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Wordlessly, he shook his head

"It was so obvious We all knew she loved you"

"I have a letter written in her own hand that would attest otherwise"

"There must be some mistake"

"There is no h "Other than the one I made when I said, 'I will'"

Belle paid Dunford another visit after he'd been in London for a hted to see her, but the truth was there wasn't anything that could have lifted him out of his melancholy

He saw Henry everywhere The sound of her voice echoed in his head He missed her with a fierceness that was painful He despised hi so pitiful that he loved a wos

"Good afternoon, Dunford," Belle said in crisp greeting as she was shown into his study

"Belle" He inclined his head

"I thought you ht like to know that Eht Henry ht like to know," she said pointedly

Dunford smiled for the first tiirl"

Belle softened "Yes, he's been et what she wants, but he's as proud as a papa can be"

"The baby is healthy, then?"

"Big and pink, with a thick patch of black hair"

"He'll be a terror, I'm sure"

"Dunford," Belle said softly, "someone should tell Henry She'll want to know"

He looked at her blankly "I'll write her a note"

"No," Belle said, her voice stern "She should be told in person She'll be very happy; she'll want to celebrate with someone"

Dunford sed He wanted to see his wife so very badly He wanted to touch her, to hold her in his arms and inhale the scent of her hair He wanted to hold his hand over herwords, andall the while that she loved him back

He was pathetic, he knew, and Belle had just co as left of his pride He stood