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“Sir,” Branwell said again, his back straight and un, every inch the soldier at attention

Wellington turned toward Bran He looked the boy up and down Shame rattled around Branwell like old seeds

“I am sorry, sir”

“For what, pray tell?”

“Foreracts of espionage Please don’th it was only a bit of a joke I should have said Sergeant”

Crashey coughed

The Duke said nothing for a long tirand city, and its last bea to be stared at by a creature frorave, even if he is also a postht of ti on his bones from all sides

“Leftenant Gravey, may I?” The Duke reached for the wooden man

Gravey glanced around nervously “Erm, certainly, sir I owe you my life, after all If you mean to have it back, that’s only fair”

But Wellington was not after Gravey’s life He was after his medals The Duke lifted a handful of them off the Leftenant’s chest, which only left several hundred to spare He turned to Anne and pinned a gold and blue ribboned one to her dress

“For kindness in the face of cruelty, and high acts of trickery,” Wellington said gravely

“For fearlessness in the face of the fearful, and thievery in the first degree,” he said, and pinned a silver and violet medal on Emily, next to the one she’d swiped froo The Duke turned to Charlotte He touched her cheek fondly with the bac

ks of his fingers Her lass for Glass Town

“For valor in the face of all hope lost, and the most beautiful lies I have ever heard, Lady Bell,” he said with a sad smile

“You’re very welcome,” Charlotte said shyly She couldn’t help it A last bit of banter slipped out “For avenging you and winning your war”