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"Neville is a brat"

"Yes, but he deserves a good education"

He stared at her, surprised by her convictions She was a beautiful schemer whose only criterion for a husband was a fortune And yet she worked herself to the bone to ensure that a detestable little boy received a good education

He handed the notebook back to her "I wish I'd had a governess like you"

"You were probably worse than Neville," she retorted But she smiled as she said it

His heart leapt, and he had to remind himself that he didn't like her, that he was out to seduce and ruin her "I can't i with the boy that a bit of discipline can't wood has forbiddencousin Harriet would say"

"Why did you come to her house party, then? She was quite beside herself that an earl would be in attendance"

"I don't know" He paused, then leaned forward "But I'lad I did"

She didn't move for a few seconds, couldn't have moved if her life depended on it She could feel his breath on her cheek, and it was so achingly familiar "Don't do this," she whispered

"This?" He swayed forward, and his lips brushed her cheek in the ht of caresses

"Don't!" she said sharply, reuish at his desertion so ain It wasn't even completely mended from their last encounter She jerked herself away and stood up, saying, "I have to tend to Neville There is no telling what kind of trouble he will get himself into"

"Tend away," heover "Yes, Lyndon?" he said insolently

Victoria clenched her teeth for a iven up trying to get hiet to finish, because in the space of a second, Robert was on his feet and loo over the boy "What did you say?" he deoverness?"

Neville's mouth fell open "I called her…I called her…"

"You called her Lyndon, didn't you?"

"Yes, sir, I did I--"

"Do you realize how disrespectful that is?"

This time it was Victoria's mouth that fell open

"No, sir, I did not I--"

"Miss Lyndon works very hard to take care of you and give you an education, does she not?"

Neville tried to speak, but nothing came out