Page 83 (1/2)

“I’ll think on it, Martin”

He nodded, as if he was satisfied with that, but she noticed that he was s, too

There they were, both of the as if they’d won the lottery and neither of theh to admit it

“Where is Mr Thorne now?” Lil asked “Miss Francesca said he’s gone away Can’t say she was looking very happy about it”

“He’s gone home,” Martin said “But he’ll be back You wait and see”

The house had hardly changed Raenerations of his fainal Tudor manor Worthorne Manor

It was evening when he arrived, and he tethered his horse halfway down the driveway so he could walk to the front door He wanted to take his tiic to creep over hi reflected in the Tudor bricks and the sardens overfloith flowers The scent of roses drifted over hiht about Barbara

As a child she’d run through these gardens,her As twins, they did ed Sebastian went to school and Barbara stayed home

She was a beautiful child, and she grew into a beautiful woht Leon home to Worthorne with him They’d met in London and become friends Barbara and Leon fell in love

He still re, hopeful, to tell him that Leon wished to marry her He’d been overjoyed His friend and his sister to marry; it was surely meant to be And then she said:

“He can be a little jealous”

He was surprised Leon, jealous? Ihed and smoothed the cuffs of his brand-new coat “You , Barbara, then he will not feel jealous”

She smiled, but there was doubt in her eyes

He ignored it The wedding was arranged and his sister was suffering fro was perfect The truth was, everything wasn’t perfect He enty-two years old, self-centered, and unfaht and dark to be found in the world He couldn’t conceive of athe fro nerves

The wedding was held in the village church, with all their friends and faave her away, as her brother and the head of the family Their parents had died ten years before, and Sebastian had co t