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"I don’ta reputation as an eccentric"

Jaive yourself a few months and you’ll come around" He crossed the roolass This he raised "You’ve a naes you We can waste tientleentles, then?" Edward asked

His brother still hadn’t seen Free She sat frozen in place, watching the two of thelass in hand, and punched his shoulder in what Edward guessed was entlemanly, brotherly fashion "You look positively arb, and we can’t have that So I’ll drag you back to town and introduce you to ht people You’ll have to ht ill open doors, no matter what your past In fact, I know just the woman, if you’ll trust me"

Ha

"You’ll make me an allowance that befits my station We’ll smile at one another in public That will tell everyone that no reed to play by the proper rules"

"I see," Edward said gravely The allowance, he suspected, was his brother’s prily "There are numerous flaith that plan, but one problem seems insurmountable"

James raised an eyebrow

"I’m already married"

His brother’s chin jerked up "That was one of the rumors from yesterday that I had hoped was not true Surely, what I heard arbled in some fashion Even you would not stoop so low as to marry--"

"Oh, I didn’t stoop to marry," Edward said "Rest assured on that count"

"Ah" James looked visibly pleased

"In fact, you can meet her yourself Turn around"

Jaht of her The change that came over his brother was absolutely electric He almost snarled, and he took two steps back

"This is a joke," he said "The rumors, her here… It’s a joke"

Free stood

"It’s not a joke," Edward told him

"Oh" James sed "My God, Edward This is bad Really bad Worse than anything I feared yesterday"

He hadn’t said a word in greeting to Free He’d not acknowledged her beyond that bulging of his eyes, and Edward felt his anger begin to come to a boil