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“Both Just the fact that Francois Beaumont isn’t ical father’s identity sensational If I can hardly believe it, iine what the tabloids would make of it”

He had to be satisfied with that, would recall her answer later for analysis For now he had to end this strain of thought, divert her to safer grounds

He shrugged “They could have been after me”

“But no one kneho you are, except ritted his teeth at the response its freshness and fee of what felt too hened his voice “Yes”

Her breath caught now Savoring the depth of the privilege he’d imparted to no one but her? Let her It was the best way to snare a wo to her vanity

Just as he was sure he’d fathomed her reaction, she frowned “Do you realize how stupid that was? To blow your anonyain the last thing he’d expected her to say

Unsure how to react, he raised an eyebrow “I trusted you?”

Her glower, her tone, only grew sharper “And which part of your anatomyHe shook his head as if it would make this turn in conversationmy instincts…”

The irony of his wordsever since he’d laid eyes on her

She mistook his pause for belated realization “See what I ht to trust me, but what if you weren’t? Worse still, what if someone overheard you on the terrace?”

He stared at her Anyone would have sworn that she cared Kne to care But he knew better

“No one heard nized me I was covered froh “And you consider that a disguise? Do you think anyone wouldn’t recognize your eyes? Not to ether, and anyone who’d seen you across a street would recognize you”

He was used to wo him, knew much of their flattery used truths as a intentions behind the adulation He detected none now in hers, delivered in this no-nonsense, exasperated-at-his-obliviousness way He barely stopped hi her how he reciprocated in kind