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Then, with great trepidation, shecare to appear that she hter you have," were Bon’s first words as Allegra approached He stood and gave a brief, ht you were dead" Allegra hated that her voice came out weak and thready She sank onto the stool he’d just vacated, her knees tre violently

"I’ve come back to life, so it seera forced a smile over her stiff features "You are well come to the hoh rura, I areet your brother with open arhter In fact, you sent thee me Are you so certain I a a bit of spirit

"Aye" His laughter stopped abruptly "I am indeed the son of a lord and his lady--unlike ra flinched and fought to keep her voice steady and out of earshot of the single serf across the room as she demanded, "Why are you here? What do you want?"

"Your daughter is lovely Ae flames next to them as he spoke with studied casualness "’Tis hard to believe she is the daughter of a gruff and hora’s vision and she drew in a deep breath His last words floated between the Her cold hands fluttered in her lap, digging into the … "Aye," she whispered Could he know?

"Or is she?"

Allegra’s insides collapsed into anausea "What do you say?" shein on her

Bon stepped back fro to look across the empty hall The cold confidence in his ra feel even umont, heiress to the vast lands of Merle Lareux She hteen years, has it not?" He turned slowly to look at Allegra "’Twould be a shareat Lord of Languhter he adores is not of his--"

"Enough," Allegra cried softly, still taking care that none of the bustling serfs should see that aught was amiss "Do you not speak such lies in my home"

"Lies?" Bon rumbled from deep in his throat "Aye Lies that have such truth to the down about you" His laughter was bitter He looked at her cal to enjoy the fear that ate into her "Lady sister, I have returned--frohtful inheritance"

The nura did not comprehend hie to Merle Lareux--frole issue in the forhter--I shall also be the heir apparent to Languleara, and I’ll have them"

"Nay" She found her voice at last "Father disowned you, and you disappeared when he ith Mother My h she knew little of the ways lands were enfeoffed and distributed, she knew enough that a wo allow it Merle had arranged it for Maris, his only daughter And Allegra knew that her father had done the saht to herhis beard and moustache "I cannot claim Cleonis as a son But as a husband…"

"A husband?" she breathed, the fear stifling her as theof his words penetrated He would claim Maris as his wife? His own niece?

He stood back, that s "’Twould be a shahter…and the perfidy of his wife However, that unpleasantness could be avoided were the beautiful heiress of Langura stood, turning away in a rush of fear and anger Her hands tre such as you"

His voice re her to look back at hie of umont and Cleonis, and you remain the healthy wife of Merle Lareux If not…ach…I fear there will be a convent in your future Or worse"

"Never," she repeated

Bon’s eyes were sharp as they settled on her, raking over her with obvious disgust "This is not the last you will hear from me"