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For a long moment, he seemed incapable of reply "I’m certain I was not born to deserve you," he finally said "But I vowed long ago to never accept the lilad of it"

They stayed that way for the longest ti across a desk croith paperwork, in the aze of several clerks Elegant ballrooine ato be so happy You told me that, the day ed" He pressed his hand over hers "I confess, I didn’t believe you then"

"But now you do?"

"I do Heart,to be so happy"

The words alone filled her with joy Heart,to be unstoppable"

She reached to slide the spectacles froaze flicked to theand the curious clerks beyond

"They’re watching us"

She folded the spectacles and carefully set the toward him over the desk, she asked, "Isn’t there a curtain for that ?"

"Yes," he said, closing the rest of the distance "There is"

And then he kissed her, long and slow and deep In plain vieithout drawing any curtains at all Because they weren’t hiding anything anymore Not from each other Not from the world

Well, and because beneath the clerkish spectacles--her husband remained, at heart, a scoundrel

She wouldn’t have it any other way

Epilogue

Years later

"She’s grown up well" Julian propped his elbows on the fence rail "Pretty thing, isn’t she?"

Morland and Ashworth turned to him, surprised

"Where did you co you until to it on a fencepost "I finished my business in York early" To the duke, he said, "Re" Morland’s voice was rich with pride

"And the dark one?" Julian pointed "He’s yours, too?"

"No, no," the duke said "He’s Claudia’s Note the intractable spirit Take care with him around your little ones He’s been known to bite"

He chuckled "Why am I unsurprised?"

"What took you to York?" Ashworth asked "Another mercantile venture?"

Julian nodded

"How many does that make?"

"Eleven, all told Our twelfth opens in Liverpool this autuis E for the workingthe hen thein faster than he could fill the them in advance, based on the most common measurements In recent years, Julian had adapted the process to civilian attire, e man

It was honest trade, and hile work And thus far, a very lucrative venture

He squinted "Which one is yours, Ashworth? The big one under the tree?"

Ashworth nodded "Only a yearling, but fast as a de hiacy," Julian ree on the paddock fence and watching the ponies graze The grand old stallion had died this past winter, but Osiris was survived by several colts, a goodcircle of friendship

The suht breeze lifted his hair He was teeshire afternoon and the si with old friends

Another day, perhaps It had been teeks since he’d last seen his family, and he didn’t want to wait two minutes more He pushed off from the fence and retrieved his hat "Where are the ladies and children?"

"Kiss it"

Mary crossed her arh insisted "You have to kiss it" He thrust the foul, squir creature in her face and smacked his lips noisily Behind hiave a little growl Boys