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Westcliff"Your father was Lord Trenear?" he asked

"Yes, my lord"

"We were acquainted He used to hunt athis family, but he always preferred to come alone"

That was hardly a surprise Pandora’s father had considered his three daughters to be parasites For that matter, her mother had taken little interest in them either As a result, Pandora, Cassandra, and Helen had so their parents The surprise was that the recollection still had the power to hurt

"My father wanted as little to do with his daughters as possible," Pandora said bluntly "He considered us nuisances" Lowering her head, she ht"

"I wouldn’t say so" A touch of ahters have assured h spirits can find herself in hot water now and then"

Lord Chaworth broke in "This particular ‘hot water’ must be cooled immediately I will return Lady Pandora to the care of her chaperone" He turned to the est that you depart for Ravenel House forthwith, to eements?" Pandora asked

"Heh her "What? No No, I wouldn’t ht take that personally, Pandora added in ato do with you; it’s just that I don’t intend to ly "I believe it will quell your objections to learn that thebefore you is Gabriel, Lord St Vincent--the heir to a dukedom"

Pandora shook her head "I would rather be a charwoaze slid to her scratched shoulders and torn dress, and returned slowly to her strained face "The fact is," he said quietly, "you’ve been absent froh for people to have noticed"

It began to dawn on Pandora that she was in real trouble, the kind that couldn’t be solved with facile explanations, or money, or even her family’s influence Her pulse reverberated like a kettledruo back immediately No one ever notices whether I’m there or not"

"I find that impossible to believe"

The way he said it didn’t sound like a co fast, thinking even faster "I’reed to take part in the Season to keep my sister Cassandra company She’s my twin, the nicer, prettier one, and you’re the kind of husband she’s been hoping for If you’ll let o fetch her, you could co his blank look, she explained, "People certainly wouldn’t expect you to marry both of us"

"I’ht" His tone was a mockery of politeness "A man has to draw the line somewhere"

Pandora decided to take another tack "You do not want to inable I’etful and stubborn, and I can never sit still for s I shouldn’t I eavesdrop on other people, I shout and run in public, and I’reat deal of unwholeso to draw breath, she noticed that Lord St Vincent didn’t appear properly is are skinny Like a stork’s"

At the indecent asped audibly, while Lord Westcliff developed a sudden keen interest in the nearby cabbage roses

Lord St Vincent’s ainst a brief tremor, as if he were amused despite himself "I appreciate your candor," he said after a lance "However, in light of Lord Chaworth’s heroic insistence on seeing justice done, I have no choice but to discuss the situation with your faht" Lord St Vincent stepped forward, closing the distance between them His head lowered over hers "Go with Chaworth," he said "Tell your chaperone that I’ for Ravenel House immediately And for God’s sake, try not to be seen I would hate for people to think I did such an inco someone" After a pause, he added in an undertone, "You still have to return Dolly’s earring Ask a servant to take it to her"

Pandoraup No woel’s face above hers So far, the privileged youngfor a certain ideal, a kind of cool aristocratic confidence But none of theer, who had undoubtedly been indulged and admired his entire life

"I can’taway, she took Chaworth’s arm and accompanied him back toward the house, while the other two stayed behind to talk privately

Chaworth chortled to hi satisfaction "By Jove, I look forward to seeing Lady Berwick’s reaction when I tell her the news"