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The earl folded the letter, placed it in his top pocket, and turned to face him “I did not expect you to travel down because of the weather I know you have little patience for house parties and the sort”
“We’ve always spent Christether”
His father, still a handsome man in his prime, smiled “We
do, ht you would have sent down some excuse to not attend”
Graham took another sip of his brandy “Your letter warrantedthe trip”
His father cast hilance “You are fahters?”
A vague iht brown eyes and a dimpled smile came into sharp focus Ah yes…he’d met a Miss Callie Middleton several h the woods, which abutted their estate Though she had been in a simple white day dress adorned with a yellow ribbon, her prettiness had stuck him He’d watched for several minutes, charmed by the animation of her features as she’d read her book Her face had expressed a unique reaction with each page she’d turned—a furrow of brows, irritation perhaps, then that biting of her bottom lip as if nervous, then that wide sasped, screamed a bit, and pressed the book to her chest, and the happiest of sighs had escaped her That oddity had amused and charmed Graham
The young lady had looked up then, and her eyes had ensnared him with their expressive beauty She had dipped into a curtsy; unaware he had watched her for near thirty esture and walked away When he’d glanced back, she had stood there, staring at him, her face one of surprised contee, but he hadhimself
“Are you referring to the ed viscountess?”
A flush worked itself over his father’s cheekbones, and he glanced into the fire “A most…pleasant, and amiable woman, if I’ve ever met one And kind with such considerate manners And so beautiful”
That bit resonated with such reverence, Grahaback chair “I see And it is her you are wondering if you should…make your new countess?”
His father sighed “I suppose you think I am a fool over love”
Graham winced The very words he had roared at his father a few years ago when the earl had planned to offer for another woled to understand how his father had consideredat least three different women in the last ten years It seemed a bit inconstant to Graham With each new lady love, the earl infor thee, and it see married
It had baffled Grahahter What use was e? Then he’d realized his father was lonely and wanted more than just the comfort of a mistress to warm his bed The shock of that awareness had left Graham restless for weeks, and he had tried to spend nored the pursuit of frivolities in Town He’d been at his father’s side for the last severalhi of Parliament He’d recently taken overhis father to live a more leisurely life and to be assured that when Graham inherited, all would be well
But he had still sensed his father’s dissatisfaction with life “I do not think you are a fool father…you are si that I want you to find