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felt emboldened to enquire after Lady Althea. 'Where is my mother, Grandfather? Did your reunion not go well?'
    'It went wonderfully. She forgave me and we embraced fondly.' He paused, his face concerned. 'Why she is so thin and poorly? I pray that she has not got the wasting sickness.'
    'No. It's that after Papa's death she was unable to cope with the grief and fell ill. I believe she is like you in that respect. Her appetite all but vanished and I sincerely believe that without the doses of laudanum to give her release from her pain she would not still be with us.'
    'She has grieved long enough. I know, I have wasted half my life doing the same. It is hoped the change of circumstances will start the healing process. She has retired to her rooms, the emotion of the occasion, plus the fatigue of the journey, have exhausted her.'
    'I'm sure that she will start to recover here. She has been much more like herself ever since she received your letter. It has been a difficult two years, Grandfather. I cannot tell you how glad I am to be here and to no longer have the responsibility of running Glebe House on my shoulders.'
    The Earl sat back and studied her critically. He did not like what he saw. 'Are you ailing, too, Emily? You are stick thin, almost as wasted as my poor Althea.'
    'No, Grandfather, I'm as well as I could be. I'm sure now that I am here, I shall soon recover.'
    'Are you telling me that your appearance is solely caused by lack of sustenance? That you have been unable to put enough food on the table?'
    Emily blushed; it was not something she was proud of. 'I made sure that Millie and Serena, and the staff, never went without, Grandfather.'
    'God dammit!' The Earl exploded, forgetting his manners in his anger. 'I shall never forgive myself for this, child. I promise I'll make it up to you. Never, never, will you want for anything again. My purse is deep and its contents are entirely at your disposal.  Whatever you require, it is yours.'
    'Do you mean that, grandfather? Anything at all?'
    'Yes, of course. I do not make idle promises. What do you want? Name it?'
    She sighed happily. 'I wish you to wave a magic wand so that I become so beautiful my obnoxious cousin falls under my spell and then I can turn him away with a broken heart. That is what I want.' She sat back, waiting for his laughter.
    'Then that is what you shall have. With the right garments and decent food inside you we will turn you into the most beautiful girl in Surrey. And if you break that jackanapes heart, it would do no more than serve him right.'
    'Please, grandfather, I was only funning. I didn't mean it.'
    'You did, my dear girl. I saw how he insulted you; you shall have your revenge. It's high time that young man was taught a lesson. He has had things his own way ever since he was in leading strings.'
    Emily giggled, her wild idea now seemed a possibility. 'I put myself in your knowledgeable hands, Grandfather. By the by, I do not really wish to be married at the moment. It was merely a ploy to gain some money for the family.'
    'Excellent! I do not wish to lose you yet, my dear. I feel we are going to be the best of friends. We are two of a kind; you remind me of myself at your age.'
    Neither of them mentioned that Sebastian was even more like his great-grandfather but they both thought it.
    * * * *
    Emily decided to dine in her sitting-room, with the girls, that night. As she had no other dress, changing for dinner was an impossibility. Her mother was too exhausted, after all the excitement, and had retired to bed. She had no desire to eat on her own with her grandfather. Although cordial relations were now established, Emily was still finding it difficult to reconcile the two sides of the Earl of Westerham, irascible tyrant one moment and benevolent old gentleman the next. It was small wonder, she thought, Viscount Yardley had turned out so pompous.
    Millie and Serena had gone off with Mary to explore their new home. They had already