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paintings, long after he left this earth.
    But Colin had nothing. He managed the small property given to him by his family and he attended parties. He wouldnever dream of claiming he didn’t have fun, but sometimes he wanted something a little more than fun.
    He wanted a purpose.
    He wanted a legacy.
    He wanted, if not to know then at least to hope, that when he was gone, he’d be memorialized in some manner other than in Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers.
    He sighed. No wonder he spent so much time traveling.
    â€œColin?” his brother prompted.
    Colin turned to him and blinked. He was fairly certain Anthony had asked him a question, but somewhere in the meanderings of his mind, he’d forgotten what.
    â€œOh. Right.” Colin cleared his throat. “I’ll be here for the rest of the season, at least.”
    Anthony said nothing, but it was difficult to miss the satisfied expression on his face.
    â€œIf nothing else,” Colin added, affixing his legendary crooked grin on his face, “someone has to spoil your children. I don’t think Charlotte has nearly enough dolls.”
    â€œOnly fifty,” Anthony agreed in a deadpan voice. “The poor girl is horribly neglected.”
    â€œHer birthday is at the end of this month, is it not? I shall have to neglect her some more, I think.”
    â€œSpeaking of birthdays,” Anthony said, settling into the large chair behind his desk, “Mother’s is a week from Sunday.”
    â€œWhy do you think I hurried to return?”
    Anthony raised a brow, and Colin had the distinct impression that he was trying to decide if Colin had truly rushed home for their mother’s birthday, or if he was simply taking advantage of some very good timing.
    â€œWe’re holding a party for her,” Anthony said.
    â€œShe’s letting you?” It was Colin’s experience that women of a certain age did not enjoy birthday celebrations. And although his mother was still exceedingly lovely, she was definitely of a certain age.
    â€œWe were forced to resort to blackmail,” Anthony admitted. “She agreed to the party or we revealed her true age.”
    Colin shouldn’t have taken a sip of his brandy; he choked on it and just barely managed to avert spraying it all over his brother. “I should have liked to have seen that .”
    Anthony offered a rather satisfied smile. “It was a brilliant maneuver on my part.”
    Colin finished the rest of his drink. “What, do you think, are the chances she won’t use the party as an opportunity to find me a wife?”
    â€œVery small.”
    â€œI thought so.”
    Anthony leaned back in his chair. “You are thirty-three now, Colin…”
    Colin stared at him in disbelief. “God above, don’t you start on me.”
    â€œI wouldn’t dream of it. I was merely going to suggest that you keep your eyes open this season. You needn’t actively look for a wife, but there’s no harm in remaining at least amenable to the possibility.”
    Colin eyed the doorway, intending to pass through it very shortly. “I assure you I am not averse to the idea of marriage.”
    â€œI didn’t think you were,” Anthony demurred.
    â€œI see little reason to rush, however.”
    â€œThere’s never a reason to rush,” Anthony returned. “Well, rarely, anyway. Just humor Mother, will you?”
    Colin hadn’t realized he was still holding his empty glass until it slipped through his fingers and landed on the carpet with a loud thunk. “Good God,” he whispered, “is she ill?”
    â€œNo!” Anthony said, his surprise making his voice loud and forceful. “She’ll outlive us all, I’m sure of it.”
    â€œThen what is this about?”
    Anthony sighed. “I just want to see you happy.”
    â€œI am happy,” Colin insisted.
    â€œAre you?”
    â€œHell, I’m the