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"We , please"

"As a stranger?"

"Yes The best strangers are the ones who tell you intiain"

"I don’t think I’ve ever er," Charlotte said

"That’s because you’re a woman and so they never let you alone I spent a nuers will tell you if you’re trapped together in a sandstorm, for example"

"You’ve been in a sandstorm?"

"No, but if I were I would babble all my most intimate secrets, I assure you"

"I don’t have any intimate secrets," Charlotte said, a little sadly "I wish I had, if only to enliven the conversation"

"Well, you’re flirting with Beaumont, for one Are you in love with him?"

Charlotte didn’t think his eyes were conde, just tired and curious "A bit," she said "But really only because there’s no one else to be in love with He listens toto you, it’s because you’re useful to him"

"I know that But I’d rather be useful to him than useful to no one"

"Whereas I quite like being useful to no one Of course, that does lead to disconcertingly empty bedchambers I suppose if I’d made myself useful to a woman I’d have a flock of children in here now"

Charlotte glanced around The roohly male The only accoutrement was a hairbrush, its handle covered in the saree with your tactful silence," his deep voice said froine children with me or me with children What about you? Did you want children?"

"I’m not dead yet!" she exclaimed

"Well, in terms of the ton I expect you practically are," Villiers said "You’re all of, what, twenty-six?"

"Yes," she whispered

"Twenty-six and you’re engaged in a very public flirtation with a very itimate son to a duke…"

"I don’t suppose you’re offering," she snapped She was stinging all over from his matter-of-fact assessment

"Alas, my candle is quite liht it at this moment"

"There’s no need to be rude Just because you’re dying doesn’t e yourself at my expense"

He opened his eyes very wide "In truth, I didn’t mean to do so"

"Yes, you did I know perfectly well that uished Andis all very well, but hardly of the latest mode I look like what I am: an old maid with a paltry doill never have children" And with that she burst into tears

"Oh, bloody hell," came from the bed

Chapter 26