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There was a discreet knock at the door

“Colinting in the light as he turned his head

A footave a decisive nod toward the

The duke rose fro down at the street “Ah What perfect tilanced back at the footman “Proceed”

“Yes, Your Grace”

West was too consue In his life, he’d had h to leave peres in his soul But no man had ever spoken to hih-handed in a way that felt oddly reassuring Fatherly Adestion of cowardice had rankled, but West couldn’t deny that Kingston was right, it was fear He was afraid of too s

But the list was a bit shorter now Shaving had just been crossed off That proved so, didn’t it?

Kingston had gone to the partially open door He was speaking to someone on the other side of the threshold

A muffled female voice, just the tone of it, awakened West’s nerves like a handful of Lucifer matches all lit at once He stood so quickly, he nearly knocked the chair backward As hefast and hard, his ears straining

“brought the children,” she was saying “They’re downstairs with Nanny”

Kingston laughed quietly “Your mother will have a fit of temper when I tell her I had them all toaware of West’s approach, he stepped back and opened the door a bit wider

Phoebe

Joy filled West in a violent rush Thunderstruck by the force of his feelings, he could only stare at her In that moment, he knew that no matter what happened from then on, no matter what he had to do, he would never be able to leave her again

“Father sent for ,” Phoebe said breathlessly “I had to hurry to catch the train in time”

Clumsily West took a step back as she entered the room

“I’ve done my part,” the duke said “Now I suppose I’ll have to leave it to you two”

“Thank you, father,” Phoebe replied wryly “We’ll try to e without you”

Kingston left, closing the door behind him