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‘Well, Lady Sinclair will be pleased to see Inky can recover her spirits She has been sulking since her return fros of mice in inappropriate places for quite some time Clearly she has missed you, Miss Sam’

Edge again locked his jaw against a coe to correct the butler It was not like him to care one way or the other about titles and Miss Sam sounded far better than Lady Edward She sounded like she belonged here

He, on the other hand

‘Is my uncle in London, Tubbs?’ Sam asked and Tubbs’s face underwent another transfor of all expression

‘I do not know Shall I make enquiries, Lady Edward?’

‘Yes, please’

Edge held his peace until Tubbs led the rooue with a sigh and cast her bonnet on to a low table It rolled on to the floor and Edge picked it up, s his nerves

‘Sam, we discussed the issue of your uncle’

‘I don’t think we could call your blank refusal to accept help a discussion’

‘And we certainly cannot call your refusal to listen to my objections a discussion’

‘True Therefore, it is safe to say we did not discuss this, but it is none the less the right course of action’

‘I as to do than’

‘Don’t be stuffy, Edge There is no one better equipped to help you than Oswald Please stop pacing and sit down’

He stopped pacing, but kept the length of the room between them

‘How ht well be involved in so I want is to have a representative of the govern him’

‘Osould never reveal a confidence and he would never hurt me’

‘Very touching You cannot guarantee that and, besides, it is not you he would be hurting but Rafe’