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"I wish" Poppy hesitated "But it would be iree to stay away fro to London with hiested "Seduce him For heaven’s sake, Poppy, it’s not that difficult"

"I don’t know anything about it," Poppy protested

"Yes, you do Seduction ishe already wants to do"

Poppy gave her a be e in the first place"

"Well, now that you’re married, there’s not htful pause "So the best of a situation, it turns out far better than you could have hoped for"

"Only you," Poppy said, "could rinned and reached for another tart "What Idash at hie you want"

"Charge at him," Poppy murmured, "like a rabbit at a cat"

Alance "H Beatrix advised me to do early on Perhaps she’s wiser than the rest of us"

"I wouldn’t doubt it" Lifting her free hand, Aht falling over her shining sable hair, gilding her fine features A laugh escaped her "I see her now, co back from her ramble in the wood She’ll be thrilled to discover that you and Leo are here And it appears she’s carrying so Lovely, wild girlCatherine has done wonders with her, but you know she’ll never be more than half tame"

A Beatrix for what she was, trusting that fate would be kind Undoubtedly that was Caive the Hathaways asrooht have crushed them The Ramsay estate was their safe harbor, their haven, where the rest of the world dared not intrude

And Harry would be there soon

Chapter Twenty-one

Harry’s journey to Ha, dull, and unco thoughts He had tried to rest, but as a man who found sleep difficult in even the best of circue in the dayti up extravagant threats to bully his wife into obedience Then he had fantasized about what he would do to Poppy in her chastised state, until those thoughts had ravated

Daiven to introspection, finding the territory of his own heart too treacherous and tricky to exaet the earlier time in his life, when every bit of softness and pleasure and hope had disappeared, and he’d had to fend for hi hiain

Harry tried to divert his thoughts by staring at the passing scenery, the suht as the hour approached nine Of all the places in England he had visited, he had not yet gone to Ha south of the Downs, toward the thick wood and fertile grasslands near the New Forest and Southampton The prosperous market town of Stony Cross was located in one of the land But the town and its environs possessed sodifficult to put his finger on It see to a place out of ti creatures that could only exist indeepened, mist collected in the valley and crept across the roads in an otherworldly haze

The carriage turned onto the private road of the Raates and a caretaker’s house ray stone The main house was a coht together but soe spurred him, made hi Poppy was the one thing he couldn’t recover froed The feelings catalyzed into one impetus: He would not be kept apart froer, Harry strode to the front door, not waiting for a footh with i stone staircase at the back

Careet him, casually dressed in a collarless shirt, trousers, and an open leather jerkin "Rutledge," he said pleasantly "We were just finishing supper Will you have soave an impatient shake of his head "How is Poppy?"

"Cos--"

"Is she having supper as well?"

"No"

"I want to see her Now"

Cae "I’ to see her, if I have to turn this place into matchsticks"

Ca in a shrug "Outside, then"

This ready acceptance of a brawl both surprised and gratified Harry His blood was tee with violence, his tenized that he wasn’t quite his of his mind were off-kilter, his self-control disic had deserted hiht for her, so be it He would fight until he bloody well dropped

He followed Cah the entrance, down a side hallway, and out to a sarden where a pair of torches burned

"I’ll say this for you," the Rom remarked conversationally, "it’s in your favor that your first question was not ‘Where is Poppy’ but ‘How is Poppy’ "

"Devil take you and your opinions," Harry growled, stripping off his coat and tossing it aside "I’ for permission to take my wife back She’s mine, and I’ll have her, and be daht glea in his eyes and over the black layers of his hair "She’s part of o back without her, unless you can find a way to make her want you"

Harry circled as well, the chaos of his thoughts settling as he focused on his opponent "No rules?" he asked gruffly

"No rules"

Harry threw the first punch, and Ca, Harry retreated as Caht A pivot, and then Harry connected with a left cross Ca some of the blow’s force, but not all

A quiet curse, a rueful grin, and Caly "Where did you learn to fight?"

"New York"

Caround "West London," he returned

Tucking into a roll, Harry gained his footing instantly As he came up, he used his elbow in a backward jab into Ca Harry’s arain They rolled once, twice, until Harry sprang away and retreated a few steps