Page 77 (1/2)

She kissed his shoulder He fell backwards but kept talking, the devilish laughter in his eyes as always She kissed his neck And then his chin, that strong chin now free of its jaunty little beard So she kissed his dimple too

"I love you," she said Her voice sounded husky and seductive, except now she knew that it wasn’t French but just desire "I don’t kno it happened, hoas so lucky Because it’s true that had you been some other man, some other duke, my mother would have forced me to marry you and I was such a stupid little creature that I would have But somehow--somehow--you were the duke who appeared I don’t deserve you"

"I feel the sa love--"

"I listened to"I could hear her in ust--never you, Fletch Because if I’d really felt you, if I’d really known you, it would have been different Froether I just didn’t know you were my husband, not really"

"I was always your husband," he said "There’s never been anyone for me since I saw you the first time, Poppy Never When you leftabout and pretending to be a nor this vital part, this soul part--does that make sense?"

"With this kiss," she whispered, her lips against his, "I give you "

"For better, for worse," he said

"In sickness and in health"

"’Til death do us part"

And from that moment forward, the Duke and Duchess of Fletcher fell silent But from then onwards, they surprised their friends, and later their fa that, all evidence to the contrary, they were married on Christether for years, and years And years

Chapter 55

A Costume Ball at the country seat of the Duke of Beauht

"Not one of these costu," the Duke of Fletcher complained to his wife

"I think that Mrs Patton’s costuinative I’ve never seen quite such a fierce-looking Diana, and all in royal blue too The bow and arrow is a nice touch And I like the squire over there, the one dressed as Henry VIII"

"I know Henry VIII had a large stoet took liberties in his interpretation"

"His wife toldaround his ht that Lady Isidore was quite sedate when I first met her," Fletch said "But look at her now!"

Isidore danced by, dressed as Zenobia, Queen of Palold tissue and embroidered all over with peacock tails; her bodice wasn’t worthbecause there was so little to it

"Oh no," Poppywith, isn’t it?"

"He’s a bit of a silly old codger," Fletch said "Always votes--"

"That’s not what Iinto Isidore’s eyes"

"In love," Fletch said "Hopeless case, I’d say"

"Is he married?" Poppy hissed

"Not yet"

She relaxed and they continued dancing down the length of the roo a collision with a boisterous peer dressed, rather improbably, as the Pope His face had turned a ripe purple and he aying like the sail of a tall ship All the talk of costu to ask

"Fletch, as that young man you hired?" she asked

But Fletch didn’t hear; he was laughing at the way the Pope stu with the Queen of Sheba with him

The Queen of Sheba wasn’t quite as aled herself from the Pope’s feet Dautry pulled her to her feet as if she were a feather, and a ain