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"Mr Hartley Samuel"

Her voice was near, and he felt a cool hand on his cheek With an effort, he opened his eyes

Her black eyes were staring into his, and he latched on to the sight, trying to focus on only her

"Are you all right?" she asked

He opened histhe truth because that was all he could do "No"

Her eyes left his for a rasped her shoulders to keep his balance "What is wrong with him, do you know?" she asked

"I don’t know I’ve never seen him like this," Rebecca said

Her black eyes returned to his, and he felt relief "Co convulsively, and sturess was slow, and he knew that sas running down his cheeks He kept her constantly in his vision, a guideline to sanity Then, suddenly, there were doors, and he tumbled out into cool, fresh air It was a veranda with a low rail Heover the rail and into the bushes

"He’s ill," Sareat breaths of air "Maybe he ate so spoiled We should send for a doctor"

"No" His voice e to sound normal "No doctor"

Behind him, Rebecca made a sound of distress He wished he could face her, reassure her that nothing rong

"Mr Hartley," Lady Emeline murmured very close to him She laid her hand on his shoulder He hunched it Shameful for any woman to see him like this, let alone her "You’re ill Please satisfy your sister’s worry and let us send for a physician"

Sa, to stop betraying him with phantom fears "No"

Her hand fell away "Rebecca, can you ith your brother whilst I fetch some wine? Perhaps that will revive him"

"Yes, certainly," Rebecca replied

And then Lady E and realized dimly that it was hie toto keep her there, but instead he was brought up short by what he saw

Lord Vale stood in the doorway to the ballroom

JASPER SHUT THE French doors behind hi smile, and said, "Emmie! Godsblood, hadn’t expected to see you here"

All Eet him out of the way? Hardly a kind sentiment for a man she’d known all her life, but there it was It was iet Samuel away before Jasper sa bad his condition was Somehow she knew that Samuel would hate to have another man see him like this

It had happened so suddenly in the ballroom She’d felt hi of it Many would be nervous at such a gathering of the ton But he’d slowed as they’d advanced into the ballrooh the crowd, Samuel had walked oddly Until she had at last looked up into his face and had seen he was in agony What kind of agony--whetherabout hi face to the way he suddenly clutched her hand bespoke great pain The idea that this strong man was in pain made her al pain deep within her own being She’d led him out of the ballroom as quickly as possible, the whole tiony

And now she must deal with Jasper

Ehty expression--the one she’d learned in the nursery growing up the daughter of an earl But as it turned out, there was no need Jasper wasn’t even looking at her His eyes were fixed behind her, presumably on Samuel

"Hartley? I say, it is Corporal Hartley, isn’t it?" Jasper asked

"Yes" The single as clipped out from behind her

Eer leaning against the railing, although his face was still pale and shone with sweat He was un Beside hi from one man to the other, her expression clearly confused

Jasper took a step closer "I haven’t seen you since" His voice trailed off as if he couldn’t bring himself to say the name

"Since Spinner’s Falls"

"Yes" All the usual aone from Jasper’s face, and without it, E nose and too-wide mouth

"Did you knoere betrayed?" Samuel asked softly

That startled Jasper He drew his hairy brows together "What?"

"So about that?"

"Why would I?"

Saed "You were in debt to Cle your pardon?"

"Deeply in debt Every veteran of the regiland re druraced"

Jasper’s head reared back as if he’d been hit "That’s--"

"Theto pay that debt"

Jasper slowly flexed his fingers, and Eression in the air "What exactly are you i, Hartley?"

"You had a reason to betray us," Samuel stated softly