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Her brow furrowed He hat? Darling? She leaned in "Are you addled, sir?"

He sain, the expression full of privacy and proh the two of them not only liked each other, but shared a lifeti the knuckles in succession Sophie opened her , attention riveted to the place where his kisses rained

What was happening?

"Apologies for the interruption"

For a moment, she did not even hear the words, too focused on the strange, seductive h for both of theaze froirl"

They were there for her

Eversley’s grasp did not shift, and it was that fir her surprise She watched his eyes, read the question in the her the opportunity to reveal herself She looked up at the the pair of dusty riders she’d noticed earlier "A h it were a port in the storm "How terrible"

Perhaps it wasn’t she

The thought had barely formed before the man said, "Lady Sophie Talbot"

She was found

Her plans were thwarted Eversley was right--her father had sent men to find her They would ferret her back to London, to the bosom of her family, where she would be prireat, mortal embarrasserous Daughter

Days ago, that ht have been finebut now she knew there was another possibility There was freedom There was Mossband There was even the possibility of Robbie, who ood on his proeable Perhaps he had been waiting for her all these years Perhaps he had despaired for want of her

Perhaps not

There was Eversley

Her gaze flickered to his and dropped away With ould she spar if these ain?

Would she h her, and she hated even the thought of giving it voice But there was no turning back She’d had her chance for proper escape For a simple, happy life, far from London and the future for which she’d never asked

And it had been ruined

Knohen you’ve been bested, her father had schooled her again and again Cut your losses Shake hands And return to destroy theh her, Sophie was quiet, gathering her courage Ignoring the constant litany of Do not make me return that echoed in her head as the newco with the Marquess of Eversley"

She paused at that How could they know?

Matthew

The footman would have arrived at the Talbot house and produced a letter from Sophie--and her father would have ie to ask if Mattheell