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Elle didn’t reply, having finally given into the siren song of sleep

Severin watched her for a few moments before he stood and walked to her chair He delicately captured the lock of hair she inhaled with her breathing and tucked it behind her ear He froze in theat his hand as if it had betrayed him

"No," he firmly said "It’s too late It can’t be broken Even if I wanted her to, she wouldn’t She knows better than to fall for an illegiti Elle’s sliding blanket up and settling it on her shoulders He returned to his ith renewed vigor, doing everything in his power to ignore the relaxed feh intellect, I find cursing distasteful and ill mannered If that were not the case, however, I would co and recite it at thispieces to ain on her wretched crutches, not because she had declined in health, but because none of the servants would allow her to take chances as she stood outside with them in the sunshine and two feet of snow

Emele rolled her eyes as she used a broo enough to write, It is beautiful Be grateful you are outside The sun will do you good

"It is cold and I aered that no h this snow for some days And do not pretend this is for my health, I knoe are outside only because Marc is shoveling snoell," Elle said, briefly lifting a crutch to point out the stout gardener, as clearing snow from a path that followed the perimeter of the chateau

Emele burned with embarrassment and pushed Elle’s crutch down before she looked around to see if any of the other servants witnessed her mortification No one had, ossip if it did not involve breaking their curse

Elle and Emele were the only ladies present All of the male servants--from Burke to the stable boys to the foot arroundskeepers to shovel stairs, ays, balconies, and courtyards

Must you trumpet it to all parts of the chateau? E of snow the shovels left behind

Elle waddled a few steps in her swaddling "What do you expect? You have hobbled me with an over abundance of clothes and crutches"

Emele shook her head before she froze A smirk crawled across her lips as she wrote on her slate You must be dreadfully bored Let us talk then, so you are properly entertained

Elle eyed her ladies maid "Very well, what shall we discuss?"

Ro about"

Emele hastily wrote, Not my romance! I meant yours