscount. Under his protection, she won't be forced to do anything she doesn't want to do, and he'll give her the freedom to pursue any topic or hobby that interests her. Barrowmere is distant enough that she doesn't need to be entangled in politics again if she doesn't want to.
However, he offers them an opportunity. After all, he doesn't want Lenore to feel isolated if there are connections she still wants to rebuild.
He's willing to take her to the capitol for the emperor's birthday banquet, an event that he attends only when he has to, and the Viscount can come meet her at that time if he so wishes. It'll be good for Lenore to experience the lively markets filling the capitol at that time—a way to offset the dreary environment of Barrowmere. Besides, it's just a temporary visit. He should take the time to check-in on the townhouse and its servants anyway.
Beyond that, he tells Edric that it's up to Lenore if she wants to meet them, visit them, or have them visit here in Barrowmere. Throughout the letter, one thing is clear. Alaric's duchess will make her own decisions.
As he folds the papers, tucks them into an envelope, and seals it with his wax stamp, Alaric finds himself pursing his lips together. There's an emotion in his chest that he can't identify. It's familiar, but he doesn't remember its name or meaning.
He's still pondering when Corwin enters the study, arms full with another stack of documents that need his attention. "Dinner will be ready shortly, are planning to eat here, Your Grace?"
"Will Lenore be in the dining room?"
Corwin appears taken aback by the question. "I believe so. It seems to be part of the Duchess' routine to eat in the dining room."
Alaric stands, stretching out his legs as they've grown stiff from sitting at his desk all day. He hands Corwin the letter addressed to Lenore's father, then adjusts his tunic to smooth out the wrinkles that formed throughout the day. "Then, I'll head to the dining room as well. Make sure that letter gets sent, and that the letters addressed to Lenore are put in her chambers."
"As you wish, Your Grace."
Walking through the halls, Alaric feels a touch of guilt towards Elyria as he looks forward to dinner with Lenore.