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But she looked up sharply at the sound of his voice "I’ to calculate "That can’t be possible"

Her lips pressed together peevishly "I assure you, it is There were a few gentleht be interested, but none caed "I don’t knohy"

Marcus cleared his throat, then found he needed to adjust his cravat

"I suppose it was all for the best," she went on "I didn’t adore any of the" She frowned "So I couldn’t possibly consider – well, you know"

He nodded

She straightened and s quite resolutely cheerful Perhaps too resolutely cheerful "But this year I am determined to do better"

"I am sure you will," he said

She looked up at hi But you needn’t be so condescending"

What the devil was she talking about? "I wasn’t"

"Oh, please, Marcus You are always condescending"

"Explain yourself," he said sharply

She looked at him as if she couldn’t believe he didn’t see it "Oh, you knohat I mean"

"No, I don’t knohat you ain "You are always looking at people like this" And then she in to describe

"If I ever look like that," he said dryly, "precisely like that, to be ive you leave to shoot an to wonder if they were speaking the sae "Like what?"

"That! What you just said"

He crossed his arms It seemed the only acceptable reply If she couldn’t speak in complete sentences, he saw no reason why he had to speak at all

"You spent all of last season glowering at "

"I assure you that was not my intention" At least not about her He disapproved of the men who courted her favor, but never Honoria

She folded her arms and stared at him with a cross expression He had the distinct i to decide whether to take his words as an apology Never y