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Harry shook his head "As I told thes I could do for y, for one thing Putting food in aa more efficient way to put a bullet in him"

Poppy smiled "That ell done of you, Harry"

But he didn’t return the smile, only leveled a cool, speculative stare at her His head tilted a bit "Where were you today?"

Poppy’s pleasure dissolved as she understood

He was suspicious of her

He thought she had gone to visit Michael

The injustice of that, and the hurt of being mistrusted, caused her face to stiffen She answered in a brittle voice "I went out for an errand or two"

"What kind of errand?"

"I’d rather not say"

Harry’s face was hard and i you a choice You will tell e, Poppy whirled away from him and clenched her fists "I don’t have to account for every minute of my day, not even to you"

"Today you do" His eyes narrowed "Tell hed incredulously "So you can verifyto you?"

His silence was answer enough

Hurt and furious, Poppy went to her reticule, which had been set on a sed in it "I went to visit Leo," she snapped without looking at him "He’ll vouch for me, and so will the driver And afterward I went to Bond Street to pick up soht for you I had wanted to wait for an appropriate ive it to you, but apparently that’s not possible now"

Extracting an object encased in a small velvet pouch, she resisted the temptation to throw it at hi it into his hands "I knew you would never get one of these on your own"

Harry opened the pouch slowly, and let the object slide into his hand

It was a pocket watch with a solid gold casing, exquisitely siraved initials JHR on the lid

There was a perplexing lack of reaction from Harry His dark head was bent so that Poppy couldn’t even see his face His fingers closed around the watch, and he let out a long, deep breath

Wondering if she had done the wrong thing, Poppy turned blindly to the bellpull "I hope you like it," she said evenly "I’ll ring for dinner now I’ry, even if you’re--"

All at once Harry seized her froripped around the watch His entire body was tre to crush her His voice was low and reainst him as he continued to hold her She closed her eyes

"Damn it," he said into the loose sheaf of her hair, "I’ any feelings for Bayningitdoesn’t bring out the best in me"

"There’s an understatement," Poppy said darkly But she turned in his ar up to the back of his head

"It tortures ruffly "I don’t want you to care for any man but me Even if I don’t deserve it"

Poppy’s hurt faded as she reflected that the experience of being loved was still very new to Harry The problem wasn’t a lack of trust in her, it was a result of his own self-doubt Harry would probably always be possessive where she was concerned

"Jealous," she accused softly, pulling his head down to her shoulder

"Yes"

"Well, there’s no need for it The only feelings I have for Michael Bayning are pity and kindness" She brushed her lips against his ear "Did you see the engraving on the watch? No?It’s inside the lid Look"

But Harry didn’texcept hold her as if she were a lifeline She suspected he was too overco at the moment "It’s a quote by Erasmus," she said helpfully "My father’s favorite er Bacon The watch is inscribed,‘It is the chiefest point of happiness that ato be what he is’ " At Harry’s continued silence, she couldn’t help throwing more words into the void "I want you to be happy, you exasperating man I want you to understand that I love you for exactly what you are"

Harry’s breathing turned hard and rough He held her in a grip that would have taken a hundred edly "I love you so much that it’s absolute hell"

She tried to suppress a s his nape

"Because I have soto love you anyway, because there doesn’t see it" He kissed her forehead, eyelids, cheeks "I have so s You’re surrounded by it wherever you go, you walk through it, breathe itit’s in your lungs, and under your tongue, and between your fingers and toes" Hisher lips apart

It was a kiss to level mountains and shake stars froels faint and de kiss that nearly knocked the earth off its axis

Or at least that was how Poppy felt about it

Harry swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bed He lowered over her and smoothed the rich tumble of her hair "I never want to be apart fro to buy an island and take you there A ship will come once a month with supplies The rest of the ti exotic fruit andlove on the beach"

"You’d start a produce export business and organize a local econoroaned as he recognized the truth of it "God Why do you tolerate rinned and slid her arms around his neck "I like the side benefits," she told him "And really, it’s only fair since you tolerate me"

"You’re perfect," Harry said with heated earnestness "Everything about you, everything you do or say And even if you have a little flaw here or there"

"Flaws?" she asked in nation

"I love those best of all"