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"Oh, not tootoo kind to s have really been"

Getting a ic One had only to whisper the faintest praise in his ear, and he’d invent the rest He’d make himself out to be a hero, beset by villains and calamity

"Well," James said slowly "I didn’t want to make too much of it, but there have been soht so" Edward smiled

"I don’t have full control over the finances yet, and I can’t sit in Parliament That’s delayedfor a wife, I’d have been able to do better had there not been that cloud over the title"

Edward tsked in sympathy "How dreadful for you I hope you’re not too unhappy on that score?"

"It all turned out for the best," James said heartily "Annie had a decent portion, and she’s pretty enough She eases ether and doesn’t mind what I do in town I couldn’t ask for a better wife"

"Indeed What ed to sound sincere saying it

But the answer to his rhetorical question rose unbidden in his mind It was ridiculous to want Frederica Marshall It didn’t ht; it didn’t even ust her, either She was too intelligent to entangle herself with a h to want her anyway

He was already in over his head He didn’thiht have Frederica Marshall was the sweetest, ive into that

His brother burbled on--about his sons, his friends, about nothing in particular, helped on by a few judicious comments on Edward’s part After a full quarter hour, Ja the conversation

Ja s of brandy and finally looked at Edward, squinting "So," he said "What have you been doing with yourself all these years?"

"Running a metalworks in Toulouse," Edward said smoothly That much was true if James ever cared to look into the s Edward had done

But apparently, that was enough Ja it--you mean you own it, but…"

"A fancy metalworks," Edward smiled faintly "If it s for chapels That sort of thing And yes, I run it I’m involved in all aspects of it"

"You don’t actually estured futilely "You know The working With metal"

"Of course I do I’ve always been artistically minded, and metal is just another mediuht have found uncomfortable, questions like How did you co s of his brandy "No wonder you disappeared You told s that reflected poorly on your honor, but I’d never i is practically…manual labor" This was followed by another s of liquor, as if spirits were the only thing that couldtolerable