you?”
Delmar managed a slight smile. “Just fine, Mr. Burke. Please come in. Miss Philipa is expecting you.” Adam stepped inside and Delmar closed the door. “I heard about your success in the Coleman trial, sir. May I be the first in this household to congratulate you?”
“Thank you.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Conrad are in the drawing room. I will take you there, then go upstairs and advise Miss Philipa that you are here.”
Adam followed the butler through the spacious foyer. WhenDelmar reached the drawing room door, he tapped on it and said, “It is Delmar. I have Miss Philipa’s fiancé.”
“Bring him in!” Philip Conrad said.
Candlelight cast a warm glow on the richly tapestried walls and the large paintings that decorated them. A faint hint of beeswax filled the air.
“Mr. Adam Burke,” Delmar announced.
Philip stood next to a lavish overstuffed loveseat where his wife, Millicent, was seated. “Do come in, Adam!” Philip said.
The thick carpet muted Adam’s footsteps as he moved toward the pair, who were both smiling at him.
Philip Conrad extended his hand. “Young man, it’s all over town! Millicent and I are so proud of you!”
“Thank you, sir. It means a lot that you would say that.”
“We most certainly are proud of you,” said Millicent as she offered Adam her hand. “Philip and I are happier than ever that our daughter is going to marry you.”
Adam took her dainty hand in his, bowed slightly, and said, “Thank you, ma’am. It means more than I can tell you to hear it. And may I say you look ravishing this evening.”
“Thank you, Adam.”
At that moment, Philipa swept into the room. “Adam, darling, what wonderful news! I’m so happy for Officer Coleman, and for you!”
Philipa rushed to him and gave him a brief embrace. Then she looked into his eyes and said, “Darling, I’m so proud of you. In the eyes of most Philadelphians, you stand ten feet tall!”
Adam smiled down at her, drinking in her beauty.
Philipa was a younger version of her mother, with the same high cheekbones, delicate ivory skin, and startling blue eyes. She wore a slipper satin gown that almost matched the color of her eyes.
“Adam,” Philip said, “I’d like to discuss the trial with you. From what I’ve read in the papers, you came up with some excellent tactics.” He clapped a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “I feel sure that oneday soon you’ll be made a partner in the Benson firm. Has anything been said to you along that line?”
“Well, sir, Brad and Eric said they expected it to happen, but Mr. Benson hasn’t said anything yet.”
Philip laughed. “If George Benson doesn’t make you a partner pretty soon, I just might make you an offer myself!”
“Well,” Philipa said, “we’d best be going.” She placed a hand on Adam’s sleeve and moved toward the door.
“Have a nice time, children,” Millicent said.
Philip and Millicent followed as far as the drawing room door and watched Adam and their daughter disappear into the warm twilight.
Adam drove the buggy to downtown Philadelphia, and Philipa held on to his arm and watched the lamplighters at work along the streets. Soon they pulled up in front of the Royal Crest Restaurant, and a uniformed attendant appeared and called Adam by name. Adam jumped down and hurried to the other side to help Philipa down. An attendant drove away to park the buggy.
Inside the restaurant, Adam and Philipa were met by the host, who smiled and said, “Good evening Miss Conrad, Mr. Burke. Tell me, Miss Conrad, how are your parents? I haven’t seen them for a while.”
“They’re fine, Royce. I’m sure they will be in sometime soon.”
When they reached the candlelit table, and Adam had seated Philipa, she said, “Royce must not read the papers or he would have congratulated you, I’m sure.”
The waiter came, gave them menus, and returned shortly thereafter to take their order.
Soon they were enjoying a delicious meal. From time to time,
Delmar managed a slight smile. “Just fine, Mr. Burke. Please come in. Miss Philipa is expecting you.” Adam stepped inside and Delmar closed the door. “I heard about your success in the Coleman trial, sir. May I be the first in this household to congratulate you?”
“Thank you.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Conrad are in the drawing room. I will take you there, then go upstairs and advise Miss Philipa that you are here.”
Adam followed the butler through the spacious foyer. WhenDelmar reached the drawing room door, he tapped on it and said, “It is Delmar. I have Miss Philipa’s fiancé.”
“Bring him in!” Philip Conrad said.
Candlelight cast a warm glow on the richly tapestried walls and the large paintings that decorated them. A faint hint of beeswax filled the air.
“Mr. Adam Burke,” Delmar announced.
Philip stood next to a lavish overstuffed loveseat where his wife, Millicent, was seated. “Do come in, Adam!” Philip said.
The thick carpet muted Adam’s footsteps as he moved toward the pair, who were both smiling at him.
Philip Conrad extended his hand. “Young man, it’s all over town! Millicent and I are so proud of you!”
“Thank you, sir. It means a lot that you would say that.”
“We most certainly are proud of you,” said Millicent as she offered Adam her hand. “Philip and I are happier than ever that our daughter is going to marry you.”
Adam took her dainty hand in his, bowed slightly, and said, “Thank you, ma’am. It means more than I can tell you to hear it. And may I say you look ravishing this evening.”
“Thank you, Adam.”
At that moment, Philipa swept into the room. “Adam, darling, what wonderful news! I’m so happy for Officer Coleman, and for you!”
Philipa rushed to him and gave him a brief embrace. Then she looked into his eyes and said, “Darling, I’m so proud of you. In the eyes of most Philadelphians, you stand ten feet tall!”
Adam smiled down at her, drinking in her beauty.
Philipa was a younger version of her mother, with the same high cheekbones, delicate ivory skin, and startling blue eyes. She wore a slipper satin gown that almost matched the color of her eyes.
“Adam,” Philip said, “I’d like to discuss the trial with you. From what I’ve read in the papers, you came up with some excellent tactics.” He clapped a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “I feel sure that oneday soon you’ll be made a partner in the Benson firm. Has anything been said to you along that line?”
“Well, sir, Brad and Eric said they expected it to happen, but Mr. Benson hasn’t said anything yet.”
Philip laughed. “If George Benson doesn’t make you a partner pretty soon, I just might make you an offer myself!”
“Well,” Philipa said, “we’d best be going.” She placed a hand on Adam’s sleeve and moved toward the door.
“Have a nice time, children,” Millicent said.
Philip and Millicent followed as far as the drawing room door and watched Adam and their daughter disappear into the warm twilight.
Adam drove the buggy to downtown Philadelphia, and Philipa held on to his arm and watched the lamplighters at work along the streets. Soon they pulled up in front of the Royal Crest Restaurant, and a uniformed attendant appeared and called Adam by name. Adam jumped down and hurried to the other side to help Philipa down. An attendant drove away to park the buggy.
Inside the restaurant, Adam and Philipa were met by the host, who smiled and said, “Good evening Miss Conrad, Mr. Burke. Tell me, Miss Conrad, how are your parents? I haven’t seen them for a while.”
“They’re fine, Royce. I’m sure they will be in sometime soon.”
When they reached the candlelit table, and Adam had seated Philipa, she said, “Royce must not read the papers or he would have congratulated you, I’m sure.”
The waiter came, gave them menus, and returned shortly thereafter to take their order.
Soon they were enjoying a delicious meal. From time to time,
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