“Yes – yes of course. This is my younger daughter, Your Grace, Nerissa. And this is my son, Harry, who has just come down from Oxford University for the holidays.”
Nerissa curtseyed and the Duke held out his hand saying,
“I really must congratulate you and may I say in all honesty that I have never enjoyed a better dinner.”
Nerissa smiled.
Equally she was conscious of the firm grip of his hand and, as she looked into his eyes, she had the strong feeling, although she thought that she must be mistaken, that he was not being deceived.
Before she could really formulate what she was feeling the Duke was shaking hands with Harry.
“I am sure you are enjoying Oxford,” he said, “Which College are you at?”
“Magdalen, Your Grace.”
“Where I was myself,” the Duke said. “I don’t expect it has c
