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Safe, the back of her mind whispered

He left her hands wrapped in the towel, like some oversized muff, and then picked up the entlein--flat and thin But he unscrewed the cap and a curl of stea He poured the contents--a glorious golden-brown--into the teacup, and then held it out to her "I don’t kno you take your tea," he said, "and I had no way to bring the creaar out here I added both I can only hope the result is palatable"

She maneuvered a hand out of the towel and took the cup Her hand was still shaking; he watched her with narrowed eyes But the cup arm--so warm that it seared her skin And the tea… Oh, it was lovely Strong and sweet, with a generous dollop of creaers

"Why are you doing this?"

"I told you," he said "I don’t hurt women"

"You’re hardly responsible for my presence here I’m here by dint of ulp of tea

"Semantics," he returned "You’re here Who is to blame, if I am not?"

"The Duke of Clere, not the other way around"

Mr Marshall snorted "Is that what you think?"

She took another s of tea rather than answer the question "This is the best tea I have ever had," she said "Thank you"

"Don’t thank aze locked with his, and she found herself unable to look away His eyes were brown--light, like the color of sunlight filtered through autumn leaves He was so focused on her, the entire world seemed to melt away--the dark clouds overhead, the puddles underfoot There was nothing but him

It had been more than three months since she’d felt even the ht it had been burned fro hands of dark memory Apparently not Her better sense could be swayed by ts of tea and an uht her shelter and war safe about him

Mr Marshall smiled at her--not the easy se Still, he stayed on his half of the bench Rain collected on the bries, but it did not make him look in the least disheveled

"You could have sent another servant out with an umbrella You didn’t have to come yourself"

"I assumed it would unsettle you more if I fed you in person," he answered

"Feed me? You haven’t--"

"Ah Thank you for the ree wrapped in waxed paper, revealing soreen and pink mixture