"If keeping part of them with you makes you feel better—"
"No. It doesn't, not truly. It just keeps us from facing the truth." She drew a deep breath. "I've decided to empty their suite before Noah comes home in September. He was so young at the time—only fourteen—that it never occurred to us to move him into their rooms. It was too early for him to accept the responsibilities of an earl."
"You were only fifteen," Griffin pointed out.
"But I felt much older than Noah. It seemed natural for me to take over for him while he finished growing up. Now, though, he's twenty, and it's past time for him to come into his own. The master suite should rightfully be his. It's time to let go of the illusion. They're only things, anyway, yes? Not so significant."
She couldn't believe she was asking for his opinion, his approval. Griffin, of all people.
But something loosened in her chest when he gave her one of his gentle, lopsided smiles. "Yes, they're only things. You won't forget your parents, Rachael. You can keep some of their more special items…and regardless, they'll always live in your heart."
Damn if the tears weren't threatening again. "When did you get so wise?"
"Oh…" He pulled out a very old gold and sapphire pocket watch that she remembered had belonged to his father. "About two minutes ago."
He'd always been able to make her laugh.
Damn him.
SIXTEEN
"RACHAEL!" Alexandra and her sisters rushed across the drawing room to welcome their cousin.
"Whatever did you want with Griffin?" Juliana asked after they'd hugged.
"It's not important." Graceful as always, Rachael slid onto a sofa. "He's already solving the problem."
"We've been wondering when you'd return." Alexandra sat beside her. "How was the season?"
Rachael shrugged. "I'm still unmarried. Not for lack of offers, mind you," she added with a grin.
Sitting next to Juliana on the opposite sofa, Corinna frowned. "Were none of the men suitable?"
"Indeed, there were an earl and a baron among them. Worry not, dear, you'll find no shortage of adoring gentlemen when you head for London next year. It's only that none of them seemed right…for me."
All four of them released heartfelt sighs.
Juliana poured tea and handed Rachael a cup. "Is Noah getting frustrated?"
"Noah?" Rachael laughed. "If Noah had his way, I'd never marry at all. Who would run his household while he's out playing the rake? Not Claire or Elizabeth, I can assure you!" She turned to Alexandra. "Who will run your brother's household when you marry?"
"Juliana and Corinna." Alexandra looked to her sisters. "Mama trained us all in the housewifely arts."
Corinna paled; evidently she hadn't considered the ramifications of Alexandra marrying. "But we haven't the aptitude that you—"
"We shall do whatever's necessary," Juliana interrupted. "Besides, we won't have to concern ourselves if we find a wife for Griffin."
"As usual, Juliana knows what's best." Rachael's eyes danced with good humor. "If she wasn't here telling everyone what to do, the entire world would go to hell."
"Rachael." Juliana heaved an ever-suffering sigh. "It's not the thing for a lady to talk like that."
Rachael sipped, looking every inch the lady despite her language. "For all intents and purposes, I've been an earl for the past six years—with all the aggravations and frustrations thereof. I'm entitled to curse should I care to."
Juliana never allowed anyone the last word. "A potential husband may not think so."
"I'd have no respect for a man who couldn't look beyond a spot of unconventional language."
Alexandra hid a smile behind her own teacup. "Griffin wouldn't care about that."
"Pardon me?" Rachael's lovely sky-blue eyes widened. "Whatever compelled you to say such a thing?"
"Tris. Lord Hawkridge. He told us you and Griffin seemed quite taken with each other."
"Well, Tris—Lord Hawkridge—is wrong!" A telltale flush stained Rachael's cheeks. "Why, Griffin might as well be my brother. We grew up together."
Corinna passed her a plate of sweets. "You haven't seen each other for years, though, have you? I'd say you finished growing up apart."
"He's my cousin."
"There's nothing in the marriage laws to prohibit the union of cousins," Juliana said quite reasonably. "Cousins wed quite often."
"I would never marry a cousin."
The words were stated with such vehemence, Alexandra's teacup rattled as she set it back on her saucer. "Whyever not?"
"Do you remember my cousin Edmund?"
"The monster?" Corinna asked.
"Don't call him that!" Rachael closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and sighed. "Edmund was a very sweet child. He just…didn't look right."
"He didn't think right, either," Corinna said. "He couldn't even really talk. He only…"
"Grunted," Rachael finished for her. "Yes."
Alexandra poured more tea. "Edmund died when we were young."
"Yes. Yes, he did." Rachael moistened her lips. "Perhaps you never knew that he was my aunt's child. My mother took Edmund when her sister died. Aunt Alice's husband didn't want his son."
"How dreadful," Juliana said.
"Yes. Everything concerning Edmund was sad. Aunt Alice lost many children before having him, and the doctors told her that the miscarriages, and poor Edmund's condition, were most likely because her husband was also her cousin."
The sisters were silent a moment. "Her first cousin, I'd wager," Juliana finally said. "Griffin isn't nearly so close a relation."
"That doesn't signify." Rachael bit into a lemon cake and changed the subject. "What does your family cookbook claim these are supposed to do?"
"Cure melancholy," Corinna said. "But to look at Alexandra, they aren't working."
Rachael turned to Alexandra. "Are you melancholy, dear?" She seemed relieved to have the attention focused elsewhere. "According to the last letter I received from you in London, you were expecting to soon be engaged. Has Lord Shelton failed to propose?"
Juliana took a cake for herself. "He'd propose in an instant if she'd
