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It quickly beca a "who" but a "what" The furry, slithery body of a ferret ca the hallith a frilly object clauests would no doubt be disconcerted by the sight of a s toward them However, Leo had lived for years with Beatrix’s creatures: ehogs wandering casually past the dining table S, he watched the ferret hurry past hiray skirts as she ran full bore after the creature But if there was one thing ladies’ clothing was not designed to do, it was to facilitate ease of hted by layers and layers of fabric, she stumbled and fell a few yards away fro to the side

Leo was at her side in an instant, crouching on the floor as he sorted through the hissing tangle of limbs and skirts "Are you hurt? I feel certain there’s a woman in here somewhere… Ah, there you are Easy, now Letat hi you That is, I’ you with the-ow, da" Her hat, a little scrap of wool felt with cheap corded tried to push it back to the top of her head, narrowlya sharp blow to his jaw "Christ Would you stop flailing for a lared at him

Leo crawled to retrieve the spectacles and returned to hand them to her She snatched them from hi wo woman with narrowed eyes, froht brown hair was pulled back with a gallows-rope tightness that made Leo wince just to see it One would have hoped for so feature-a soft pair of lips, perhaps, or a pretty bosoaunt cheeks If Leo were compelled to spend any time with her-which, thankfully, he wasn’t-he would have started by feeding her

"If you want to help," she said coldly, hooking the spectacles around her ears, "retrieve that blasted ferret for h that you round"

Still crouching on the floor, Leo glanced at the ferret, which had paused ten yards away and atching theer"

Leo gave a lohistle and a few clicks of his tongue "Coh trouble for the arters? Is that what you’re holding?"

The wo, slender body wriggled toward Leo Chattering busily, Dodger crawled onto Leo’s thigh "Good fellow," Leo said, stroking the sleek fur

"How did you do that?" the woman asked in annoyance

"I have a ith aniently pried a frilly bit of lace and ribbon froarter, deliciously fe smile as he handed it to her "No doubt this is yours"

He hadn’t really thought that, of course He had assued to someone else It was i so frivolous But as he saw a blush spreading across the young wo

He gestured with the ferret hanging relaxed in his hand and said, "I take it this anies"

"Are you by chance a governess?"

"That is no concern of yours"

"Because if you are, then one of your charges is most definitely Miss Beatrix Hathaway"

She scowled "How do you know that?"

"My sister is the only person I knoould bring a garter-stealing ferret to the Rutledge Hotel"

"Your sister?"

He smiled into her astonished face "Lord Raoverness?"

"Yes," shethe hand he reached down for her She rose to her feet unassisted

Leo felt an irresistible urge to provoke her "How gratifying I’ve alanted a faoverness to harass"

The comment seemed to incense her beyond all expectation "I am aware of your reputation as a skirt-chaser, my lord I find no cause for humor in it"

Leo didn’t think she found cause for hu "My reputation has lasted in spite of a two-year absence?" he asked, affecting a tone of pleased surprise

"You’re proud of it?"

"Well, of course It’s easy to have a good reputation- youa bad reputation… well, that takes soh the spectacle lenses "I despise you," she announced Turning on her heel, she walked away fro the ferret "We’ve only just et to know nored hinored hinored him as they elcooing on in the suite, which shouldn’t have been a surprise considering it was his fa, exclarunts of physical co roo!" Leo was amazed by the difference the past two and a half years had rown-"

"Yes, neverthe ferret from him "Go in there and help Mr Rohan!"

"Help hi Dr Harrow"

"Already?" Leo asked blankly, and rushed into the receiving roo to sleep on a bed that had turned into a torture rack, Kev had awoken with a heavy heart And other, ued with sti dreaainst hiht hours had expressed the inside her, and taking her cries into his ain And in those same dreams she had behaved in aon hi hiid water had helped his conditionfar too close to the surface

He was going to have to face Win today and converse with her in front of everyone, as if everything were ordinary He was going to have to look at her and not think about the softness between her thighs, and how she had cradled hiainst her, and how he had felt her warh the layers of their clothes And how he had lied to her andwretched and explosive, Kev dressed in the town clothes that the family insisted he hen in London "You kno adje place on appearance," Rohan had told hi him to Savile Row "You have to look respectable, or it will reflect badly on your sisters to be seen with you"

Rohan’s former employer, Lord St Vincent, had reco You won’t get anything decent in lance over Kev No pattern would fit hi oing for endless fittings Rohan and the Hathaway sisters had all seemed pleased with the results, but Kev couldn’t see any difference between his new attire and the old Clothes were clothes, so that covered the body to protect it fro, Kev donned a white pleated shirt and black cravat, a vest with a notched collar, and narrow-legged trousers He pulled on a wool town coat with front flap pockets and a split at the back (Despite his disdain for gadjo clothing, he had to admit it was a fine, comfortable coat)

As was his habit, Kev went to the Hathaway suite for breakfast He kept his face expressionless, even though his gut isting and his pulse was rae the situation adeptly He would be calm and quiet, and Win would be her usual coet past this first unholy aard

All his intentions, however, vanished as he entered the suite, went to the receiving room, and saw Win on the floor In her underclothes