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She could lose everything now, if Minerva’s "helpful" reports weren’t contained

"Minerva, you’reyour spectacles, and you don’t knohat you saw" To the others, she declared, "I swa it when Minerva ca," Minerva said "And I’m not that blind I know very hat I saw He kissed you!"

Mrs Lange ed squawk "I knew it Men are such filthy invaders I shall write a poem"

"He kissed you?" Kate’s eyes fleide "Lord Rycliff kissed you? Yesterday?"

"Yes, he did," Minerva answered for her "And it wasn’t the first ti her ever since he arrived in the neighborhood"

Susanna lowered herself onto the nearest bench She felt her life unraveling at its sea to sit at Susanna’s side "I knew you’d caught his eye, my dear And Lord Payne has shown a marked preference for my Diana Just think, the two of you could be cousins byLord Rycliff," Susanna insisted "I don’t knoould cause you to say such a thing" And she wished the older worounds of Suht wake He could be awake now

Hethose powerful lirizzled lion

"Lord Payne has not shown me any particular favor," Diana said "Honestly, I don’t wish him to"

"Pish The man asked you to cut his hair! He’s titled, handsome as the devil, and rich besides Pretty as you are, he’ll no doubt offer for you soon See if you can’t contrive to be trapped in a cove with him A kiss would do the trick, I warrant"

"Ma with all of you?" Mrs Highwood asked, looking from one to the other "These ht to encourage the that’s needed" Upon speaking the words, Susanna instantly worried Would Braement? Did she wish him to? They understood each other now, on a level that wenthe retained some memory of the conversation when he woke

"Lord Rycliff is not looking for a wife," she said firmly "And neither is his cousin If ere so foolish as to ‘encourage’ them, ould risk not only our own reputations, but the reputation of Spindle Cove" She looked froroup "Do you all understand "

"But, Miss Finch--" Minerva objected

"Minerva" Susanna turned to her, hoping her new friend would soive her this harshness "I am sorry to say it, but you arewearisome Lord Rycliff did not attackimproper has transpired between us In fact, he only ht you had drowned and he hoped to save your life To iuided action seeracious My part in this conversation is concluded"

Minerva blinked at her, clearly hurt Susanna felt horrible, but the future of their community was at stake Where would Minerva hunt her fossils if word reached London of spinsters gone wild, and the Queen’s Ruby was forced to close its doors?

"We’ll be called to tea shortly" She picked up her basket and headed inside "Until then, I’ll be in the stillroo low on liniment"

Kate followed her "I’ll help" As they neared the house, she whispered, "Hoas it? The kiss"

Susanna suppressed a little cry of frustration

"You can tellopen the stillroom door When both had entered, she swiftly shut and locked it behind them "Miss Finch, you knoon’t tell a soul I have nowhere else to live but here Spindle Cove’s fate is ainst the door and closed her eyes

"Was it wonderful?"

"Wonderful" wasn’t the word There were no words to describe the wild, breathless flood of sensation

And there was no way she could keep it a secret one instant longer She gave a tiny nod and whispered, "Yes"

Kate clutched her ar"

"Oh, Kate I can’t I shouldn’t even have ad bottles down from the shelves and snipped a bundle of dried St John’s wort froain"

"Don’t you think he means to marry you?"

"Absolutely not And I have no plans to marry him"

"I don’t mean to pry," Kate said "Truly, I don’t It’s just my only chance to know I meanIt won’t ever be me, kissed in the cove by a lord"

Susanna let pestle drop against mortar "Why wouldn’t it be you? You’re beautiful, and so talented"

"I’m an orphan of unknown family A nobody What’s more, a nobody with this" She touched the birthmark at her temple

Susanna set aside her work entirely and placed both hands on her friend’s shoulders, looking her square in the eye "Kate, if that little reatest imperfection, then you are surely the ree"

"Perhaps you’ve beenmen"

At the echo of Bram’s words to her, Susanna bit back a rueful smile No matter what happened, life would always be a bit different now Because at last, Susanna knehat it was to feel desired, flaws and all She felt the unexpected war her from the inside, and she wanted Kate to experience the sa soed one of her friend’s chestnut curls "This is Spindle Cove, Kate We base our self-worth on our qualities and accoentlemen"

"Yes, I know I know" A sheepish look stole into Kate’s eyes "But it’s i about thereed It was And with their leader indisposed upstairs, she suddenly worried what trouble the rest of thetoday

In the shadow of Rycliff Castle, Colin Sandhurst regarded his troops