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"Here I am Because I won’t be treated this way, do you see? And I won’t let you terrorize my friends, either Despite the aardness of our initial , I have tried to be friendly You, on the other hand, have been a perfect beast The way you spoke to ht The way you behaved down in the tea shop Even right now, this ruff tone and that stern posture you estured at the lahtened I’m not, either"

"Then you’re fools, the two of you I couldtoward him "I don’t think so I know you didn’t expect to take up residence here, but people always coet well If IYou’re like a great shaggy lion with a nettle in its paw Once it’s plucked, your good hued pause ensued

One dark brow quirked "Youwith heat, she bit her lip "Not in soa hand through his hair "You need to leave We can’t have this discussion"

"Is it so very painful?" she asked, in a quiet voice "Are you haunted by soes of war embitter you toward your fellow ed it on a shelf "And no, and no The only thing paining ht now"--he turned--"is you"

"Me?" Her breath caught "That’s ridiculous I’ far, far worse"

"A burr?" she said helpfully "A thistle perhaps? Roses have thorns, but I don’t possess the right sort of beauty for that coh, she said, "Lord Rycliff, I fail to see how I’ you any problems"

"Let ht to be headed for Spain right now, on the way to rejoin iment Instead, I have an earldom I didn’t ask for, a castle I don’t want, and a cousin deterivenI need do is gather two dozen local men--equip them, arh task, in ain its si, isn’t there? There are no local men No real men, at any rate Just spinsters and teacakes and poetry"

"There arethem up, you only have to ask"

"Oh, I’m sure" He chuckled " ‘Ask Miss Finch’ Do you kno ?"

She shook her head

"More than I care to count" He began circling her with slow, heavy steps "When I asked the Bright twins if there are seahborhood, to sew uniformsThey said, ‘Ask Miss Finch’ When I inquired with the sht find stonemasons to do some work here at the castleWell, Miss Finch would know that too Ask her" He walked on "Where do I find the parish register, for a list of all the local families? Well, your dandified vicar tellsa study of the local birth records, and I will have to inquire with her Ask Miss Finch There’s no escaping you It’s like you have the whole village playing some ceaseless round of Mother, May I"

Susanna squared her shoulders as he completed his circle and came to stand before her--a fraction too close The intensity in his eyes told her he meant to draw closer still

No, you may not, she silently willed You may not take two steps forward

He took the wrong with that And it’s natural the villagers show me a certain deference, out of respect for entleentleman of rank?" He stood tall "Well, now I happen to be the local lord"

"Oh," she said, s with relief "Now I understand Your pride is wounded That’s your probleiven the title and feel so little influence with the local residents But with tiers--"

He shook his head "My pride’s not wounded, for God’s sake And no, I’m not disappointed Nor haunted, nor e to pin all these emotions on me like frilly pink ribbons I’m not one of your delicate spinsters, Miss Finch This isn’t about s to accoer into her shoulder--"are hinderingoing to ask Miss Finch anything I’ to tell her to stay far clear" The pressure of his fingertip bit into her shoulder "You are my problem, Miss Finch No, you’re not a nettle, or a burr, or a delicate blosso, and every ti off sparks"

"II don’t knohat you e of her cap sleeve, then slid a caress down her arm

She was helpless to suppress a little shiver of pleasure

He groaned deep in his chest "See? You’re full to bursting with passion You htly capped and contained Hidden from everyone, even yourself Perhaps the pathetic souls who pass for e are too cowed by your modern ideals to notice But I only have to look at you, and I see it all That core of dark, explosive potential, held together with just a bit of ribbon and lace" His voice deepened as his gaze wandered down her body "I’ th glove, ski the delicate border where satinthe hairs on the back of her neck She thought of those creases in his palunpowder So perilous His caresses ed

Just a little dirty