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Henry opened her mouth "I don't have a friend named Rosalind"

He stared at her blankly "What?"

"Rosalind She doesn't exist I--" She looked away, too ashaet it I wrote the letter to try to goad you into breaking off the engageaze back to his "Why, Henry?" he asked, his voice a hoarse whisper "Why?"

She sed nervously "Because I thought you'd been with your mistress I couldn't understand how you could be with me, then be with her, and--"

"I didn't betray you," he said fiercely

"I know I kno I' herself in the haven of his chest "Can you forgive me?"

"But, Hen, why didn't you trusther cheeks pink Finally she told him about Lady Wolcott's lies But she couldn't bla; if she had been truly secure in Dunford's love, she wouldn't have fallen for her lies

Dunford looked at her in disbelief "And you believed her?"

"Yes No Not at first Then I followed you" Henry paused, forcing herself to look him in the eye She owed hi I didn't knohat to think"

"Henry, ould you think I would want another woh?" He leaned down and rested his chin against the top of her head, breathing in the heady fragrance of her wet hair

"I suppose I thought I didn't please you," she said "That I wasn't pretty enough or feh I tried so hard to learn how to be a proper lady I even enjoyed learning London was so lovely But deep down I' to be the sarew fierce around her upper arms "I believe I told you once before never to refer to yourself that way"

"But I' to--"

"If I wanted Belle," he cut in, "I would have asked her to ainst him "Henry, I love you I'd love you if you wore a sackcloth I'd love you if you had a mustache" He paused and tweaked her nose "Well, the row one"

Henry giggled despite herself "You truly don't want e?"

"No!" she said, very quickly "I rinned--that fao limp "You only like me?"

"Well," she said coyly, "I believe I said I very ave it a tug to tip her face up toward his "Not good enough, minx," he murmured

She touched his cheek "I love you I' How can I ain"

"I love you"

"You could tell rinned "I won't need even the tiniest reminder I could even tell you twice"

"And the next day"