Page 38 of Finch

opened a moment later, revealing the distinguished Mr. Grimbold Drake.

Finch did not often have the chance to see his employer’s father face to face. Every now and

then, when Hugh was otherwise occupied, Finch engaged in correspondence with the man,

but the written word in no way prepared a soul for the gravitas embodied by the most senior of

the Drakes.

Grimbold was, very much, a dignified personage. He was large of build and solemn in manner,

and he carried himself with all the importance of a dragon who knew he was the best of his

kind. Even Finch, with all his good breeding, found the man intimidating, and when Grimbold

looked his way with his impressively dark purple eyes, Finch bowed his head. It was only when

the weight of Grimbold’s gaze moved on that Finch looked up and saw that, to his surprise,

Grimbold was smiling.

Hugh not so much.

The younger dragon’s posture had gone rigid, his spine a little too straight and his shoulders

pinched. Despite his best efforts to keep emotion from his face, obvious emotional distress

tightened his lips. Finch yearned to rest a reassuring hand on the small of Hugh’s back, but

knew better. He was not Hugh’s mate—not even his partner—so the best he could do was

stand by as a silent source of support.

“I’ve come to offer my congratulations, Father,” Hugh said as bravely as he could after a tense

moment had passed. It was a commendable effort. Finch would have smiled had he not been

on duty. “I’ve heard from Everard that you’ve found a mate, and that you’re expecting your first

child together. I look forward to… to meeting my new brother or sister.”

“Thank you, child.” Grimbold squeezed his shoulder. “Much has changed in such a short time,

hasn’t it?”

Hugh’s bottom lip trembled, but only slightly. “Yes, it has.”

“Come,” Grimbold bade him. “Walter and I have been resting. We were in the middle of a story,

but it can be finished later. You’re here now, and that’s what’s important. I would very much

like for you to meet him.”

Finch checked on Hugh’s expression from the corner of his eye. His employer was putting on

a brave face, but Finch could see it was an act. Hugh was stricken. Finch understood his pain.

It hurt to see the ones you loved achieve what you wanted more than anything else in life, but

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