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Miranda pulled the sheets over her nude body, wishing that she hadn't inquired about the weather If the rain had let up, they would have to return to the main house They had surely been ht shelter in the rain, but that excuse would ring hollow if they did not return just as soon as the weather cleared

He pushed the curtains back into place and turned to face her, and Miranda caught her breath at the sheer s of statues in her father's many books, and he even possessed aco before her, and she dropped her gaze to the floor, fearing that the ht of hi," he said evenly "But it's getting lighter We should clean up our, er, o just as soon as it clears"

Miranda nodded "Could you hand ?"

He raised a brow "Modest now?"

She nodded Perhaps it was silly, after her wanton behavior, but she was not so sophisticated that she could rise from a bed nude with someone else in the roo on the floor in a heap "Could you please?"

He picked it up and handed it to her It was still wet in places since she hadn't bothered to lay it out flat, but as it had been rather close to the fire, it wasn't too dreadful She quickly dressed and put the bed aright, pulling the sheets neat and tight, the way she saw theit at home It was harder work than she'd expected, ith the bed pushed up against the wall

By the tie were presentable, the rain had thinned down to a vague drizzle "I don't suppose our clothing will get much wetter than it already is," Miranda said as she poked her hand out theto test the rain

He nodded, and they made their way back to theherself to break the silence, either What happened now? Did he have to entleht him to be, he would, but no one knew that she had been compromised And he knew her too well to worry that she would tell soe

Fifteenup to the front door of Chester House Turner paused and looked at Miranda, his eyes serious and intent "Will you be all right?" he asked gently

She blinked several ti her this now?

"We won't be able to speak once we go inside," he explained

She nodded, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her belly Soht

He cleared his throat and stretched his neck as if his cravat were too tight He cleared his throat again, and then for a third time "You will notify me if a situation should arise for which weto discern whether that had been a statement or a question A little of both, she decided And she wasn't sure why it mattered

Turner took a deep breath "I will need a bit of time to think"

"About what?" she asked, before she had the chance to think the better of it Shouldn't it all be simple now? What was there left to debate?