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"I hadn’t expected to see you here" His gaze h sweep "But of course, it’s the logical place for a woman in your situation"

Annabelle narrowed her eyes "Into catch a husband," he clarified

She responded with a haughty glance "I a the lure," he continued, "setting the hook, reeling in your unwary prey until he lies gasping on the deck"

Her mouth clamped into a taut line "You may set youryou from your precious freedom You’re the very last on the list"

"What list?" Hunt conte it out for himself "Ah You’ve actually made a list of potential husbands?" Amusement danced in his eyes "It’s a relief to hear that I’ padlocked into e at all cost But I can’t see…who is at the top of the list?"

Annabelle refused to answer Even as she cursed her own tendency to fidget, she could not keep fro at it with the edges of her fingernails

"Westcliff, probably," Hunt guessed

Annabelle ed stone surface was sun-warlossy-smooth "Certainly not I wouldn’t ed reed lord, with his fortune? You’d stop at nothing to get him" Casually, he sat on the opposite side of the table, and Annabelle steeled herself not to shrink froentle that there were certain things a gentleman would never do…he would not ee in any way However, with Siuarantees

"Why are you here?" she asked

"I’m a friend of Westcliff’s," he said easily

Annabelle was unable to i someone like Hunt as a friend "Why would he associate with you? And don’t try to clai in common with him--the two of you are as different as chalk from cheese"

"As it happens, the earl and I do have some common interests We both like to hunt, and we share a remarkable number of political beliefs Unlike most peers, Westcliff does not allow himself to be chained by the restrictions of aristocratic life"

"Good Lord," Annabelle mocked, "you seem to view nobility as a condition of imprisonment"

"I do, as a matter of fact"

"Then I can hardly wait to incarcerate h "You would probably do quite well as a peer’s wife"

Recognizing that his tone was far from complie sothelinted wickedly "They have their uses And I don’t dislike them--it’s just that I have no desire to be one of thee--or at least the way of life they’ve known ‘til now--is dying"

Annabelle reacted with a wide-eyed glance, genuinely shocked by the state their fortunes, seeing the numbers of relatives who require support…and then there is the transforreat landowner is fast co to a end Only s--eather the change"

"With your invaluable assistance, of course," Annabelle said

"That’s right," Hunt said with such self-satisfaction that she couldn’t help laughing

"Have you ever consideredat least a pretense of humility, Mr Hunt? Just for the sake of politeness?"

"I don’t believe in false ht like youinto the soft pastel-colored wax, and she flashed Hunt a quick glance to measure the depth of mockery in his eyes To her bewilderment, there was none He seemed seriously interested in her answer As he watched her intently, she felt a dis tide of pink creep over her face She was not at all co alone with Sied beside her like a lazy, inquisitive pirate Her gaze fell to the large hand he had braced on the table, the fingers long and clean and sun-browned, with nails cut so short that the crescents of white were barely visible

" ‘Like’grip on the candle The more she tried to control her flush, the worse it becaed into her hairline "I suppose I could tolerate your coentlein with, the…the way you like to correct people…"

"Isn’t honesty a virtue?"

"Yes…but it hardly h, she continued "And the way you talk so openly about her circles Nice people pretend that they don’t care about money, or how to earn it, or invest it, or any of the other things you like to discuss"

"I’ve never understood why the enthusiastic pursuit of wealth should be held in such disdain"

"Perhaps because such pursuit is accoreed, selfishness, duplicity--"

"Those aren’t , Hunt shook his head slowly, the sunlight glittering on his sable locks "If I were greedy and selfish, I would keep most of the profits from my businesses However, my partners will tell you that they have been handsomely rewarded for their investments Andduplicitous--I think it’s fairly obvious that I have the opposite problem I’m truthful--which is very nearly unpardonable in civilized society"

For so back at the ill-bred scoundrel She pushed away fro to waste anyyou how to be polite when it’s perfectly obvious that you don’t wish to be"

"Your ti to lend soon her lips "You’re a hopeless cause, I’ to continue arden Have a pleasant afternoon, Mr Hunt"

"Let me come with you," he said softly "You can lecture me some more I’ll even listen"

She wrinkled her nose at hiravel path, aware of his gaze on her back until she disappeared into the pear orchard

CHAPTER 6