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"Hmmm," Poppy said

"I did warn you," Jemma said cheerfully "So, do you think that he would sell e turned away and looked over the roo, as if they were noto be planted

Poppy turned to Jemma "No"

"No, he wouldn’t sell theain intiht you were such an innocent"

"I am not blind to the fact that some men are uninterested in respectable women"

"By all accounts he loved his wife dearly She died after the birth of their child"

"He had a wife?"

Jereet a friend, so Poppy sat there and thought about the fact that a nobleman notorious for his illicit liaisons had apparently desired his wife and loved his wife But she was learning that this wasn’t a fruitful way to think--so she banished all thought of Fletch, at least until he bowed before her

For ahere?"

"I could say the same for you," he said "I had no idea you were interested in scientific matters, Poppy"

She rose, finally, and dropped a curtsy, wishing that Jemma would return, but Je noblemen "This is my first visit," she said And then: "Could you leave, Fletch Please?"

"Leave?" he said "Why would I do that?"

"Because this is very aard," she hissed, sitting down

He pro there"

"Why should I leave?"

"You cannot possibly be interested in things of this nature," Poppy said "And I am"

"You are?"

"Yes, and I would feel aard if you were here Please, may I ask you as a favor to leave?"

"You " He scowled at her and folded his arms "After all, you said ere to be friends"

Poppy felt a pulse of anxiety that he was irritated She gave herself a htly, "Then of course you’re welcome to stay Surely your friend Gill reet me?"

"He is not here Why do you ask?"

"Because you never do anything without Gill?" she suggested "Because if you’re at an intellectual pursuit, it must be an interest of Gill’s?"

"That’s quite an insult," he said in a very even tone

"I don’t mean it to be Look, there’s Dr Loudan, and since I explicitly asked hireet hione

Fletch stared after her in du Poppy, he didn’t inose and…Fletch felt his fists curl and he was on his feet before he realized it

He walked through the crowd and eased behind Poppy where she couldn’t see him For some reason he was quite certain that she wouldn’t welcome his presence