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"By the music," Sarah put in

"Oh, you’ve decided to join the discussion, then," Honoria said

"Don’t be sarcastic," Sarah snipped

"Where were the two of you when I was trying to pick so the piano"

"Daisy!" all three of them yelled

"What did I say?" Daisy demanded

"Try not to be so literal," Iris snapped

Daisy hh theto keep everyone’s spirits up," Honoria said, planting her hands on her hips as she faced Sarah and Iris "We have a performance to practice for, and noout of it So stop trying to make my life so difficult and do what you’re told"

Sarah and Iris could only stare

"Er, please," Honoria added

"Perhaps this would be a good tiroaned "We haven’t even started"

"I know But we need a break"

Honoria stood still for aAnd Sarah was right They did need a break A break fro, but a break nevertheless

"Besides," Sarah said, giving her a sly look, "I’ has rin "Have you any leh a sigh, "but I suppose I could inquire" Lemonade did sound nice And to be perfectly honest, not practicing also sounded nice She got up to ring for a ain when Poole, Winstead House’s longtime butler, appeared in the doorway

"That was fast," Sarah remarked

"A caller for you, Lady Honoria," Poole intoned

Marcus?

Honoria’s heart thumped wildly in her chest until she realized it couldn’t possibly be Marcus He was still confined to Fensmore Dr Winters had insisted

Poole came over with his tray and held it forward so that Honoria could take the calling card

THE EARL OF CHATTERIS

Good heavens, it was Marcus What the devil was he doing in London? Honoria cory or whatever it was she was feeling (she had not quite decided) and went straight to out-and-out fury How dare he risk his health? She had not slaved at his bedside, braving heat, blood, and delirium only to have him collapse in London because he was too foolish to stay hoed

"Admit him at once," she snapped, and she must have sounded rather fierce, because all three of her cousins turned to stare at her with identical expressions of shock