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And then he left her standing in the corner, s to Mr Hardy as he departed Miranda bobbed a dutiful curtsy at her dance partner and then took his gloved hand and followed him onto the dance floor for a quadrille She was not surprised when, after coown and the weather, he asked after Olivia

Miranda answered his questions as politely as she was able, trying not to encourage hi from the crowd around her friend, Mr Hardy's chances were slim indeed

The dance was over with merciful speed, and Miranda quickly made her way over to Olivia

"Oh, Miranda, dear," she exclai everyone about you"

"You have not," Miranda said, raising her brows disbelievingly

"Indeed I have Haven't I?" Olivia poked a gentleman in the side, and he immediately nodded "Would I lie to you?"

Miranda bit back a smile "If it suited your purposes"

"Oh, stop You're terrible And where have you been?"

"I needed a breath of fresh air, so I escaped to a corner and had a glass of lemonade Turner kept me company"

"Oh, has he arrived, then? I shall have to save a dance for him"

Miranda was doubtful "I don't think you have any left to save"

"That cannot be so" Olivia looked down at her dance card "Oh, dear I shall have to cross one of these off"

"Olivia, you can't do that"

"Why ever not? Listen, Miranda, Ithe presence of herradiantly at them all

Miranda would not have been surprised if they had dropped to the floor, one by one, like proverbial flies

"Would any of you gentle some lemonade?" Olivia asked sweetly "I'm utterly parched"

There was a rush of assurances, followed by a flurry of movement, and Miranda could only stare in awe as she watched them scuttle off in a pack "They're like sheep," she whispered

"Well, yes," Olivia agreed, "except for the ones who are oats"

Miranda had about two seconds to attempt to decipher that before Olivia added, "Brilliant of me, wasn't it, to be rid of all of theood at all this"

Miranda nodded, not bothering to speak Really, there was no use in for a story-

"What I was going to say," Olivia continued, unknowingly confir Miranda's hypothesis, "is that really, iving her friend a little jab "One would certainly never be able to tell that fro I'uely sardonic look "Ito cut off my nose to spiteto recall the origin of the original proverb "Sorave"

Olivia cocked her head "Shakespeare, do you think?"

"No" Blast, now she wasn't going to be able to stop thinking about it "It wasn't Shakespeare"

"Machiavelli?"