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Her eyes lit up "Really?"

He exhaled and rested his forehead against his hand "What a to do with you, minx?"

"Kiss me?" she said hopefully

"I suppose I'll have to do just that" He leaned forward and brushed his lips gently against hers, carefully avoiding any deeper contact He knew that if his body touched hers in any way, even just his hand on her cheek, he would be unable to stop hihly into his ar he'd rather do, of course, but the Duke and Duchess of Ashbourne were expected at any rante delicti

A discreet cough sounded froliaze to the doorway E at all

"Oh, God" Henry groaned

"No, just h my wife has, onmyself with the one of whom you speak"

Henry smiled, very weakly

"Good to see you, Ashbourne," Dunford nant wife to a comfortable chair "I expect it would have been much better to see me five minutes hence," he murhtful to see you again, Henry I'lad to see you've conquered our dear friend here Between you and oodness sake, Alex," E to embarrass her, I shall have your head"

Only Henry could see Alex's face as he tried very hard to appear contrite, and she had to put her hand over herout loud

"Perhaps you would like to be introduced to the virago in the yellow chair?" he said with a quirky half-s Emma's s Henry's hand as she rose to her feet, "this wo an a wife," Alex said "May I present--"

"That's 'darling virago wife' to you," E mischievously at Henry

"Of course How reo wife, may I present Miss Henrietta Barrett of Cornwall, lately of your Aunt Caroline's guest room"

"I am very pleased to meet you, Miss Barrett," the duchess said, and Henry rather thought she meant it

"Please call me Henry Everybody does"