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"That’s nothing but bitchful thinking," Pandora said calmly "He hasn’t visited you, or he would have told ht," as Winterborne would have put it "He’ll never be faithful to you Everyone knows you’re a peculiar girl who tricked hie He appreciates novelty, to be sure, but it ear off, and then he’ll send you packing to some re s Jealousy, because this wo to hi of pity, because there was so darkness of her eyes Behind the stunning façade, she was a savagely unhappy woman

"I’m sure you think that’s what I should fear," Pandora said, "but I actually don’t worry about that at all I didn’t trick hi peculiar But he seems to like that"

She saitch of perplexity between those perfect brows, and realized the other woe Mrs Black wanted to do battle, because in her view Pandora had stolen away a man she cared about How painful it must be every tiain "I’m sorry," Pandora said softly "These past feeeks aze turned poisonous "Don’t you dare condescend toto someone, Helen turned around and blanched as she saw the American woman She extended a protective arht," Pandora told her sister "There’s nothing to worry about"

Unfortunately, that wasn’t quite accurate In the next ht and murderous He hardly seemed to notice Pandora or Helen, all his attention riveted on Mrs Black "Have you gone mad?" he asked the American woman in a quiet voice that curdled Pandora’s blood "Approaching my wife--"

"I’m perfectly fine," Pandora broke in hastily

By this tiroup of Ladies’ Book Clubscene

Closing his hand around one of Mrs Black’s gloved wrists, Gabrielto talk to you"

"What about e," he told her brusquely "It’s in front of the portico now"

Pandora glanced at the row of vehicles Their carriage had indeed drawn up to the curbstone, and she caught a gli in her rebelled at the idea of going to the carriage like a dog that had just been commanded to slink off to its kennel Even worse, Mrs Black was sending her a triuaining the attention she’d craved

"Now see here--" Pandora began, "I don’t think--"

Another man joined the conversation "Take your hand off ed to the Aned hostility, as if they were a pair of reluctant roosters who’d just been thrown into a cockpit

The situation orsening rapidly Pandora looked at Helen in alarm "Help," she whispered

Helen, bless her, swept into action,between the two ive ht have met at Mr Disraeli’s dinner last uard by the sudden appearance of a lu woel He didn’t dare treat her discourteously "I don’t recall having had the honor"

To Pandora’s satisfaction, she saw Gabriel release Mrs Black’s arm

"And here is Mr Winterborne," Helen said, barely concealing her relief as her husband arrived to help defuse the situation

Winterborne exchanged a swift glance with Gabriel, silentcoan to make conversation with the ambassador, who replied stiffly It would have been difficult to iine aas if nothing were amiss, while Gabriel stood there in a silent fury And Mrs Black was reveling silently in the tur proved--at least, in her nificant part of Gabriel’s life She fairly gloith excitement

Any flicker of sympathy Pandora had felt for the woman had vanished She was rather annoyed with Gabriel for falling right in with Mrs Black’s plan, by reacting angrily when he should have sinored her It had been atrociously easy for Gabriel’s for hisshortly, Pandora reflected that she probably should go to the carriage Her presence wasn’t helping at all, and she was feeling on’s limited reserves of conversation would be better than this Stepping back froroup, she looked for the clearest path to the curbstone

"Milady," soaze fell upon the lone figure of a wo beside a Corinthian colu a plain bonnet, a dark dress, and a blue shawl As the wonized her