Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem

Chapter 53

Tarquin heard the clatter of voices approaching and planted himself firmly outside the hospital room, a living barrier to their advance. Not an inch closer to Elijah would they

come.

Allegra, Tarquin’s aunt, was clearly displeased, “Tarquin, the moment we heard Elijah was under the weather and admitted, we braved the snow to see him. A ‘thank you‘ is the least we’d expect. Now you are not thanking us but barring the door. What’s the meaning of this?”

Tarquin didn’t even grant her a glance, “Elijah isn’t pining for your company.”

“Nonsense! I’m your father’s sister and your aunt, and I’m related to him too! How dare you speak to me this way? Have you no regard for me or your own father?” Allegra scowled.

Tarquin raised his head at the mention of his father, “If it weren’t for my dad, do you you’d even be allowed to speak in my presence?”

think

“You… Listen to this, Dad. This is your darling grandson. Does he give a hoot about the Bradford family? He…”

“Enough! Zip it! This is a hospital, not some fish market. We’re supposed to keep the peace here. As the madam of Bradfords, you are yelling all the time and stooping low instead of acting high and mighty. That’s so inappropriate.” Gideon snapped back, silencing her.

“I…” Allegra was so taken aback by the retort that she started to cry.

calm down. Tarquin’s already on edge with Elijah being sick, and you’re fanning

dad.”

have

soothe the tension before turning to Tarquin. “Look, Tarquin, your aunt here

scoffed inwardly and lit

He’s got his guardian angels and the old family luck. He’ll

really?”

flicked ash from his cigarette, “Same as

specialists and

remarked, “It’s a malady of the heart, and

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20.07

that regular doctors

regular doctors can’t do the job, then what about the extraordinary ones? We cant just let this drag on indefinitely. Allegra grumbled. “We can’t keep going like this. Elijah is the sole male heir of our generation. He’s supposed to inherit the full weight of the Bradford legacy. But in this state, how can he take over the Bradford Group? Can we really hand over the reins to someone so frail? And besides, if he can’t even…

off by a sharp look from Gideon. Allegra’s lips moved, but

at her and extinguished his cigarette with force. Tired of the theatrics, he decided to get straight to

here out of