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Thiswo and his desire to solve this Back-from-the-Dead Red business; then there werethe rashof accidents aroundher They had decided at the timethat she was knockedoutthat she had probably walked in on andsurprised someoneout to rob her And heprobably wouldhave been satisfiedwith that if it werenot for the carriageaccidentThat had bothered hiiven of how it had occurred was positively worrisoh the crash was deliberate Daniel had been doubtful enoughof itsbeing an accident, and he had decidedto look into it

But Valoree’s "servants"had beaten hiht to ask - from the various household help of each place on the streetwhere the accidenthad taken place, to the owner of the wagon itself They had all mentioned that a felloith a patch over his eye, andaasa mountain anddark as death, had been by to ask the sanized the descriptions as fitting two of Valoree’s rather disreputable on that thefelloiththe patch onhis eyehad ht

It hadall only left Danielon, but he hadn’t a clue exactly what or why - just that Valoree was asnetto him And that he had best resolve all this soon, before sootkilled - or he diedfrom unsatisfied desire Hejust had to convince her to marry him; thenhe could lay hiscards on the table, tell her all, and together they could work out everythingSo today he was deterree to e that shewas Back-fro of the door drew Daniel frohts, and he turnedto find theservant Valoree calledOne-Eye peering outat hiht of him; thenhe slammed the door in his face Astonished, Daniel could hear excited chatter from the other side of the door

Unfortunately, the woodsaid

Shaking his head in disbelief, he rapped firain It opened almostat once thistime, and Daniel arched one eyebroithincredulity "Lord Thurborne to see - "

"I’ust

"I’ll seeifshe’s in"

The door sla his head in bewilderhed and prepared to wait It seeet, perhaps? Or let-the-randy-bastard-wait-on-the-doorstep-until-I’ ain, all the way this tiestured for him to enter, then peered outat the street as he did

"Isthat yercarriage? "

Daniel glanced out and nodded "Aye"

"H, he pushed the door closed, theno onin She’ll bealong directly"

Shaking his head, Daniel turned and walked intothe salon He consideredhimselfa drink, then decided to wait until Valoree arrived He had barely come to rest in a chair, when her Uncle Henry entered, followed by anized asthe cook

"Good day, Lord Thurborne How are you? " Henry asked cheerfullyHe didn’t waitfor an answer, butannounced, "Valoree willbe along in amoment, but she asked me to see toyer comfort andoffer you arefreshment, so Pete mixedup a couple ofspecial warmed spiced rums forus"

"Wannedspiced ruthe cupHenry lifted offthetrayand handed to hia body torelax" He tooka cupoff thetray himself, nodded at theother man, who immediately turned toleave, then seated himself across from Daniel Hesmiledathim overhis own cupas he lifted it for asip "Try it Ye’ve never hadanything like it"

Chapter Twelve

Valoree felt like hell Her mouthwas as dry asJasper’s sin half Shewas pretty sure of that Graspingitin both hands, she held on toittightly, just to makesure her brainsdidn’t fall out Then she slowly, carefully opened hereyes - only to blinktheone to hell for her sins That was the only explanationfor theburning blur of light that attacked her eyes upon opening the, she tried to lie still for a ; it was the bed Dear Lord! So the bed about while shelayon it Forcing hereyes open, again, she raisedherself up on her elbows and squinted about in the hope of discovering whoit was, only tofind there was no onethere Itdidn’ttakeher poor woolly mind more than aminute or two afterthat before she realized thatthe bed she layin wasn’t thehuge four-poster fromthe townhouse, but thewee hardcot of a ship Her ship She was on the Valor, and that as otten here? she wondered, dropping weaklyback onto herbunk The lastthingsheremembered wasHmmm What wasthe last - Oh, aye! Beechas with Beecha hadcoht the tea Only it hadn’tbeen tea At least hershadn’t beenHenry had fixed her soopen again abruptly, sheroseup inthe bed like the resurrected dead, roaring at the top of her lungs

"Henry!"

"Soyou decided tokidnapthe twoof us and forceusto wed? "

Danielasked in disbelief

Henry shiftedHe stood afew feet fro his sore head "Aye Well, she’s too daether

Ye’re perfectfor each otherJust being around ye hassoftened her up soe, else ye’d lose interest right quick"

Daniel raisedhis head to stare at him "You know so ed"Yelearn to take theof which, whatexactlyis your lineof work? " Daniel asked silkily Henry pursed his lips, considering the matter briefly, then shook his head

"Ithink I’ll just let you and the captain sortthat oneout"

Daniel grunted, then pressed his hands to either side of his head "What the hell was in that da ye, huh? " Henryasked solicitously

Daniel ihtoccurred tohiet an uproar? "

"Ina chest"

"A chest? " Daniel cried