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Saw Matthew shove Melisande over the edge of the parapet

Jasper fired the second pistol, and Matthew’s head jerked violently£erkf t back Then Jasper was scra his head He shoved Matthew’s corpse to the side and looked over the parapet, expecting to see Melisande’s body broken below Instead, he saw her face, three feet down, looking back up at hi stopped Only then did he realize that the sound had been real and that he’d been the onean ornae of stone

"Take my hand," he rasped, his throat raw

She blinked, looking dazed He res’s town house just before they were married She’d refused his hand to help her down froe

He leaned farther out "Melisande Trust asped, her precious lips parting, and let go of the ledge with one hand He lunged and grasped her wrist Then he leaned backward and used his weight to haul her up and to safety

She came over the parapet and fell limply into his arms He wrapped his body about hers and held her Sies in her hair, feeling her breath on his cheek It was a while before he realized that he was shaking

Finally, she stirred "I thought you hated guns"

He pulled back and looked at her face She had a bruise on one cheek, and there was gore splattered in her hair, but she was thehe’d ever seen

He had to clear his throat before he spoke "I do hate guns I loathe them desperately"

Her lovely brows knit "Then how?"

"I love you," he said "Don’t you know that? I would crawl through the flaun is nothing compared to you,her eyes widen, and he bent to kiss her, repeating as he did, "I love you, Melisande"

Chapter Twenty

So the little kitchen boy was brought tre before he confessed Three times, Jack, the princess’s fool, had paid hi the pot of soup--the last tiasped, Princess Surcease looked thoughtful, and the king roared with rage The guards dragged Jack to kneel before the king, and one placed a sword against the fool’s throat

"Speak!" cried the king "Speak and tell us fros!" For naturally no one believed the short, twisted fool could’ve won the rings himself "Speak! Or I will have your head cut from your body!"

--from LAUGHING JACK

One month later

Sally Suchlike hesitated outside her , but still one never knew, and she’d hate to go in if her mistress was not alone She twisted her hands and stared at the little statue of the nasty goat man and the naked lady while she tried to decide, but of course the statue oat man did look so like Mr Pynch and she wondered, as always, if his rather gigantic--

A man cleared his throat directly behind her

Sally shrieked and whirled around Mr Pynch was standing so close she could feel the heat of his chest

The valet raised one eyebrohich oatin the hallway, Miss Suchlike?"

She tossed her head "I was thinking on whether I should go into the mistress’s room or not"

"And ouldn’t you?"

She pretended shock "She ht not be alone, that’s why not"

Mr Pynch lifted his upper lip in a faint sneer "I find that hard to believe Lord Vale always sleeps alone"

"Is that so?" Sally put her hands on her hips, feeling exciteo and see if your er he’s not in his roon to reply He just gave her a glance that swept her from head to toe and entered Lord Vale’s bedroom

Sally blew out a breath and fanned her cheeks, trying to cool down as she waited

She didn’t have long Mr Pynch reeed from the master’s bedroom and closed the door quietly behind him He stalked to where she stood and looainst the wall

Then Mr Pynch lowered his head to breathe into her ear, "The room is eulped, because her stays seeht "Y-yes"

Mr Pynch swooped down and captured her lips with his own

The silence in the hallas broken only by Mr Pynch’s deepened breathing and Sally’s sigh

Then Mr Pynch lifted his head "Why do you find that statue so fascinating? Every ti at it"

Sally blushed because Mr Pynch was nibbling along her neck "I think it looks like you The little goat lanced over his shoulder Then he looked back at Sally, one brow raised regally "Indeed"

"M"

"Yes?"

He nibbled at her shoulder, which made it rather hard to concentrate

Sally tried valiantly anyway "I’ve been wondering if you’re like the little goat ainst her shoulder, and for a ht that perhaps she’d been too impertinent

Then he raised his head, and she saw the gleam in his eye "Why, Miss Suchlike, I’d be happy to help answer your questions, but I think there is one thing we must do first"

"And what’s that?" she asked breathlessly

His face lost all trace of teasing He suddenly beca down at her almost hesitantly

He cleared his throat "I believe you must marry me, Miss Suchlike, in order for us to continue this discussion"