all the time.”
“ You don’t think he realized do you?” Piper asked with wide eyes.
“ No, of course not. He saw what he wanted to see. A man.” He made haste to assure her. “Just be careful you don’t mention this to anyone or you’ll be ruined. And I’ll be dead!” He grinned looking at Piper out of the corner of his eye. “That was deuced fun though wasn’t it?”
Both laughed. Quickly getting into Chester’s carriage to head home.
……………… .…………….
Graydon smiled as he allowed the curtain to fall back into place from the parlor window.
CHAPTER NINE
I can’t believe it! Rockwell was at the literary club! I would have never guessed. My heart nearly burst out of my chest when I first glimpsed him. He actually wears spectacles! Almost like mine! I wanted to giggle all night long. I must admit, it is quite tiring being a man. They don’t giggle or squirm or anything.
He was more attractive then I remember. I’m doomed. I’m still infatuated with him. Even more so than I was last year. How very vexing.
The literary club was dull!!! I thought they would be talking about risqué books. Maybe the Kama Sutra that I’ve heard whispered about! They were talking about new farming methods. Why would he need to know about new farming methods? He seemed so interested in the topic…he actually seemed to be concentrating!
I cannot stop thinking of him. I’m more determined than ever. He was everything I remember from last season. So incredibly handsome. So big and tall. My heart fluttered uncontrollably all evening long. He made it very difficult for me to act as a gentleman.
Piper’s journal
5 July
“ WELL, WELL, WELL, I forgot to congratulate you earlier for the advantageous match you were able to procure for your sister,” Graydon threw jovially across the room as he strode purposefully over to where Ashford sat. “Grandson to a duke and now brother-in-law to a duke, you are without a doubt working diligently to stack the deck, my friend. What’s you next move, becoming the king?”
“ Shh…that could be considered treasonous talk, my friend.” Parker chuckled. “Rockwell you are just green with envy, join me?” Parker Peregrine, the Marquis of Ashford said with a grin as he lowered his paper. “Because you know no matter what you do, I will always be of higher rank.” He motioned for the footman. “Another glass, please.”
The footman inclined his head. “Right away, my lord.”
“ So another duchess in the family?” Graydon chuckled, settling himself in one of the deep leather chairs. “I may need your charmed assistance once my sisters come of age.”
“ Only the best will do for my sisters.” Parker grinned back. “I’m glad it was to Hawksley. It eases my mind to know the Poppy settled so well. I don’t have to wonder about her welfare any longer. Too bad you weren’t able to join us this summer,” Parker said with a raised brow. “We had a very interesting time.”
“ It all sounds positively nauseating, if I can believe half of what Seymour says.” Graydon leaned back, crossing his long muscular legs at the ankles. “You know that I had every intention of spending the summer at Rosebriar. I was actually looking forward to a low-key summer.” Graydon rolled his eyes. “Unfortunately, life had other plans for me. I had to coddle my mother and shelter my sisters from the ugly rumor mill.”
“ Believe me, I understand. Poppy asked Hawk about those old rumors over the summer. She’d heard a vague mention of me. I’ve yet to tell her anything,” Parker said with a sympathetic look in his eye before waiving his hand dismissively. “How is your mother doing now by the way?”
“ She practically had a stroke.” He took a long swallow from his tumbler. “She took to her bed for over a month milking it for all it was worth. My sisters are still young enough that they haven’t heard the entirety of
“ You don’t think he realized do you?” Piper asked with wide eyes.
“ No, of course not. He saw what he wanted to see. A man.” He made haste to assure her. “Just be careful you don’t mention this to anyone or you’ll be ruined. And I’ll be dead!” He grinned looking at Piper out of the corner of his eye. “That was deuced fun though wasn’t it?”
Both laughed. Quickly getting into Chester’s carriage to head home.
……………… .…………….
Graydon smiled as he allowed the curtain to fall back into place from the parlor window.
CHAPTER NINE
I can’t believe it! Rockwell was at the literary club! I would have never guessed. My heart nearly burst out of my chest when I first glimpsed him. He actually wears spectacles! Almost like mine! I wanted to giggle all night long. I must admit, it is quite tiring being a man. They don’t giggle or squirm or anything.
He was more attractive then I remember. I’m doomed. I’m still infatuated with him. Even more so than I was last year. How very vexing.
The literary club was dull!!! I thought they would be talking about risqué books. Maybe the Kama Sutra that I’ve heard whispered about! They were talking about new farming methods. Why would he need to know about new farming methods? He seemed so interested in the topic…he actually seemed to be concentrating!
I cannot stop thinking of him. I’m more determined than ever. He was everything I remember from last season. So incredibly handsome. So big and tall. My heart fluttered uncontrollably all evening long. He made it very difficult for me to act as a gentleman.
Piper’s journal
5 July
“ WELL, WELL, WELL, I forgot to congratulate you earlier for the advantageous match you were able to procure for your sister,” Graydon threw jovially across the room as he strode purposefully over to where Ashford sat. “Grandson to a duke and now brother-in-law to a duke, you are without a doubt working diligently to stack the deck, my friend. What’s you next move, becoming the king?”
“ Shh…that could be considered treasonous talk, my friend.” Parker chuckled. “Rockwell you are just green with envy, join me?” Parker Peregrine, the Marquis of Ashford said with a grin as he lowered his paper. “Because you know no matter what you do, I will always be of higher rank.” He motioned for the footman. “Another glass, please.”
The footman inclined his head. “Right away, my lord.”
“ So another duchess in the family?” Graydon chuckled, settling himself in one of the deep leather chairs. “I may need your charmed assistance once my sisters come of age.”
“ Only the best will do for my sisters.” Parker grinned back. “I’m glad it was to Hawksley. It eases my mind to know the Poppy settled so well. I don’t have to wonder about her welfare any longer. Too bad you weren’t able to join us this summer,” Parker said with a raised brow. “We had a very interesting time.”
“ It all sounds positively nauseating, if I can believe half of what Seymour says.” Graydon leaned back, crossing his long muscular legs at the ankles. “You know that I had every intention of spending the summer at Rosebriar. I was actually looking forward to a low-key summer.” Graydon rolled his eyes. “Unfortunately, life had other plans for me. I had to coddle my mother and shelter my sisters from the ugly rumor mill.”
“ Believe me, I understand. Poppy asked Hawk about those old rumors over the summer. She’d heard a vague mention of me. I’ve yet to tell her anything,” Parker said with a sympathetic look in his eye before waiving his hand dismissively. “How is your mother doing now by the way?”
“ She practically had a stroke.” He took a long swallow from his tumbler. “She took to her bed for over a month milking it for all it was worth. My sisters are still young enough that they haven’t heard the entirety of
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