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"Oh?" She watched his face His expressions were so subtle, so fleeting, that she felt like a diviner when she caught them

He nodded, his eyes hooded "I worry that I don’t give her all that she needs"

She stared ahead as she tried to think of a reply Did any of the men she kneorry about the women in their lives this way? Had her own brother cared about her needs? She thought not

But Mr Hartley took a breath and spoke again "Your son is a spirited boy"

Emeline wrinkled her nose "Too spirited, soht this summer"

"You employ a tutor for him?"

"Mr Smythe-Jones He comes in daily" She hesitated, then said impulsively, "But Tante Cristelle thinks I should enroll hilanced at her "He see to leave home"

"Oh, but many fashionable faer than Daniel" She realized that she isting a bit of ribbon at her throat in her free hand, and she stopped and carefully smoothed the piece of silk "My aunt worries that I will tie his Or that he will not learn how to be a er these intimate details? He htfully "Your husband is dead"

"Yes Daniel--o"

"Yet, you have not nized the scent she se that such a domestic scent would seem so exotic on him

He spoke softly "I don’t understand why a lady of your attraction would be left to languish for so many years alone"

Her brow creased "Actually--"

"Here is a tea shop," Tante Cristelle called from behind them "My bones ache most terrible from this exercise Shall we rest here?"

Mr Hartley turned "I am sorry, ma’am Yes, indeed we’ll stop here"

"Bon," Tante said "Let us compose ourselves for a time, then"

Mr Hartley held open the pretty wood and glass door, and they entered the little shop Small, circular tables were placed here and there, and the ladies settled themselves while Mr Hartley went to purchase the tea

Tante Cristelle leaned forward to tap Rebecca’s knee "Your brother is very solicitous of you Be grateful; not all men are so And those who are do not often stay in this world overlong"

The girl knit her brows at Tante’s last remark, but she chose to reply to the first "Oh, but I arateful Samuel has always been kind to me when I saw him"

Emeline smoothed a lace ruffle on her skirt "Mr Hartley said that you were raised by your uncle"

Rebecca’s eyes dropped "Yes I only saw Samuel once or twice a year, when he cah he er than I anificent soldier’s uniform I was quite in awe of him He walks like no other man I know He strides so easily, as if he could keep up his pace for days on end" The girl looked up and smiled self-consciously "I describe it badly"

But oddly Emeline knew exactly what Rebecca raceful confidence that made her think he knew his own body and hoorked better than other men did theirs She turned to watch Mr Hartley now He waited for his turn to buy the tea In front of hientleman frowned and impatiently tapped his toe There were other custo their weight restlessly Only Mr Hartley was perfectly still He looked neither i bent, his arht her eye, and his eyebrows slowly rose, either in question or in challenge, she couldn’t tell Her face heated and she looked away

"You and your brother seem very close," she said to Rebecca "Despite your childhood apart"

The girl smiled, but her eyes seemed uncertain "I hope we’re close I think that we are close I adirl thoughtfully The sentiment was correct, to be sure, but Rebecca phrased the words almost as a question

"My lady," Mr Hartley said, suddenly at her side

Elanced at the man in exasperation Had he crept up beside her on purpose?

He sly cryptic sared sweets Behind his Mr Hartley’s coffee-brown eyes seemed to chide Emeline for her pettiness

She took a breath "Thank you, Mr Hartley"

He inclined his head "My pleasure, Lady Emeline"

Humph She tasted a candy and found that it was tart and sweet at once Just right, in fact She glanced at her aunt The older lady had her head close to Rebecca’s, talking intently