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She waited, counting the seconds until he spoke One, two, three…and then he took a ragged breath

It was almost like a surrender

"I don't know, Miranda" He sounded tired, weary "I don't see why you wouldn't make him happy You'd make anyone happy"

Even you? Miranda ached to say the words, but instead she asked, "Do you think he'd er to answer this question And then finally, in slow,with hi with him I'm just not certain he'diet Turner to tell her why Winston wouldn't make her happy, maybe he'd realize why he would

"I don't know, Miranda" He raked his hand through his hair until the gold strands stood at an aard angle "Must we have this conversation?"

"Yes," she said intently "Yes"

"Very well" He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as if to prepare her for unpleasant news "You lack the current societal standards of beauty, you're too sarcastic by half, and you don't particularly like to make polite conversation Frankly, Miranda, I really cannot see you wanting a typical society e"

She sed "And?"

He looked away fro back "And most men will not appreciate you If your husband tries toyou're not, you will be spectacularly unhappy"

There was so electric in the air, and Miranda was quite unable to take her eyes off him "And do you think there is anyone out there ill appreciateheavily in the air,them both until Turner finally answered, "Yes"

But his eyes fell to his glass, and then he drained the last of the brandy, and his sigh was that of alove and romance

She looked away The one, and the silence that reainly, and she felt aard and ungainly, and so, eager to fill the space between the she could think of

"Do you plan to attend the Worthington ball next week?"

He turned, one of his brows lifting in query over her unexpected question "I ht"

"I wish you would You're always so kind to dance within partners" She was babbling, but she wasn't sure she cared In any case, she couldn't seem to stop herself "If Winston could attend, I wouldn't need you, but I understand he has to return to Oxford in the e look It wasn't quite a s, and it wasn't even quite ironic Miranda hated that he was so inscrutable; it gave her absolutely no indication how to proceed But she plowed on, anyway At this point, what had she to lose?

"Will you go?" she asked "I would so appreciate it"