"Of course it wasn't!" declared Marianne. "I only realised this week how much I loved Charlie!"
"But you and Charlie have been in love with each other since you were in the schoolroom," said Gordon.
Harry choked on a piece of toast, so Eustacia thumped him vigorously on the back.
"Gordon, I don't know where you've got this idea from, but I only realised how much I loved Marianne once she came to live with us this summer," said Charles as though talking to a very skittish young child.
"Nonsense," scoffed Gordon. "The two of you mooned about for her entire first Season until I agreed to go on Amherst's expedition just to get away from you both. It was sickening, I tell you!"
"But why didn't you say anything to them?" asked Hester, who looked as though she was about to burst out into laughter.
"I did," said Gordon with considerable exasperation. "I gave Marianne permission to contact Charlie whenever she wished. What else was I supposed to do, demand they marry before I leave for China?"
"It would have saved everyone a considerable degree of agitation, my boy," said Sir Joseph, wondering if he should try such a trick with Patience and John.
"So does this mean we have your blessing to wed?" Charlie asked Gordon.
"Not that we need it, because I reach my majority soon," added Marianne.
"If it means I don't have to put up with another Season of the two of you making eyes at each other, then you can marry this very afternoon for all I care," said Gordon. "I say, Harry, pass me some of that toast, will you? I've not had a chance to stop for breakfast yet, and I'm famished."
"Not until you tell us about this Orang Outang of yours," said Sir Joseph's youngest boy, a wicked gleam in his eye.
Sir Joseph made a mental note to speak with Phillips and ensure that no primates of any kind made their way to Putney Manor in the near future.
It wasn't worth the risk, after all.
God willing, he would soon have the grandchildren's safety to think of.
END.
The next book in the Putney Brother series, Everything But Love, will be out in the new year!
The following books are available now:
The Regency Romps Series
The Dashing Widow
The Foolish Friend
His Darling Belle
The Rebel Wife
A Novel Miss
The Alter Ego
The Independent Heiress
The Devilish Duke
The Putney Brothers
Anything But Love
For more information about Elizabeth Bramwell, please visit her website, or join her Facebook Group! Beth loves to post information on what she’s up to, new releases and any reader giveaways at these spots, so be sure to sign up to both.
Anything but Love (The Putney Brothers Book 1) Page 25