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Feeling the need to put some distance between thelad you don’t have the pox," she said, standing and tugging at the wild disorder of her skirts "And your future wife--whoever she is--will certainly be glad as well"

The pointed colance and rose to his feet in an easyat his own trousers, and raking a hand through the brilliant layers of his hair "Thank God for sheep balloons"

Chapter 10

The local families that came to dinner were quite sizeable, each with an array of children of varying ages It was aacross the long table where the adults were seated The youngest children were eating upstairs in the nursery, while the older children occupied their own table in a roo room The atmosphere was embellished with the soft music of a harp and a flute, played by local musicians

The Challons’ cook and kitchen staff had outdone theetables and local fish and gah the cook back home at Eversby Priory was excellent, the food at Heron’s Point was a cut above There were colorful vegetables cut into tiny julienne strips, tender artichoke hearts roasted with butter, steaundy and truffles, and delicate filets of sole coated with crisp breadcrumbs Pheasant covered with strips of bacon and roasted to juicy, smoky perfection was served with a side of boiled potatoes that had been whipped with crea fluff Beef roasts with peppery crackled hides were brought out on arave;re cheese in clever little tart dishes

Pandora was quiet, not only out of fear of saying soauche, but also because she was determined to eat as much of the delicious food as possible Unfortunately, a corset was aone mouthful beyond the point of comfortable fullness would cause sharp pains behind the ribs, and make it difficult to breathe She wore her best dinner dress, made of silk dyed in a fashionable shade called bois de rose, a deep earthy pink that flattered her fair complexion It was a severely simple style, with a low square-cut bodice and skirts pulled back tightly to reveal the shape of her waist and hips

To her disgruntlement, Gabriel wasn’t seated by her as he had been the past few nights Instead, he was at the duke’s end of the table, with a hed and chatted easily, delighted to have the attention of two such dazzlingclothes, a white silk waistcoat, and a crisp white necktie He was flawless, ice-cool, utterly self-possessed The candlelight played gently over hi over the high cheekbones and the firm, full curves of his mouth

Fact 63 I couldn’t marry Lord St Vincent if for no other reason than the way he looks People would think I was shallow

Reainst hers only two hours earlier, Pandora squiraze from him

She had been seated close to the duchess’s end of the table, between a young entle his best to monopolize her attention There was little hope of any conversation fro distant and detached, consunified young man beside her--as his name?--Mr Arthurson, Arterton?--Pandora decided to try her hand at some small talk

"It was very fine weather today, wasn’t it?" she said