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She paused over her teacup "Why? What had you done?"

"Nothing at all She said it was good for me"

"No doubt it was"

He opened his mouth, about to defend his youthful honor, when he felt so cold and wet on the hand in his lap

He’d been reaching for the butter knife with his other hand, and he nearly dropped it again "My God, what is that?"

"I expect it’s only Mouse," Melisande said serenely

He peered under the table and sao eyes glea back They looked a little devilish in the dark "What does he want?"

"Your bun"

Jasper looked at his wife, outraged "He shan’t have it"

She shrugged "He’ll only bother you until you give him some"

"That’s no reason to reward bad behavior"

"Mmm Shall we have the innkeeper’s wife pack a luncheon for us? She seeainst his leg A eight settled on his foot "An excellent idea We may not be near an inn at luncheon time"

She nodded and went to the door of the little private dining rooe under the table when her back was turned A wet tongue licked it froers

Melisande came back in the room and eyed him suspiciously but did not say a word

Half an hour later, the horses were hitched, the lady’s e, Melisande and Mouse were in the carriage waiting, and Jasper was having a last conversation with the innkeeper He thanked the e, then knocked on the roof and sat

Melisande looked up froe jolted forward "What did you say to hi was rolling down the hills "Who?"

"The innkeeper"

"I thanked hiht without fleas"

She sih money to pay to bury the boy And a bit ht you’d want me to"

"Thank you"

He slus to the side "You have a soft heart, my lady wife"

She shook her head decisively "No, I have a just one"

"A just heart that gives succor to a boy ould’ve shot you without a qualm"

"You don’t know that"

He watched the hills "I know he set off last night with older un If he did not mean to use it, he should never have loaded it"

He felt her gaze "Why didn’t you shoot last night?"

He shrugged "The highwayman’s pistol went off and used the shot"

"Mr Pynch toldthat there are pistols beneath the seat"

Dalanced at Melisande Her expression was curious rather than condehed "I suppose I should show you so you can use them if need be But for God’s sake don’t take one up unless you intend to use it, and always keep it pointed at the ground"

She raised her brows but didn’t comment

He moved across to her seat an sto ut d pulled up the thin cushion froed lid He lifted the lid to reveal a pair of pistols "There"

She peered at the to take a look as well

"Very nice," Melisande said She looked at hiht?"

Jasper shoved the dog gently aside before closing the coain "I didn’t take theuns, if you must know"

She raised her brows "Thatthe war"

"Oh, I shot a pistol or a rifle often enough when I was in the army I’m not a bad shot either Or at least I wasn’t--haven’t picked up a pistol since I returned to England"

"Then why do you hate guns now?"

He used his left thuht hand "I don’t like the feel--the weight maybe--of a pistol in otten theh, if there was no other way I wouldn’t’ve risked your life, my heart"

She nodded "I know"

And that si he hadn’t felt in some time--happiness He stared at her, so sure of his coht, Please, Lord, let her never find out the truth

SHE WISHED SHE could simply tell Vale that she didn’t want to sleep apart froht She stood in the courtyard of another inn--this one fairly big--and watched as the hostlers unhitched the horses and Vale talked to the innkeeper He was procuring a rooht