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Marjorie was crossing the foyer to the kitchens when one of the footmen left the drawing room and hurried after her.
“Lady Dunley?”
“Yes, Landon?”
“There’s a visitor to see Miss Moore. The Duke of Galliston.”
Marjorie stopped. Galliston was here? Why on earth was he in Clovewood?
“Have you told my daughter?”
“I’m just about to go and find her.”
“Then look in the library first. If she’s not there, check the orangery.”
Isabel had been hiding herself in the library since she arrived, pouring over the huge amount of books stacked around her. She didn’t feel like she was doing something hovering over Daniel, so she had sneaked off to see if there were anything she could find that would help. Marjorie didn’t know if she could find something, but she was confident that Isabel could distract herself from the sickness going around.
This wasn’t much of a reunion with their home.
“I’ll go to him.” Marjorie turned towards the drawing room. “Once you find my daughter, send her through.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Galliston was standing by the window when Marjorie entered. He seemed to be looking at the sky. Marjorie paused, taking a moment to look the duke over. Isabel was incredibly lucky. Rich with a title and very handsome. Galliston had everything a woman could possibly want.
It would be a little odd having a son-in-law who was six years her junior, but Marjorie didn’t see too much of a problem. Whenever the two of them were alone, waiting for Isabel to join them, they could talk. Galliston was charming towards her, and his smiles were disarming. Marjorie found herself looking forward to calling him family.
It did worry her that she also found Galliston attractive. That was not right when her daughter was due to marry him. But she was a widow, not dead. She could appreciate a good-looking man. Especially one who seemed like a good fit for Isabel.
Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, Marjorie walked towards him. Galliston looked around as she reached him, freezing a moment before he bowed to her.
“Lady Dunley. Forgive me; I didn’t hear you.”
“Your Grace.”
Marjorie dropped a curtsy, wincing as her knees screamed at her. She had been sitting down for too long. Galliston gestured at the sky, which was looking a darker grey than when Marjorie had woken up that morning.
“Looks like a storm’s coming. I don’t like the look of those clouds.”
“It’s a good thing you’re not travelling in that,” Marjorie added. “The roads around here can get rather flooded, and we can be cut off from everyone.”
“It’s not that bad around here, is it?”
“Only if it’s a bad storm. It’s about the right time of year for it.” Marjorie found herself moving closer to him. “What are you doing here, Your Grace? I thought Isabel left a note about where we were going.”
“She did, but I was concerned at the sudden manner.” Galliston glanced at her. “She accepted my proposal, and then a few days later, she disappeared and headed out of London. What am I supposed to believe when that happens?”
Marjorie sighed.
“I must apologize for the sudden way we left, but we were genuinely asked to return here. The current Viscount Dunley needed our help while he was sick, so we’ve been making sure the estate is running smoothly.”
“Don’t you have an estate manager or something?”
“We do, but when you’ve been thrown out of your house for the last twenty years, would you pass up an opportunity to come back?”
Galliston tilted his head to one side.
“Point taken. But you could have come to me in person. I was left wondering if this engagement was actually going to stick.”
