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"I beg your pardon?"

"Stop, Ja to be a duke I know, because er brother tries the sa, he said, "And how old is your brother?''

"He's eight, but--" Whatever she had hter

Jahed at hiht-year-old boy "I can assure you," he said, his voice pure ice, "that--"

"Don't say any"Really, James, one shouldn't strut like an aristocrat if one cannot carry it off"

Never, in his entire career as an agent for the War Office, had he been rab her and shake her and yell, "I'ood snob when I've arather charhter And when she turned to him and said, "Oh, please don't be insulted, James It's a compliment, really You're far too nice a person to be an aristocrat," he decided that thismoment of his life

His gaze was fixed upon an unremarkable patch of dirt, so she had to duck to ive ht find it in ht have to practice ain"

He winced "In that case, I definitely forgive you"

"I thought you o home"

And he wondered hen she said the word ''hoht apply to him as well

Chapter 11

Elizabeth was surprised how unconcerned she was about the state of her horeen das in need of a new coat of paint The furniture ell-ically placed over the areas htly spare look There were precious few knickknacks; anything of any value had alreadypeddler

Usually she felt the need to explain how her family had fallen on hard tier house before her parents died Lucas was a baronet, after all, and it was e that they should be reduced to such circumstances

But with James she simply opened her door with a se the way she did--as a warround himself, but he'd also said that his family had lost whatever fortunes they had once possessed, so he would understand her inability to purchase new things, her need to economize

The house was--thankfully!--tidy, and the: air smelled of warm biscuits "You're in luck today," Elizabeth said with a s"

"It ser biscuits Here, why don't you follow me into the kitchen? We're terribly informal here, I'm afraid" She pushed open the door to the kitchen and ushered him in When he didn't immediately seat himself, she scolded him and said, "You mustn't stand on attention on my account Your hip is bruised and must pain you terribly Besides, it's silly for you to stand there while I prepare tea"

He pulled out a chair and sat down, then asked, "Are those your siblings in the garden?"