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It was a lovely future It just wasn’t hers

"Cecilia?"

"We’re all done," she said, a little too loudly

"Already?" His brow furrowed into a quizzical vee as he touched his right cheek "You did this side ed "Easier as I went along, I suppose" She hadn’t done quite as careful a job on the right side, but it wasn’t noticeable unless one got right up next to hiain tomorrow

"I should let you rest You’re tired, and we have thatlater"

"You don’t have to leave"

She did For her own sake "I’ll bother you," she said

"Not if I’ain, then smiled, and Cecilia was nearly thrown back by the force of his beauty

"What?" he asked He touched his face "Did you miss a spot?"

"You look different clean-shaven," she said Or did she whisper it?

He gave her a loopy smile "More handsoht that possible

"I should go We’ll need someone to take care of the water and--"

"Stay," he said sierly sat on the far side of the bed, it seemed impossible that he could not hear the sound of her heart breaking

Chapter 7

Oh for heaven’s sake, I know I don’t have a freakishly large nose I wasa point You cannot expect honesty from Mr Rokesby when the subject of conversation is your sister Hemen, is it not?

What does Lieutenant Rokesby look like?

--from Cecilia Harcourt to her brother Tho, Major Wilkins was already waiting for the of ale and a plate of bread and cheese Edward gave hireet theside Wilkins, but their paths had crossed often enough The arrison in New York and was certainly the correct place to begin in any search for asoldier

Edward had always found hiid adherence to rules and order, which he supposed was a necessary trait in a military administrator And truth be told, he wouldn’t have wanted the man’s job

Cecilia wasted no time once they were seated "Have you any news of ave her what even Edward could recognize as a condescending look, then said, "It is a large theater of war, my dear We cannot expect to find one man so quickly" He motioned to the plate at the center of the table "Cheese?"

Cecilia was e of subject, but she seeain her purpose quickly "This is the army," she protested "The British Aranized force in the world?"

"Of course, but--"

"How could we lose a entle hand on her arm "The chaos of war can test even thefor !" she cried

Wilkins chortled with aroaned at his insensitivity

"Oh, now that’s a good one," theoff a thick slice of cheddar "Wasn’tHeh heh The colonel will love that one"

"I htly