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"Your Grace?" Finchley quavered

Slowly, slowly Villiers turned his head His eyes narrowed, and he looked fro, over his cleanly shaven chin, paused for a moment on the reddened skin that showed above his bodice

"Finchley," he said, sounding clear-headed and utterly sane, "I think Ito that situation for some reason?"

"I’m not Finchley," Finchley said

"No? Then the Duchess of Beaued her spots I can only assue in your apparel"

Finchley sed "Your Grace has been quite worried that you would miss your reeably sweaty," the duke said "I should like a bath immediately I certainly couldn’t entertain a duchess in this condition"

"So I thought" He had to ask "Your Grace, why?"

"Why did I regain ame with a pawn to Queen’s Four, Finchley The idea that she would then take a knight to King’s Rook Three was enough to shock ht to the edge of the board in the opening ather that I have not been in my proper head"

"No, Your Grace"

He peered around the room "What day is it?"

"Saturday," Finchley said, and then added, reluctantly: "You’ve been ill for well nigh ten days, Your Grace"

The duke’s eyelids closed "What do they say?"

"Who say?"

"The doctors, fool"

"You could be ill for quite soer for er and then--"

"Recover!" Finchley said, cursing his choice of words

"Write a note to the duchess and call off ourhim "And you’d better call ht head"

"Yes, Your Grace," Finchley said "You do cos, Your Grace"

"I’ve no hted duel took place yesterday"

To Finchley’s practiced eye, the fever was already co"

His master’s eyes focused on hi before he comes, Finchley I won’t have the faintest idea why he’s there"

It broke his heart, but he bowed his head and said: "Yes, Your Grace"

Chapter 15

Teeks later May 15

Jeitte scratched on the door and told her that the Duchess of Fletcher was asking to see her She leapt to her feet "Poppy, darling, how lovely you look!"

"I’uests"

Poppy certainly was an unusual house guest She stayed in her roo but read And cry, Jeuest," she said reassuringly