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Al married to Fletch

She froze for a second "Are you fatigued, Your Grace?" Beau "Would you prefer to sit down?"

"Oh no," she said, pushing thoughts about herJemma I haven’t seen her since before I married, e both lived in Paris She must be happy to find that her brother won the duel"

"Naturally we are all relieved that the occasion ended without undue bloodshed," Beau howhis brother-in-law’s illegal foray into dueling "And here is the duchess herself"

He bowed, and left Jeo in Paris Though she earing panniers too, her skirts weren’t stiff like Poppy’s but soft and flowing And whereas Poppy’s hair was curled into rigid little snail shells, Jehtly powdered that its natural gold color shone through Her beauty had deepened; the sensual air that Poppy remembered was even more pronounced

"Jemma," Poppy exclaiave a little shriek of welco Then she backed up and narrowed her eyes "What has happened to the little mademoiselle I kneell in Paris? You are exquisite! You put us all to shame Look at us, three duchesses, and you are the only one who looks the part"

Poppy had already realized that she had grotesquely miscalculated the forown Poppy s beside Jemma "I’m sorry, but I don’t think--"

"We’ve neverin hyperbole I am no duchess My naeous costume of soft rose-colored crêpe-de-chine If Jemma was all sleek perfection, Lady Isidore looked like a ripe cherry, seductive and delicious Poppy’s heart sank even deeper

"Isidore, this is the Duchess of Fletcher Isidore is al Poppy’s arm another affectionate squeeze "Shefor her duke to return froht add that I’ve been waiting ten years," Isidore said, with such a funny wrinkle of her nose that Poppy started laughing "I’m very happy to meet you, Lady Fletcher," she continued "I’ve heard so much about your charitable endeavors"

"Which I shall not be joining," Je, before I disappoint you I’m no more charitable than I e knew each other in Paris In fact, probably less so"

"How can you be less so?" Isidore de in Italy for the past three years, but I paid many a visit to Jemma," she explained to Poppy "I can’t say that I ever saw her exert herself to sew a charitable seam"

"I have my entlemen my particular area of expertise"

Her look was so

"It’s so strange to think of you ," Je at her now, Isidore, but Poppy was the sweetest little poppet you ever saw She used to wander around the French court with her eyes as round as--as pluhed atopen her fan "To call me naïve would have underestimated the truth I was in a stupor of surprise hed!" Jemma cried, loyally "They were too riveted with jealousy to laugh You see," she told Isidore, "Poppy appeared in Paris with her mother and within a week--nay within the hour!--she snapped up the ible bachelor in the city, the Duke of Fletcher"

"I have seen hi Poppy a smile "In Italy we call such a ht smile There was a limit to how many times a woman wanted to be complimented for her husband’s beauty It always ed a ht from the arms of the Parisian court I think the Duchess of Guise has not yet forgiven you She still s"

"Did you fall in love at first sight?" Isidore asked "I would so like to do that, but it never seems to happen Perhaps I could have fallen for your husband Although," she added, "I wouldn’t want you to think that I will look to your husband now"

Jemma broke in "Don’t be silly, Isidore Poppy has Fletch at her feet She’s not one to beco to Poppy, "Isidore’s rather aard position--"