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Taking very slow steps to allow herself time to compose a plan, she walked down the hall to his room She lifted up her hand to knock on the door and then paused The servants never knocked before entering roo a servant's task

But she was not a servant

And for all she knew, he could be naked as the day he was born

She knocked

There was a slight pause, then she heard his voice "Enter"

Henry opened the door just a touch and slid her head around the corner "Hello, Mr Dunford"

"Just Dunford," he said auto his robe around his body, and saying, "Is there any particular reason you are in e and entered the roo over his valet, as preparing a shaving lather in the corner She returned her gaze to Dunford, who, she noted, looked awfully good in his robe He had very nice ankles She'd seen ankles before; she'd even seen legs This was a farm, after all But his were very, very nice

"Henry," he barked

"Oh, yes" She straightened "You rang"

He cocked an eyebrow "When did you start answering the bell? I rather thought you were in a position to pull it yourself"

"Oh, I am Of course I am I just wanted tosince we've had a guest here at Stannage Park"

"Especially one ns the place," he said dryly

"Well, yes Of course I shouldn't want you to think we're lacking in any way So I thought I'd see to your needsIt has been quite soulped and took a reflexive step back "I beg your pardon"

His face was all innocence "I rang to ask the ht you bathed yesterday," she said, trying very hard not to sht He couldn't have given her a better opportunity if he'd tried

"This tis your pardon"

"Water is at a premium, you know," she said earnestly "We need it for the aniroarh to cool the

"We certainly do not have enough to bathe every day," Henry continued blithely, getting into the spirit of her ruse

Dunford's rance yesterday"

Henry sed down the urge to ball her hand into a fist and pop him one "Exactly" She looked over at Dunford's valet, who appeared to be having palpitations at the thought of his employer so disheveled