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"St Vincent" Devon’s voice was edged with rueful amusement "When I inherited the title, I wasn’t at all prepared to take responsibility for three innocent girls and an ill-te in different directions, acting on iht I’d never be able to control the"

"What was it?"

"That I’ll never be able to control them They are who they are All I can do is love the it won’t always be possible" Devon sounded wry "Having a family has made me a happy man It’s also robbed me of all peace of ain"

Gabriel recapped the flask and silently extended it to hio back to ith the others"

Just before the end of the third hour, a hush fell over the waiting area, followed by a few quiet murmurs

"Where is Lord St Vincent?" he heard Dr Gibson ask

Gabriel’s head jerked up He waited like a da the woman’s slim form appear from around the corner

Dr Gibson had reown Her chestnut hair was confined in neat braids that went along the sides of her head and joined in a coil at the back, a tidy style vaguely rereen eyes eary but alert As she faced hih the layers of formidable self-possession

"We’ve passed the first hurdle," she said "Your wife caood condition"

"Jesus," he whispered Covering his eyes with one hand, he cleared his throat and hardened his jaw against a rough treed portion of the artery without having to resection the clavicle," Dr Gibson continued At his lack of response, she continued speaking, as if trying to allow him time to recover himself "Rather than tie it off with silk or horsehair, I used specially treated catgut ligatures that are eventually absorbed into the tissues They’re still in the late develope, but I prefer to use them in special cases like this No sutures will need to be removed later, which e"

Finally controlling the surge of excess eh a hot blur "What’s next?" he asked gruffly

"Theher co a ligature give way and causing hee If there’s a probleht hours"

"Is that why none of thelance

"Havelock told me about the previous cases like Pandora’s," he said