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"And where are these other exe a thin blanket over her child

"Felix went up to the manor, I think Henry took Jem and Gray by the kennels to see his new foxhounds They’ll be around shortly"

"I’ with you," Sophia said "He doesn’t like violence"

"Neither does Jere hile bird And then there’s Felix, whose aio along, and thatexcursions colance toward her older son, as entertaining a trio of little girls downstream: two fair, one dark Lucy continued, "Jereun"

"That’s not wise," Toby said He could understand his friend’s protectiveness, considering how Jeically killed But he didn’t agree with it "The boys will only grow more curious, if he forbids them, and it’s curiosity that breeds accidents In fact, I once knew a girl who secretly followed a hunting party and very nearly got herself killed"

"Oh, really?" Lucy asked, feigning innocence They both knew he referred to the day they’dLucy startled a covey and Toby’s shot missed her by inches They’d been close ever since

"What an incorrigible child," she continued "I suppose she carew into a lovely, elegant countess" He smiled "Don’t worry about the boys I’ll talk to Jerass snake fro, the two blond girls went scurrying up the bank The third, darker girl held her ground, however, shouting not at the snake, but at To him to set the poor creature free

Toby smiled That was his Lyddie She’d inherited her lossy hair

"Drat," Sophia hters "They’ll run crying all the way to their papa now"

"So sorry," Lucy called after her She shook her head and grinned at Toby "I wouldn’t knohat to do in her place It’s a good thing I give birth to boys, while she has the girls"

"So far" He flicked a lance toward Sophia "We’ll see if the pattern holds true in six " Lucy’s cheeks diht home a little memento from Italy"

"And," Toby said cannily, "Sophia’s baby won’t even be the next"

She gasped "Surely Isabel isn’t--"

"No, no It’s far too soon"

"Well, I know it’s not me," Lucy said Her chin ducked "Is it?"

"No" He nodded toward to under a beech tree: their hostess, Marianne Waltham, and Sophia’s sister, Kitty "Looks like Felix has finally hit theFor a hed together Henry, as the first to marry, had theed, no seventh on the way

"Is Isabel up at the house?" he asked

"What an old, complacent husband you’ve beco after her Yes, she took the baby for his feeding, a short tiers to her own child’s cheek "You will talk to Jere?"

"Yes, of course I havehim listen"

"I know you do, brilliant politician that you are And Jeremy would never let on, but I know he respects your opinion immensely" A breeze feathered her dark-brown curls, and she tilted her face to it "As do I Now that Aunt Matilda’s gone … besides Henry and Marianne, this group is all the fa to Waltha? Isabel and Lyddie love it here You couldn’t keep us away"

"Good," she said "This has never really been a hunting party, Toby It’s always been a fa before any of us ether, with your affable nature and warht a handful of surly, wounded orphans what it was to be happy and secure, surrounded by people who care" She gave him a self-conscious smile

"That must be why I was so in love with you, all those years"

"Oh, were you?" he teased, re to hiuessed"

"Liar" She lifted one eyebrow "But here is so I’ve never told you" Despite the fact there was no one but a sleeping infant to hear, she leaned closer and lowered her voice to a whisper "Do you know, that year you brought Sophia here … I was so desperate with jealousy, I planned to sneak into your room and seduce you, so you’d have to marry me instead"