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She told hi the e She did keep Fellows’s speculations about her father to herself, so she’d have to explain to Ian soot to the proposal, Ian pivoted to theagain "Did you accept?"

"Of course not Why on earth should I want to marry Inspector Fellows?"

"Because he’ll ruin you if you don’t"

"Let hilared "I’ or two of the world My new fortune and Mrs Barrington’s approval have done irl froet aith , really"

She realized, when she ran out of breath, that Ian hadn’t registered a word "I beg your pardon I do run on soton often reton into every conversation?"

Beth blinked He sounded reat influence on me And opinions Many, many opinions"

Ian didn’t answer He reached to the sill and picked up the package, his strong fingersshort work of the paper He opened a wooden box and stared into it, then lifted out a flat gold pin embossed with stylized curlicues

"For your lapel," Beth said "I’ht it was pretty"

Ian continued to stare at it as though he’d never seen such a thing

"I had it engraved, on the back"

Ian turned the pin over, his eyes flickering as he read the inscription Beth hadin the shop

To Ian, In friendship B

"Put it on h the cash hand His body was hard beneath his coat, and she let her fingers rest a ive me?" she asked

"No"

Her heart beat faster "I suppose I shouldn’t expect too ht her hand in a crushing grip "I thought you would leave Paris after you saw ivenlessons yet"

A line appeared between his brows Beth a"

His frown deepened "Why did you stay?"

"I wanted to aze flicked past hers "You saw"