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"And the rest of you aren’t?"

"Touché, but no, not like that"

"So what you are saying is that when I do attend the musicale, I should endeavor to secure a seat at the back?"

"In the next rooe it"

"Really?" He looked remarkably – no, make that comically – hopeful "Will there be seats in the next rooain "But I don’t think the back row is going to save you Not frohed

"You should have considered this before you rushed your convalescence"

"So I a to sound as if she was a very busy young lady with s to do who also happened not to be pining over hi"

"Of course," he said, giving her a polite nod of farewell

"Good-bye" But she didn’t quiteyou"

"And you," he said "Please give hted to hear that you are so well"

He nodded And stood there And finally said, "Well, then"

"Yes," she said hastily "I ain This time she did leave the room And she didn’t even look over her shoulder

Which was more of an achievehteen

The truth was, Marcus thought as he sat in his study in his London ho ladies He knew a great deal about avoiding the their ating otherladies (more specifically, Honoria), andwhile he convinced them to abandon their pursuit