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“You’re only glad I’m back because you want to join the army,” Sebastian said, later, when he had eaten and drunk a bottle of wine, and was ensconced in his favorite chair The su ar s to let in the scents of the garden

“You know

“I thought yousquire of Worthorne I don’t want to take your place if you are content to keep it”

Marcus chuckled “No, brother, it doesn’t suit me at all I will relish the freedom of the army You know I’ve alanted to travel You can stay here at Worthorne and raise your heirs, and I’ll go off and have all the fun”

Sebastian smiled at his naïveté

“You’ve changed,” his brother said abruptly “You’ve grown gloomy”

“I have a lot on my mind”

“A woman, do you mean?”

Sebastian tried to frown, but wasn’t very successful

“What is she like? Co it’s been here for the last eight years”

Sebastian tried to iine Francesca’s face and for and thick, the sort of hair you can take in your hands and drown in A pretty face Very pretty A tip-tilted nose Brown eyes with long lashes, with a glea she’s Miss Proper Lips that were justThe top of her head comes to my chin, and she feels lovely and soft in my arms”

“And character, brother? Or is that less important than her kissable lips?”

“She says what she thinks, and she argues with me, and she’s not at all intih, too She makes me happy In fact, she’s a woman to spend a lifetime with If she’ll have me”

Marcus laughed, thinking he was joking “Why wouldn’t she have you!”

“Because she doesn’t trust me not to hurt her, and who can blame her for that?”