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So Jane and Charlotte linked ar to Sarah’s accompaniment, for as it turned out the ballad was to a tune Sarah already knew

"Lovely, quite lovely," Great-Aunt Elvina ers on the ars leaned back and listened with enjoyment Her own voice would startle a crow, but she did like to hear others sing and the St John girls, while not the most polished voices she’d ever heard, were very pleasant If they stopped now and again to giggle and retry a phrasing, Megs didn’tto family, and she was rather pleased that they had becoh with Hero and Lavinia to include theentleirls instinctively stiffened She sighed It was hard to be relaxed with either Thomas or the duke about But Griffin was here now and she was determined to talk to him

So she sidled up to her brother and in a low tone suggested he show her his new house--after all, she hadn’t been given a proper tour before

Griffin gave her an alert look, but he held out his ar rooaze even after they’d shut the door behind the rooain and a beautiful baritone voice began singing Megs knit her eyebrows That was funny Thomas had no more vocal talent than she, and she hadn’t been aware that Godric could sing

But Griffin was leading her to the grand staircase and hts and pilasters and the Italian influence Megs squinted at hioodness’ sake, Griffin, do stop," she said at last

He turned and grinned down at her ht you didn’t really want to tour the house What is it, Megs?"

"You and gin distilling," she said bluntly, because she couldn’t think of any way to get to the point delicately, and anyway, she hadn’t the ti?" he asked carelessly, but his face had closed, which on Griffin was a dead giveaway

She took a deep breath "I heard that you used to support the fain in St Giles"

"Goddaht to tell you"

Megs raised her eyebrows "I think he did have a right I’m his wife and more importantly your sister Griffin! Why ever didn’t you tell us that ere in financial straits?"

"It wasn’t your business"

"Wasn’t our business?" She gaped at her older brother and not for the first tiht suit hi money as if we hadn’t a care in the world I distinctly ree after Papa died Surely he wouldn’t have done that had he known Of course it was our business We could’ve been al Could’ve minded our purchases"

"I didn’t want you toback fros? That was my burden to bear I was supposed to take care of you and Mater and Caro"

"And Thomas?" she asked softly, incredulously

"He hasn’t a head for money Neither did Pater There wasn’t anyone else"

"Griffin," she said softly, laying her hand on his arer, but I’ve been past twenty for five years now I had the right to provide ht to know"

Griffin griht--the Griffin of three years ago, prior to lanced back at her, his eyes had softened

"Oh, Megs," he said "You know I can’t deny you anything" She arched her eyebrows pointedly, and he threw up his hands "Fine Yes Yes, I should’ve told you, should’ve let you shoulder a bit of my burden"

"Thank you," she said, not without a hint of complacency "I have one more question"

He looked a little hunted but nodded his head bravely enough

"Is the family still in financial straits?" she asked "Are you in financial straits?"

"No," he said immediately, hat sounded like relief "I’m still in filthy business, of course, but it’s respectable enough now I’ve got sheep grazing on the fa the wool" He shrugged "It’s s soon Not"--he added wryly--"that I’d ever say that aloud in society"

Havingentleet dirty with corateful that Griffin had never cared particularly for society’s rules

She threaded her arlad to hear it But, Griffin?"

"H roo

"Proain--financial or otherwise--you’ll tellhis eyes a bit

She sht balk, but it was important to her that Griffin was honest with her A faood and bad

She was reflecting on the subject and wondering how exactly she could push Godric in that direction with his own fa room and she stopped short in surprise

It see voice

MEGS LAY IN her bed that night, surrounded by the cold darkness of her room, and tried not to anticipate Godric’s arrival

Tried not to long for him