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"You were deliberately trying to make me jealous?" he exploded "What in God’s nahobby?"

A sudden blush covered her face "I thought youfor me…and I hoped to make you admit it"

Matthew’s mouth opened and closed, but he couldn’t see on hiainst the dresser as if he needed physical support

"Are you angry?" she asked apprehensively

His voice sounded odd and ragged "Ten percent of ry"

"What about the other ninety percent?"

"That part is just a hairsbreadth away fro you on that bed and--" Matthew broke off and sed hard "Daisy, you’re too da all the self-control I’ve got to keep ames with me, sweetheart It’s too easy for you to torture ht have…I’m jealous of every man who comes within ten feet of you I’m jealous of the clothes on your skin and the air you breathe I’ht"

Stunned, Daisy whispered, "You…you certainly haven’t shown any sign of it"

"Over the years I’ve collected a thousand limpse, every word you’ve ever said to me All those visits to your family’s home, those dinners and holidays--I could hardly wait to walk through the front door and see you" The corners of his mouth quirked with reminiscent amusement "You, in theyou deal with your faht a woman should be And I have wanted you every second of ony of regret "I was never even nice to you," she said sorrowfully

"I was daone up in flaesture as she moved toward him "No Don’t As I told you before, I can’t e But it has nothing to do with how lanced over her slight form "My God, hoant you," he whispered

Daisy ached with the desire to throw herself into his arms "I want you too Sowhy"

"If it was possible to explain my reasons, believe me, I would have by now"

Daisy forced herself to ask the question she feared aze shot to hers "God, no"

Relief swept over her "Then anything else can be resolved as long as you’ll tell me--"

"If you were just a bit more worldly," Matthew saidelse can be resolved’" Hea clear path to the door

He was silent for a long hty aze All she could offer him was patience She waited without a word, without even blinking

Matthew looked away from her, his expression distant His eyes turned hard and flat as chips of polished cobalt "A long tio," he eventually said, "I h no fault of my own Because of his influence I was forced to leave Boston And I have good reason to believe this rievance will coing over my head for years I don’t want you anywhere nearthat can be done," Daisy said eagerly, determined to confront this unknown enemy with every means at her disposal "If you’ll just explain more, tell me his name and--"

"No" The as quiet, but it contained a finality that caused her to fall abruptly silent "I’ve been as honest with you as I can, Daisy I hope you won’t betray estured to the door "Now it’s tio"

"Just like that?" she asked in bewilderment "After what you just told me, you want me to leave?"

"Yes Try not to let anyone see you"

"It’s not fair that you get to speak your piece without letting me--"

"Life is seldohts raced as she stared at his hard profile This wasn’t mere obstinacy on his part This was conviction He had left no rooo to Llandrindon, then?" she asked, hoping to provoke him

"Yes"

Daisy scowled "I wish you’d be consistent A few o you were ready to ht to object"

"If you want !" Daisy strode to the door "Why does everyone always claiical when , then they don’t, then they make irrational decisions based on secrets they won’t explain and no one is supposed to question them because a man’s word is final"

As she reached for the doorknob, she saw the key in the lock, and her hand paused in lanced at Mattheas firmly planted on the other side of the dresser to keep a safe distance between theh Daisy was the mildest-tempered of all the Bowmans, she was by no ht

"You’re forcing me to take desperate measures," she said

His reply was very soft "There’s nothing you can do"

He had left her no choice

Daisy turned the key in the lock and carefully withdrew it

The decisive click was abnored the top edge of her bodice away froap

Matthew’s eyes widened as he understood what she intended "You wouldn’t"

As he started around the dresser, Daisy dropped the key into her bodice,certain it slipped beneath her corset She sucked in her stomach and midriff until she felt the cold metal slide to her navel

"Da speed He reached out to touch her, then jerked his hands back as if he had just encountered open flae

"I can’t"

"I mean it, Daisy!"

"It’s fallen too far down I’ll have to take my dress off"

It was obvious he wanted to kill her But she could also feel the force of his longing His lungs orking like bellows, and scorching heat radiated from his body

His whisper contained the ferocity of a roar "Don’t do this to me"