The Aristocrat

by Penelope Ward

“My father is a duke. The sixth Duke of Westfordshire,” he finally said. “It’s a title he inherited from his father, the fifth Duke. As the only child, I’ll inherit it from my father someday as well and become the seventh Duke of Westfordshire. Along with that title comes ownership and control of my family’s vast estate.” Wow. Okay. “You’re a royal?” “No. Not a royal. We’re more like landowning, rich pricks.”

There are times in life when we simply choose to jump into the fire, even if we know we’re going to get burned. We’ve all done it. And I’ll have you know, your mother is no stranger to that, either.”

“Sometimes…” she added. “Letting go of someone can be just as important a gesture of love as hanging on to them.”

He turned around in the front driveway a final time and said, “I will never find another you.” Then he got in his car. And he was gone.

the universal purpose of our entire existence is love.”

“I love you, Felicity Dunleavy. Even though I’ve written it to you and said it in so many roundabout ways, I’ve never told you to your face. And I’m so very sorry for that. I promise to make it up to you.”

connection between two people is no less valuable if cut short by circumstances.”

The purpose of life is to love with all of your heart and soul. No matter when the end of my days came, I would be able to say I’d done just that. My daughters would know their father loved them. And that would be my legacy.