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Miss Marshall earing a ghastly green gown, one that had no doubt been lent to her by a friend It fit rather poorly, gaping at the boso at the hips The color dimmed the fire of her hair--which, without her normal pins, refused to stay in place Little strands made an auburn halo around her head

He’d never seen anything quite so lovely

Miss Marshall nodded to Stephen "This part is good here, but this introduction strikes me as too serious It won’t do"

"Aw, Free"

God, Edward knew that phrase How many times had they heard Aard or Aw, Patrick when they were younger?

Stephen turned wide, begging eyes on her "Can’t I--"

"No," she said severely "You can’t Stop whining and do it right Now do I have to glower at you for the next ten raph on your own?"

Edward should leave nohile Stephen was still occupied Before he was recognized And yet now that he stood this close, he didn’t want to go

Besides, as the likelihood that Stephen would recognize hiht him dead, and Edward’s mirror told him how much his looks had altered Even his accent had shifted Nine years living on the Continent, scarcely speaking English at all, had changed the natural cadences of his speech

Miss Marshall looked up at that moment and made his decision for him She looked at hiered back under the force of her smile It made him feel…reckless A man couldn’t disappoint a smile like that

"Mr Clark You’ve returned"

She sounded almost surprised As if he were the sort to assist her in her predicament, kiss her, and then walk away

He was That was precisely the sort of ht of it

He smiled at her nonetheless "I have This tiht--"

At that moment, Stephen looked up from his paper Every

"Wait, Miss Marshall," Stephen said "I don’t need ten minutes I have it…" His eye fell on Edward, and he trailed off, frowning

Only one way to handle this Tell the lie before the other nize it for falsehood

Edward stepped forward "I’m Clark," he said casually "I’m an admirer of your coluure out why he seehnessy," he said faintly, by way of introduction "So you’re the Edward Clark that I’ve been hearing so much about"

Miss Marshall colored faintly at that, and Edward felt gratified despite hi Miss Marshall with a delicate matter," Edward said "Now, if you’ll excuse us--"

Stephen simply smiled "No, not yet I have to run this by Free"