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She was breathtaking in the violet gown, her slender neck encircled with diamonds, her hair rich with dark fire Nature had blessed her with abundant beauty But it was her smile that made her irresistible, a smile so sweet and brilliant that it warmed him from the inside out

Harry wished she would s There had to be soain Everyone had a weakness

In the lances of her whenever he could, his lovely and distant wifeand he drank in the s Harry awoke at his usual hour He washed and dressed, sat at the breakfast table with a newspaper, and glanced at Poppy’s door There was no sign of her He assu after e," he told the "

"Yes, sir"

Harry ate his breakfast alone, trying to focus on the newspaper, but his gaze kept dragging to Poppy’s closed door

He had gotten used to seeing her everyHe liked to start his day with her But Harry are that he had been nothing less than boorish the previous night, giving her jewelry and deratitude He should have known better

It was just that he wanted her so da his way, especially where women were concerned He reflected that it probably wouldn’t hurt his

Especially if that would hasten the process of getting what he wanted

After receiving the ers’ reports from Jake Valentine, Harry ith hie froe "We’ll need an engineering assessed storage items"

"Yes, sir," Valentine replied "Unfortunately there were some rolled-up Turkish carpets in the flooded area, but I don’t know if the staining--"

"Mr Rutledge!" An agitated housemaid descended to the bottom of the stairs and rushed over to them She could barely speak between labored breaths "Mrs Pennywhistle saidto coe"

Harry looked at the housemaid sharply "What is it?"

"She’s injured, sirtook a fall"

Alarh him "Where is she?"

"Your apartments, sir"

"Send for a doctor," Harry told Valentine, and he ran for the stairs, taking them two and three at a time By the tih hih to think clearly There was a congregation of h them into the main room "Poppy?"

Mrs Pennywhistle’s voice echoed froe"

Harry reached the bathing roo in fear as he saw Poppy on the floor, reclining against the housekeeper’s supportive ar had been draped over her for modesty’s sake, but her li in contrast to the hard gray tiling

Harry dropped to his haunches beside her "What happened, Poppy?"

"I’etic "It was so silly I stepped out of the bath and slipped on the tiles, andwent out from beneath me"

"Thank heavens one of the maids had come to clear the breakfast dishes," Mrs Pennywhistle told hiht," Poppy said "I just twisted lance "I’ up, but Mrs Pennywhistle won’t let me"

"I was afraid to ht to keep her still," Harry replied, exainning to swell Even the light brush of his fingers was enough to make her flinch and inhale quickly

"I don’t think I’ll need a doctor," Poppy said "If you could just wrap it with a light binding, and perhaps I could have so a doctor," Harry said, suffused with gri at Poppy’s face, he saw the residue of tears, and he reached out to her with extre the side of her face Her skin was as smooth as fine-milled soap There was a red mark in the center of her lower lip, where she must have bitten it

Whatever she saw in his expression caused her eyes to widen and her cheeks to flush

Mrs Pennywhistle eased up from the floor "Well," she said briskly, "Now that she’s in your care, Mr Rutledge, shall I fetch soes and salve? We may as well treat the ankle until the doctor arrives"

"Yes," Harry said curtly "And send for another doctor--I want a second opinion"

"Yes, sir" The housekeeper fled

"We haven’t even gotten a first opinion yet," Poppy protested "And you’refar too much of this It’s just a ?"

Harry had laid two fingers on the top of her foot, two inches below the ankle, feeling for her pulse "Making certain your circulation hasn’t been cooodness All I need is to sit so to carry you to bed," he said, sliding one arm behind her back, the other beneath her knees "Can you put your arms around my neck?"

She blushed from head to toe, and complied with an inarticulate murmur He lifted her in a slow, easy an to slip fro?" Harry asked in concern

"No I think" She sounded sheepish "I think I may have hurt my back a little as well"

Harry let out a few quiet curses that caused her brows to raise, and he carried her into the bedroom "From now on," he told her sternly, "you’re not to step out of the bathing tub unless there’s someone to help you"

"I can’t do that," she protested

"Why not?"

"I don’t need help with ht I’m not a child!"

"Believe ently and arranged the covers over her After easing the damp toay froowns?"

"The bottom dresser drawer"

Harry went to the dresser, jerked the drawer open, and pulled out a white gown Returning to the bed, he helped Poppy into the nightgown, his face tautening with concern as she winced with everyfor the pain She needed a doctor

Why the hell was it so quiet in the aparts He wanted action

After tucking the covers around Poppy, he left the room in rapid strides

Three st themselves Harry scowled, and the maids blanched simultaneously

"S-sir?" one of the here?" he demanded "And where is Mrs Pennywhistle? I want one of you to find her immediately, and tell her to hurry! And I want the other two of you to start fetching things"