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Margaret sat back "Fascinating," she said again

"Less so when it’s one’s own ive me But you must confess, if this were someone else, you would be fascinated"

Edasn’t so sure about that, but he well believed that she did His godmother had always been interested in the scholarly and the scientific, to the point that others often criticized her as having an unfearet had taken that as a cohtly "What can I do to help?"

"About , I’m afraid About my wife? She needs a dress"

"For the ball? Of course she does She can have one of et it altered, of course, but you’ve blunt enough to pay for that"

"Thank you," Edward said with a tip of his head "That is exactly what I was hoping youBut tell irl?"

"No, but I believe you’ve met her brother, Thomas Harcourt"

"I don’t recall the name," she said with a frown

"He would have come to dinner with me Late last year, I think"

"Your friend with the blondish hair? Oh, right Pleasant enough fellow Convinced you to retted his words the aret was on them like a bloodhound

"So you’re told? What the devil does that ," Edward said She would not, of course, but he had to try

"You will explain yourself right noard Rokesby, or I swear I shall write to your mother and make you sound worse"

Edward scrubbed at his forehead This was all he needed Margaret would never go through with that threat; she had far too much love for his mother to worry her needlessly But nor would she let him out of her house until he answered her questions to her satisfaction And given his current lack of energy, if it came down to a physical altercation, she would probably win

He sighed "Do you recall those months I mentioned? The ones I don’t quite re her?"

Edward opened hishimself to reply

"Good God, ain, he had no answer

"Are you sure you’re even married to her?"

For this, he was resolute "Yes"

She threw her arms in the air, a most out-of-character display of exasperation "How?"

"Because I know her"

"Do you?"

Edward’s fingers bit into the edge of his chair Soh his veins, and it was a struggle to keep his voice clipped and even "What do you imply, Aunt?"

"Have you seen a docue?"

"That is hardly your business"

"You are my business, and you have been since the day I stood next to your uide you through your Christian life Or did you forget that?"

"I confess my memory of that day is indistinct"

"Edward!"

If she had lost patience with hi the saulated when he said, "Iof you not to call into question aret’s eyes narrowed "What has she done? She seduced you, didn’t she? You’re under her spell"

"Stop," Edward bit off, rising unsteadily to his feet "Dae of the table for balance

"Dear God, you’re worse than I thought," Margaret said She hurried to his side and practically shoved hi with ree They would certainly be more comfortable here than at the Devil’s Head But at least at the inn they had privacy They ers who didn’t much care what they did Here at the Tryons’ house, his every move--and more critically, Cecilia’s--would be scrutinized, dissected, and then sent home to his mother in a weekly report