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Gareth opened his rand around in a remarkably steady horizontal arc “Don’t,” she warned, “ from you…’”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he demurred

“Of course you would,” she stated “You wouldn’t be randson if you wouldn’t” She turned to Hyacinth “Don’t you agree?”

To her credit, Hyacinth folded her hands in her lap and said, “Surely there is no right answer to that question”

“Sly

“I learn from the master”

Lady Danbury bea toward Gareth as if he were sorandson Couldn’t have asked for more”

Gareth watched with a that wasso

“Of course,” Grandmother Danbury added with a dismissive wave of her hand, “he hasn’t much in the way of competition The rest of the them”

Not thethat she had twelve living grandchildren

“I’ve heard so,” Gareth murmured, to no one in particular

“This being a Tuesday,” his grands you by?”

Gareth wrapped his fingers around the book in his pocket He’d been so intrigued by its existence since Caroline had handed it over that he had coranderton If he’d been thinking clearly, he would have waited until later in the afternoon, after she had departed

But noas here, and he had to give theranderton, and it would take months to dissuade her of the notion

“What is it, boy?” his grandmother asked, in her inimitable way “Speak up”