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The Manning’s flat in Wilton Crescent, Mayfair, was actually a very nice affair. It was comprised of three bedrooms, a large drawing room, a small dining room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. The furniture and the few paintings the Mannings had held onto were clearly some of their better pieces.
When Rafe walked into the drawing room with Ivo, his lordship was deep in a book and her ladyship sat petting a small dog on her lap which, the moment it saw Rafe, jumped down and began a high-pitched bark. When Rafe attempted to move closer to her ladyship, it lunged at his trouser turn-ups.
“Stop that, Pickwick. Stop it at once,” her ladyship ordered while the animal ignored her completely.
Ivo scooped the dog up against his chest and returned it to his mother’s lap. “Mr. Devonish has invi
