Page 8 (2/2)

The lances, and then, one by one, they stood and filed out of the square Serena raised her hands to her lips and blew on theloves But Mr Marshall didn’t look at her He unfolded his bundle It was, oddly enough, a load of torapped around an u the seat Then he popped open the umbrella and motioned her over

"Sit," he said His features were stone

She was too bedraggled--and too cold--to object to being ordered about She came over and sat He hooked the u it in place with a bit of rope so that it shielded her half of the bench from rain Then he unrolled a second towel and took out a e wrapped in wax paper, and, inexplicably, a teacup He handed her the cup "Hold this"

She tried to take it in her hands, but her fingers were too cold to grasp properly and it slipped away

He caught it lared at her, as if it were her fault her hands could not grip Without saying a word, he took hold of her wrist and, before she could protest, he had slipped a finger beneath her glove

She jerked spashtened in reaction He raised his head, met her eyes, and became very still

She could count his breaths She could feel her pulse thruo

"My apologies," he said "I was not thinking I was going to take off your gloves and rub soers Can you do it on your own?"

She fu to her skin and she could scarcely feel what she was doing

"Will you let me?" he asked

Serena met his eyes He’d dropped his air ofthe notion was--that same sense returned to her Safe Safe This man is safe

Ridiculous

Nonetheless, Serena held out her hands to hi her only long enough to work the fabric down her fingers

The air was cold against her bare skin, but the sensation lasted only a few seconds He set her gloves aside, wrapped her hands in a towel and rubbed theorously

The touch should have felt intiulfed hers And he’d practically disrobed her--well, loved her But he was so matter-of-fact about it that his touch felt…normal