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If she hadn't told hiht have been able to bear it if she hadn't lied to him

Was he so naive to hat his friends had? Was he crazy to think a member of the ton could find a love match? Alex's and Belle's successes in that endeavor had made him hopeful Henry's arrival in his life had ed him

He heard her walk into the room but didn't turn around, unable to trust hier hold on his eaze fir a praed breath He'd wanted her children

"Dunford?" She sounded oddly hesitant

"Close the door, Henry" He still didn't turn to face her

"But Caroline"

"I said, 'Close the door'"

Henry opened her mouth, but no words came out She stepped back to the door and closed it She took no further steps into the center of the roo herself poised to flee if necessary She was a coward and she knew it, but just then she didn't much care She clasped her hands in front of her body and waited for him to turn around When a full minute passed without a sound or ain

He whirled around abruptly, surprising her with a smile on his face

"Dunford?" She hadn't meant to whisper

"Henry My love" He took a step toward her

Her eyes widened His smile was the same one she'd always seen, the saleam of even, white teeth But his eyes oh, they were hard

She forced herself not to step back and pasted her signature cheeky grin on her face "What did you need to tell me, Dunford?"

"I need a specific reason to visit ination that heard that slight stress on the word "fiancée"

He began to walk toward her, his long, even paces re her of a predatory cat She took a few steps to the side, which was just as well, for he brushed right past her Her head whipped up in surprise

Dunford took two more steps to reach the door, then he turned the key in the lock

Henry's mouth went dry "But DunfordMy reputation it will be in tatters"

"They'll indulge me"

"They?" she said stupidly