Page 181 of The Wallflower Takes All

Lady Viva blinked. “A house of my own?”

“If you wish.”

“With a salon?”

“I should hope so.”

“And a guest room?”

“One guest room,” Gabriel said.

Lady Viva’s expression turned tragic. “One?”

“Perhaps two.”

“Affection cannot be defined so narrowly,” Lady Viva informed him.

“Affection, perhaps not. Guest rooms can.”

Poppy gave Gabriel a small, knowing smile. “You will need all your legal skills to convince her.”

Gabriel shook his head. “I have begun to understand that.”

Algernon cleared his throat, and everyone turned. He had retrieved his snuffbox and was attempting to regain the authority of a viscount in the presence of a duke. The effort was not going well. “I suppose,” he said, “this alters certain arrangements.”

Gabriel’s expression settled into calm authority. “It doesn’t alter your legal rights, Lord Montague. You still may claim this house and Brambleberry Court.”

Algernon straightened slightly. “Yes, but…perhaps I should allow my dear aunt and darling cousin to stay with me…until after the wedding.”

Ah, so now Mama was a “dear aunt” and she a “darling cousin”? Poppy shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. We can stay at a hotel.”

“In a suite, no less,” Mama added with a beatific smile.

“But Lady Montague’s personal belongings will still be removed according to a reasonable timetable,” Gabriel continued. “The late viscount’s portrait and effects will be treated with respect. And nothing belonging to either lady will be detained on the assumption it forms part of the estate unless proper proof exists.”

Algernon opened his mouth.

Gabriel waited.

Algernon shut it. “That seems reasonable,” he said at last.

Lady Viva leaned toward Poppy. “His waistcoat has lost confidence,” she whispered.

Poppy pressed her lips together.

Jenkins stepped forward. “Shall I redirect the larger trunks to the Grosvenor Square residence, Your Grace?”

Gabriel glanced at Poppy, leaving the answer where it belonged, entirely with her.

Poppy nodded.

“Yes,” Gabriel said. “Please do.”

“Very good, Your Grace.”

Freddie chose that moment to dart beneath the hall table and emerge with a tassel in his mouth.

“My first ducal crisis,” Gabriel said.