Max’s heart was thumping wildly again.
Aduke? He’d be expected to make nice with a duke and the local gentry? He, who’d spent his whole life being told he wasn’t good enough, was going to have to pretend to be good enough in front of aduke?
But beneath the trepidation, there was another thought:brothers. I have brothers.
Perhaps they wouldn’t accept him as readily as his father had, but Max hadbrothers.
Surely one or two of them would be men he’d like to know? Men who might like to knowhim.
He was going to a ball.
He was going to have a family.
Ahome.
Max took a deep breath and straightened, until he towered over his father, who beamed up at him.
“I’ll try to make you proud, sir.”
“All things considered, ye might want to consider calling meDa, the way yer brothers and sister do.”
It was everything Max hadn’t realized he’d wanted. He nodded, blinking away his tears.
“Thank you,Da.”
His father grinned again and reached for him. “Welcome to the family, Maxwell.”
