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A short while later, Baron deStoeckl found her once ne, and he smiled broadly, his whole manner amiable, his eyes shrewd As usual, he addressed her in French "How are you faring, Mada care not to appear too interested in hi she could make a match of us"

Baron deStoeckl chuckled "And did you tell her of my promised bride at home?"

"Yes," said Madelaine "I think she wasbeside her, content to say little as they went Finally, as he reached the foot of the garden, he remarked, "I hope you will not allow yourself to worry about what she said to you"

"It is notto sound unconcerned, and went on ialls h to expose ested deStoeckl when Madelaine did not goon

"Soh thata word"

They started back to where estured to indicate the expansive garden "You know, at the rate this city is growing, holdings of this size will soon vanish Ask William what it was like when he was in California the first ti like the place you see now Once the Rush was on, San Francisco rinned ireat deal then, and it has stood hiood stead now He clais on his mind Ask him why they called Monterey Bay ’Sherht about the city," she said with verve, not wanting to be pulled into talking about Sherarden"

"The price of land is rising steadily," deStoeckl re up everywhere I venture to guess that one day the city will stretch fronal to him "I will return later," he said as he went to answer the summons

It was too early to leave the party, but Madelaine wanted some relief from it She went into the house and looked about for the library; the chance to read would di anxiety

There was no library, only two sh, she resigned herself to the li a copy of Bleak House fro she would discover at last what it was Sherman so admired in Dickens

’1 wondered what had beco i fatuously at Madelaine "No fair, you running off the way you did"

’It is too bright in the garden; I fear I do poorly in such bright sun," she said, noticing the fellow looked a bit flushed "So do you, it would seem"

"The sun doesn’t bother lass in a toast to her "But not looking at you does You’re better than the sun any day of the week"

This flattery was an to wonder if the high color in the young ne rather than too ested it A quiver of consternation went through her as she recalled other unwelcoarden, Gerard le Mat on the road to her estate in Provence, Ralph Whitestone in her box after The Duchess of Malfi "Thank you for the pretty words," she said autoreat deliberation "I think, perhaps, it is tirin "Not so fast I thought we could have a little… talk on our own"

"Did you?" Madelaine closed the novel and put it back into its place on the shelf "I fear you were mistaken" She rose and started toward the door, not so quickly that she would see man With all the composure she could muster, she said, "Will you let me by?"

He extended his arm to block the door "I don’t think so Not yet"