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"You’ve jettisoned the crutches," he said with an approving nod "Congratulations"

"Thank you" She glanced about the rooe He had not visited since that firstin the library Not that she had expected hie were not friends

They weren’t enemies, of course Just not friends They never had been Although ?" Andrew asked

Billie blinked "Nothing’s wrong"

"You’re scowling"

"I’ "You can see your own face?"

"And you’re here to cheer me up," she drawled

"Gad no, I’m here for the shortbread" He reached out and took so cards from her "And maybe to build a house"

"At last, sohed and flopped down on the sofa "I have hardly been hiding ed this with a flick of her eyes He had eaten a prodigious amount of shortbread in the past few days

"You’d be kinder to me," he continued, "if you kne horrid the food is on a ship"

"Scale of one to ten?"

"Twelve"

"I’rimace She kne Andrew liked his sweets

"I knehat I was getting into" He paused, frowning with thought "No, actually I don’t think I did"

"You wouldn’t have entered the navy if you’d realized there would be no biscuits?"

Andrew sighed dramatically "So cards slid fro biscuits for destiny," cae!" Billie exclaiht? What was that in her voice? And why couldn’t she, of all people, figure it out?

"Billie," hea polite bow

She stared "What are you doing here?"

His mouth moved into a dry expression that in all honesty could not be called a sentility"

"Well" – she bent down to gather the cards she’d dropped, trying not to trip on the lace trim of her skirt – "you haven’t visited for four days"

Now he did slared at hi little rascal had slid halfway under the sofa "Don’t be ridiculous Tha here He e said

She i her features "Did you ride?"

"Well, I tried," he ade confirmed Then his eyes narrowed "Where are your crutches?"