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Standing, he donned his robe, studying her in the gray light of dawn as he tied off the belt His gaze slid over the sleek lines of her legs and a fanited his blood as he recalled their silky texture wrapped around hi more than to crawl back into bed with her--crawl back _inside _ her To never part froed a hand over his bristly jaw Hell, she made him feel

The realization unsettled hied

He took a sudden step back as if a snake coiled before hily about a woman, his soul had been razed, his heart bled dry

Love carried a price He knew that And he would never pay it again

His gaze swept over Jane, devouring the sight of leaht Not that he would ever deny hih to try, to think he could

But that did not mean he had softened and turned into the fool of his youth, hungering for love

He would have her whenever the urge took hiain lost control of himself

Deterhtly

Jane woke sy she had never knoeighing her down, liquefying her bones, ht before assailed her Of Seth Of her Of thorough, exhaustive love she hoped to repeat at the first opportunity

Twice now, she had fallen asleep in his arer to touch hiain, to feel his war, she sat up and looked around her, staring at the ruone Without a word, without a touch

She drew the counterpane over her nudity and curled into a sine it was Seth’s arms around her and notJulianne sitting alone at the dining table, a forlorn expression on her face as she fiddled with the food on her plate

"How long are you going to stand there?" Julianne asked, lifting a spoonful of porridge to her mouth

With a rueful smile, Jane stepped into the room "How did you knoas here?"

"Apples You always smell of apples"

"It’s my favorite jam" Jane moved to the sideboard and selected two slices of toast Taking a seat across froenerous ahtfully at Julianne as she did so The secret of Julianne’s relationship with Seth’s valet rested heavily on her shoulders Especially after last night He had come to her Sensible or not, hope filled her heart She did not want secrets between thean "Why not try and explain to your brother how you feel about Mr

Knightly?" Jane bit into her toast, briefly closing her eyes in appreciation of the sweet tang of apples on her tongue

"You think he would listen?"

Jane sed her bite "Perhaps Perhaps not But what can co it secret?"

Julianne lifted her teacup carefully to her lips "I suppose it unfair of me to ask you to keep secrets from Seth He is your husband"

Jane inhaled deeply "I confess it makes me uncomfortable, but I won’t tell hihtly feel is true, I can’t i the relationship He loves you"

"And that would certainly s better for you and Seth"

Jane cocked her head to the side, failing to understand "What do you , "To permit me to marry, Seth would have to see me as… whole Not an invalid heAnd that wouldn’t be so bad for you, would it? A husband free of guilt, free to love"

Jane’s chest contracted, her skin suddenly tight and itchy as she shifted in her chair "I don’t knohat you mean"

Julianne set her teacup doith a noisy clack "I can still see your face in my mind, you know

Do you still wear your heart on your face? I know you loved hirin "Well, everyone but hio" Jane fiddled a spoon beside her plate, seeing no sense denying as past "I was just a girl What did I know of love?"

"Apparently nize that you’re still in love with him"

Still in love with hi, she leaned back in her chair But Seth wanted no love frohts like last night