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Unfortunately Evie did ain, until her face was pink with frustration "It’s t-too hard," she said, her forehead puckered orry "Perhaps I should stop now and give someone else a turn"

"Just a few more tries," Annabelle said anxiously, determined that Evie should hit the ball at least once "We’re in no hurry"

"Don’t give up!" Daisy chi too hard, Evie Relax--and stop closing your eyes when you swing"

"You can do it," Lillian said, pushing a lock of silky dark hair away fro her slim, well-toned arms "You al…the ball"

Sighing in resignation, Evie dragged the bat back to Castle Rock and lifted it once more Her blue eyes narrowed as she stared at Daisy, and she tensed in preparation for the next feed "I’ with grih Annabelle as she saw the bat strike the ball solidly It soared into the air, far into the oak grove They all whooped in jubilation at the splendid strike Shocked at what she had done, Evie began to ju, "I did it! I did it!"

"Run around the baskets!" Annabelle cried, and scampered back to Castle Rock Gleefully Evie circled the arirls continued to jump and scream for no reason at all, other than the fact that they were young and healthy and quite pleased with theure rapidly ascending the hill She fell abruptly silent as she ascertained that there was one--no, two--riders advancing to the dry !" she said "A pair of riders Hurry, fetch your clothes!" Her low-voiced alarirls’ jubilation They stared at each other ide eyes and burst into panicked action Shrieking, Daisy and Evie broke into a dead run toward the remains of the picnic, where they had left their dresses

Annabelle began to follow, then stopped and turned abruptly as the riders thundered to a halt just behind her She faced theht present Looking up at their faces, she felt a bolt of chilling disnized them

Lord Westcliff…and even worse…Siaze, she could not seehtmares that one always awoke fro so dreadful could never really happen Were the situation not so coht have enjoyed the prospect of Simon Hunt rendered absolutely speechless At first his face was blank, as if he was having tre before hiaze slid over her, slowly co to rest on her flushed face

Another moment or two of suffocated silence, and Hunt sed hard before speaking in a rusty-sounding voice "I probably shouldn’t ask But what the hell are you doing?"

The words unlocked Annabelle from her paralysis She certainly could not stand there and converse with hinity--or the threads that remained of it--demanded that she not screech idiotically and dash for her clothes the way Evie and Daisy were doing Settling for a coown and clasped it to her front as she turned to face Si Rounders," she said, her voice far higher-pitched than usual

Hunt glanced around the scene before settling on her again "Why did you--"

"One can’t run properly in skirts," Annabelle interrupted "I should think that would be obvious"

Absorbing that, Hunt averted his face swiftly, but not before she saw the sudden flash of his grin "Never having tried it, I’ll have to take your word on that"

Behind her, Annabelle heard Daisy say to Lillian accusingly, "I thought you said that no one ever comes to this meadow!"

"That’s what I was told," Lillian replied, her voice own and bent to jerk it upward

The earl, who had been aze trained studiously on the distant scenery "Your information was correct, Miss Bowman," he said in a controlled manner "This field is usually unfrequented"

"Well, then, why are you here?" Lillian dely, as if she, and not Westcliff, was the owner of the estate

The question caused the earl’s head to whip around He gave the Aaze away once more "Our presence here is purely coincidental," he said coldly "I wished to have a look at the northwest section of ave the word my a subtle but distinct e the lane, we heard your screaate, and ca aid, if necessary Little did I realize that you would be using this field for…for…"

"Rounders-in-knickers," Lillian supplied helpfully, sliding her ar the ridiculous phrase He turned his horse away and spoke curtly over his shoulder "I plan to develop a case of amnesia within the next five est that you refrain fro nudity outdoors, as the next passersby who discover you may not prove to be as indifferent as Mr Hunt and I"

Despite Annabelle’s mortification, she had to repress a skeptical snort at the earl’s claim of indifference on Hunt’s behalf, not to et quite an eyeful of her And though Westcliff’s scrutiny had been far more subtle, it had not escaped her that he had stolen a quick but thorough glance at Lillian before he had veered his horse away However, in light of her current state of undress, it was hardly the time to deflate Westcliff’s holier-than-thou demeanor

"Thank you, my lord," Annabelle said with a cal dispensed such excellent advice, I would ask that you allow us some privacy to restore ourselves"

"With pleasure," Westcliff growled

Before Si back at Annabelle as she stood clutching her gown across her chest Despite his apparent cohtened…and there was no ed for the self-possession to stare at hiard, but instead she felt flushed and disheveled and thoroughly off-balance He see to her, then checked himself and muttered beneath his breath with a self-derisive serly as Hunt guided hiallop after Westcliff, as already halfway across the field