SEVENTY-ONE

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THE NEGOTIATIONS took place over a dinner that had gone cold while waiting for their return.

“Two weeks,” Lily told her mother.

“Two weeks! I cannot plan a wedding in two weeks.”

“You did for Violet and Ford,” Lily reminded her, and that was that.

Looking victorious, Lily turned to Rand’s father. “Now I would like to discuss our living arrangements.”

His gaze landed on the diamond pendant she wore. Though he’d granted Rand permission to give it to her, Rand still held his breath, waiting for a reaction.

At last the marquess nodded his approval, a small smile curving his lips. “I realize Randal’s chamber is small,” he told her. “Perhaps we can refurbish—”

“That would be nice, but I meant where we will live and when.”

The man picked up his fork, his smile becoming a slight frown. “You’ll live at Hawkridge, of course. Where did you think you would live?”

“Oxford, at least part of the year. Rand’s position there is important to him. His research—”

“Lily,” Rand started.

“He can research at home,” his father cut in. “He’ll be the marquess someday, which means he has responsibilities.”

She smiled sweetly. “Certainly he does—”

“Lily,” Rand interrupted.

“—but that doesn’t mean he must be at Hawkridge all the time. Many landowners have more than one estate, and a man cannot be two or three places at once. Why, Father visits Tremayne but once a year, and it thrives quite well without his constant presence.”

“Lily,” Rand tried to put in.

But she wasn’t finished. “Oxford has three terms a year of eight weeks each. Twenty-four weeks out of fifty-two. There are long breaks between those terms and the whole summer free…if Rand agrees to spend the remaining twenty-eight weeks at Hawkridge learning his responsibilities, surely you can survive without him during term times.”

“Lily—”

“Just until he’s needed at Hawkridge year-round,” she said by way of conclusion. “But given your excellent state of health, we’re both hoping that won’t be for a long, long time.”

She topped off her arguments with a sweet smile that the marquess apparently found bemusing, given he seemed to be frozen in place with his fork halfway to his mouth.

But Rand was not similarly charmed. “Lily,” he repeated and paused for a moment, expecting her to interrupt. When she didn’t, he sighed. “I truly want to sell my house so you’ll have the money for your animal home. It’s the least I can do after you so generously offered to save my family.”

Rose clapped. Lady Trentingham smiled.

Rand’s father came to life. “Animal home?”

“Lily’s lifelong dream,” the countess explained. “She’s rather fond of animals—”

“This isn’t news to me,” his father said with a smile that looked out of place on his face.

“And she had planned, upon coming into her inheritance, to build a home where strays could be sheltered and, if necessary, nursed to health.”

“With a staff,” Lily added. “But truly, my lord, I don’t mind investing in Hawkridge instead. It will be my children’s legacy, after all. And I especially don’t want Rand to sell his Oxford house. As proud as you are of building Hawkridge, he feels the same of his home. And—”

“Enough.” The marquess waved his fork. “You will talk my ear off, child. Randal shall keep his house, and if his responsibilities at Oxford can be fulfilled in twenty-four weeks a year, they may have him for that time. But I get him the rest,” he warned.

“Of course.”

His jaw set, Rand shook his head. “No. I said—”

“She shall have her animal home,” the marquess interrupted, “at Hawkridge. I have staff enough to spare, and if nothing else, it will ensure you two stay there on a regular basis. Now, if everyone’s concerns have been addressed to their satisfaction, I had better be off. Margery’s wedding day approaches, and although it surely won’t be the extravaganza the countess has in mind for yours, there are details to which I must attend.”

Half an hour later, Rand found himself dragged out of the house, drafted into helping his father, since, as Lady Trentingham pointed out, it wasn’t term time at Oxford.

No sooner was he riding away than Lily’s mother started a guest list.

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“WELL, DARLING,” Joseph said that night, “that was very cleanly done, although I suspect the poor lad might die of longing if there were such a disease. And I don’t expect our daughter was very happy, either.”

“Nonsense,” Chrystabel said as she climbed into bed. “They can survive two weeks.”

“Two weeks entirely apart? I’d like to see someone try to keep me from you for that space of time. That someone would not survive long.”

“They won’t be entirely apart. We’re all attending Margery’s wedding on Saturday.”

“Well then, we had better be especially vigilant that day, my pretty Chrysanthemum. They’re bound to try to sneak away.” Drawing her to him, Joseph kissed her soundly. “It’s what I would do in their situation, after all.”

Chrystabel knew he was right, but she put those concerns aside for now. Tonight she had no inclination to worry or plot. Tonight she could only thank God, from the bottom of her heart, that her daughter’s happiness was secured at last.