The following moonrise, Moon Estate was quiet as Emma finished breakfast with the pups. Plates were still on the table when the distant sound of vehicles reached the dining hall. She glanced toward the windows as several black SUVs rolled through the courtyard and came to a stop near the entrance.
A servant appeared a moment later and bowed. "Lord Ashley has arrived."
A faint smile crossed Emma's face. "Please show him in."
A few minutes later, Ashley entered the sitting chamber with two members of his security detail following at a respectful distance. His expression remained composed until his eyes landed on the pups.
Bryan immediately squealed from the carpet and scrambled to his feet. Lottie clapped her hands and hurried toward him, while Nina followed close behind. Emma and Emily exchanged smiles as Ashley opened his arms and bent down to catch the pups as they reached him.
"My, my," he said, laughing as they crowded around him. "An old man barely gets a chance to breathe."
