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"Yes We were to have been married last December"

"What happened?"

Sophia worried a crease in the tablecloth "I lied to him, and to all my friends and family, and then I ran away"

"What dreadful act could Sir Toby have committed, to make you flee your hoentleretthe choices that led me to Gray, but I’m still asha this new infor the gentleman’s undivided attention

Gray swore under his breath "Thehis bride, and now he’s just trying to get back at me by--" He bit off the sentence when Sophia threw hi me," Bel finished for him "I see You assuet back at you He couldn’t possibly be interested in ?"

"Bel, no" Gray scrubbed his face with his hand "Of course, anypast events, and the speed hich he pursued you--"

"But how could he harbor any such scheme?" Bel asked "Sir Toby didn’t even know my name"

They both stared at her

"Is that true?" Sophia asked "Are you certain?"

"Yes," Bel insisted "When we … left the ballrooether, he had no idea I was Gray’s sister When I told him my name, he was shocked indeed--and even nize his He was sure you would have mentioned him to me"

"I should have," Sophia said "I’ize," Gray told his wife "How could you have predicted last evening’s events?

Normally, there’s tis" He sighed

"Bel, you must admit, this ‘proposal’ happened with suspicious alacrity"

"That wasn’t entirely his fault, either I’e" Bel pinched the bridge of her nose "I’m not certain what came over me," she said, too stunned to censor her coer, and the next I was conversing with hih I’d known him for years He … he put me so at ease He h she could neglect that bit She’d lain awake all night, trying to erase the sensation of his lips against hers Trying to forget the taste of him, so forbidden and sweet

"Don’t worry," Gray said "When the rat co to marry him"

"But I must," Bel protested "Or ill people say?"

"They’ll say you’ve come to your senses, recovered your wits"

They’ll know I lost theirl Bel said, "I’ marry Sir Toby" She turned to Sophia "What’s past is past I don’t see why your prior engagement should affect mine Say what you will, I cannot suspect him of any malicious intent"

"To be truthful, neither can I," Sophia said

While Gray harru himself with his food, Sophia pushed aside her plate to make rooht to see these," she told Bel "I know you do not read The Prattler I’m not so fond of the scandal sheets as I once was, but Lady Kendall saved these and passed the to me" She picked open the knot and opened the top paper to the third page "There," she said, pointing out an illustration with her fingertip "This appeared in February, a full e to Gray was announced"

Bel took the paper froe was h his harmonious features were thrown out of balance by the caricaturist’s pen His forehead was too wide; his jaw, unnaturally square Regardless, he rely handsome, even rendered in unkind strokes Bel read the caption aloud "The Rake Reborn" Then beneath it, a line in smaller print:

"London’s faround of the illustration, a group of ladies struck desperate postures, hands to their foreheads and shoulders limp Ribbons of speech flowed frohed "No, his silver tongue!" argued another The third fanned herself and declaiives me the vapors! We must recover by the sea" At the bottoned, H M Hollyhurst

Bel looked up, puzzled "Recover by the sea? I don’t understand"

"When I disappeared, my parents spread the word that I’d taken ill and been sent to the seaside to convalesce Instead of focusing on the scandal of ers--

and this Mr Hollyhurst--took a keen interest in Toby They labeled him the ‘Rake Reborn,’

insinuated that he rejoiced inhis debauched bachelor life"

Bel looked at the illustration again, cringing She’d suspected hi the evidence in print… Sir Toby surrounded by fair-haired, slender, classical beauties adorned with plumes and jewels A dozen Sophias

She laid aside her toast "I understand why Sir Toby said he’s weary of gossip"