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She did so "What about them?"wInkstains"

Her mouth fell open "From that you've deduced that I'm Lady WhistledoWhy are they there, then?"wYou've never used a quill?"wEloise" There was a great deal of warning in his voicewI don't have to tell you why I have inkstains on ainwI don't," she protested "I owe you no--oh, very well, fine" She crossed her arms mutinously"I write letters"

He shot her an extre lookwI do!" she protested "Every day Sometimes two in a day when Francesca is away I'm quite a loyal correspondent You should know I've written enough letters withyournah I doubt half of them ever reached you"wLetters?" he asked, his voice full of doubt and derision "For God's sake, Eloise, do you really think that ash? Who the devil are you writing so many letters to?"

She blushed Really, truly, deeply blushed "It's none of your business"

He would have been intrigued by her reaction if he still weren't so sure that she was lying about being Lady Whistledown "For God's sake, Eloise," he bit off, "who is going to believe that you're writing letters every day? I certainly don't"

She glared at hi with fury "I don't care what you think," she said in a very low voice "No, that's not true I a me much to believe in," he said wearily

She stood, walked over to him, and poked him in the chest Hard "You are ly Love me unconditionally That's what itout really as nothing hwDon't try to make excuses noasn't"wThat's even worse!" She stalked to the door "You should be on your hands and knees, begging ht he had it in him to smile, but somehow that did it for hi with my character, does it?"

She opened her , but the sound that caed was so the lines of, "Ooooooooh," in an extre the door behind her

Colin slouched into a chair, wondering when she'd realize that she'd left him in her own bedchaht spot in an otherwise miserable day

CHAPTER 10

Dear Reader--