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“There is no doubt E with me You need to reveal that you are alive It has been three rief anymore” Marcellus cleared the hoarseness from his voice

“You know I do not deliberately stay from her or Mother and Father Even now you risk your life to visit me”

He sighed “The fever has been broken for more than a week and has not returned”

“The doctors cannot assureto his feet unsteadily

Marcellus could feel his brother’s impatience, and Max was a man that rarely displayed such a disposition Max wobbled, and Marcellus forced himself to remain seated and watch as his brother reached for the cane, then leaned heavily on it

Marcellus pushed his fingers through his hair, restraining the need to aid Max Marcellus had used every resource available to him as the marquess and as a former spy in His Majesty’s Service to locate his brother He’d found Maxwell in an infirh scarred fro He had moved Max to their estate in York with the best of doctors seeing to him Marcellus had impressed upon the doctors and staff of Rosemead Park that Maxwell’s battle for life had to be kept secret Marcellus had not wanted to give his family false hope

In that first week, he had begun to understand the depth of the horror his brother had endured serving on the front line when Max ranted with fever It had not been enough that Max lay broken fro thousands, and his brother had not been spared He had nursed Max tirelessly, listening to his brother’s deliriu he could not endure telling her that Max needed her and then watch her lose hiain if Max did not make it

It had been a brutal three ht with the aid of doctors Marcellus knew E Max But Marcellus couldn’t have risked her so And even if he’d tried, Max would have found a way in his ill, ravaged body to gut hi her in harm’s way No, Marcellus had borne it and watched daily as his brother grew in strength

Marcellus had felt the ghosts of war and suffering reach their tentacles to Max last night The horror and pain had been too real without the deliriu the full effect Marcellus had known the pleasure he felt fro else But his brother was right: Marcellus had wanted to be in her just as much for himself

“I still need more time, Marcellus I cannot return to her broken, ill,” Max said

Marcellus tensed, rousing fro reports that you have conquered influenza It is time to let her know you are alive Her sobs and pleas as she cries for you are devastating”

Her anger and her pain hunored the fear that tightened his gut, but he could not disguise it from Max

“She is ours, Marcellus,” he growled “She will accept us”

Marcellus stared at his brother “I do not believe Emmeline has the capacity to accept both of us as her lovers She will turn from me the minute you make an appearance She willshe will choose me”

Maxwell li, detering ive it more time for her to fall for you?”