Twenty-Five

Marcus wore a permanent smile as he walked down the street toward Thorne Shipping. His wife fulfilled him beyond reason.

And he loved her completely.

As badly as he wanted to confess his feelings, he worried that she wasn’t ready to hear those three special words from Lord Lockwood yet. But the wait would drive him insane.

Several people greeted him, and he tipped his hat, giving them a nod. When his name was shouted from across the street, he turned and scanned the crowd, trying to find who tried to gain his attention. A portly older gentleman waved one hand while the other held a hat on his head. The man’s large belly and double chin jiggled with each