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Eloise patted her hand “Oh, yes God knoe all loved Edward, rest his soul But he was never a planner, was he? Not one to look ahead and decide ill need doing, not one to apply himself to the basic questions of survival He was a beautiful charmer, that one”

“Yes”

“We’ll s And Rafael is verythem”

Genny longed to confide in Eloise, to tell her about Fiona’s drunken raht the old story about Rafe’s parentage was true

But she hardly kne to start such a difficult conversation Surely Eloise had heard the rumors, too Still, what if she hadn’t? It wasn’t the kind of thing the old woman even needed to know about Whatever the truth of his birth, Rafe was the earl of Hart around in the secrets of the past wouldn’t change that

Better to let it go

Or, if she just had to discuss it with soht to be with the man himself Maybe Someday

Eloise asked, “Shall we go, then?”

They got up and left the garden, taking the lake path back to the house

That evening at dinner, Brooke was downright pleasant She mentioned Geoffrey’s birthday, which was about a month away, on the first Saturday in July He would be home from school by then She’d decided to throw a birthday party for him

Eloise reminded Brooke that Geoffrey didn’t like a lot of fuss “But if we keep it small and simple”

“Of course,” Brooke said brightly “That’s exactly my plan”

Genny agreed that a party would be nice And she decided to take Brooke’s new attitude for a good sign that Rafe’s sister really was trying to get along, that things would be better between them from now on