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“Yes, of course,” the countess said, slightly flustered, throwing her son a bemused frown “Please join us, Miss Markham”
“You must be chilled, please sit close to the fire,” said the viscountess with a slight s with e, Viscount Weatherton, and Primrose found her to be lovely
“Our Miss Markha walks even when the weather is dreadful, and you look positively frozen,” the viscountess said, waving her hand toward the chaise lounge closest to thefire
Though she wanted to flee to cooith its sodden hems and unlace her stiff corset, she e and lowered herself into its plush corateful to be a bit away fro in her heart and the joy burning through her fevered soul She struggled to keep the smile from her lips and the heat from her cheeks No doubt she appeared flushed, and the countess kept throwing her narrowed glances heavy with suspicion
Gabriel shifted on the sofa, the , but it was to keep her in his line of sight For he stared at Prier than was polite The drattedherself Deteraze to the s on the open lawns
Gabriel conversed with his fa all their questions of the places he’d been in the last year His voice was more vibrant and deeper, more confident than she remembered Soon she becahtly, so she could discreetly peek at him Gabriel was so incredibly lovely to look upon
Her gaze roved over hi in every detail Hiseven, and vastly appealing Pri orders Very different fro man who'd seemed to reside in his older brother’s shadow as the spare to the heir Gabriel had lost weight, his length more corded with muscles, and held a power to it which had been absent before His hair was longer, his cheekbones more pronounced…but his eyes, they were the saent, and self-assured She saw no darkness there, and she aled the charentleman she fell in love with
Taking a risk, she winked, and he smiled
The countess glanced around then leveled her gaze back on her son “I’ve sent word to Lady Caldwell and her daughter, Lady Beatrice, that you’ve returned”
“You have?” Gabriel said with mild surprise
“Yes I instructed Mabry to send a note”
And Primrose knew the butler had already responded to his mistress’s orders
“I’m certain Lady Caldill be happy to hear you are well She’s enquiredYou kno expectant your father and I are about an alliance with Earl Caldwell’s family”
There was a tense, almost expectant pause Prilance around White flakes dropped frorass in pristine white
“I’ve just returned Mother I only want to see my family and help with the preparations for Christmas,” he murmured