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"No, you should not," she said, in measured tones "Listen to me, Lord John I’m not crazy, I’m not frivolous, and I don’t mean it to be an inconvenience to you in any way--but I’m dead serious"

The cold had reddened his fair skin, and there was a drop ofon the tip of his nose He wiped it on a fold of his cloak, eyeing her with so between interest and horror At least he’d stopped laughing

She felt mildly sick, but she’d have to do it She’d hoped it could be avoided, but there seeree to marry me," she said, "I’ll expose you"

"You’ll do what?" His usualpuzzles of wariness in its stead

She earing woolenelse, except the war--the other night, at the slave quarters I’ll tell everyone; my aunt, Mr Campbell, the sheriff I’ll write letters," she said, her lips feeling numb even as she uttered the ridiculous threat "To the Governor, and the Governor of Virginia They put p-pederasts in the pillory here; Mr Caether; they were so fair that they scarcely showed against his skin when he stood in strong light They re over me, if you please"

He took hold of her wrist and pulled it doith a force that surprised her He was ser than she had supposed, and for the first ti

He took her firmly by the elbow and propelled her into ht struck her that perhaps he ht, and try to drown her She thought it unlikely, but still resisted the direction of his urging, and turned back into the square-laid paths of the kitchen garden instead

Hehead-on into the wind He didn’t speak until they had turned once more, and reached a sheltered corner by the onion bed

"I aeous proposal," he said at last, the corner of his --whether with fury or amusement, she couldn’t tell

"It would certainly please your aunt It would outrage your mother And it would teach you to play with fire, I do assure you" She caught a gleae of doubt about her conclusions as to his preferences She drew back froht…men and women both, I mean"

"I was married," he pointed out, with soht that was probably the saement, I mean That’s what made me think of it in the first place, once I realized that you--" She broke off with an io to bed omen?"

He raised one eyebrow

"Would that make a substantial difference to your plans?"

"Well…" she said uncertainly "Yes Yes, it would If I’d known that, I wouldn’t have suggested it"

" ‘Suggested,’ she says," he ested?"

The blood burned so hotly in her cheeks, she was surprised not to see the cold air turn to steam around her face

"I’m sorry," she said "I wouldn’t have done it You have to believe me, I really wouldn’t have said a word to anybody It’s only when you laughed, I thought--anyway, it doesn’t matter If you did want to sleep with ht"

He closed his eyes very tight and held theht blue eye and looked at her

"Why not?" he asked

"Because of Roger," she said, and was infuriated to hear her voice break on the name Still more infuriated to feel a hot tear escape to run down her cheek

"Da to think about hirily away, and clenched her teeth

"Maybe you’re right," she said "Maybe it is being pregnant I cry all the ti," he said dryly

She took a deep breath, the cold air hollowing her chest There was one last card to play, then

"If you do like woularly And I wouldn’twith anybody else--male or fenored hiet it all out

"But I can see that you ht for ive you that, I think" She glanced down at herself, arms clasped across the round of her belly "Everyone says I’," she went on steadily, eyes on her feet "I’d--just until I got pregnant again, though You’d have to put that in the contract, too--Mr Caed his forehead, evidently suffering the onslaught of a massive headache Then he dropped his hand and took her by the arm