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Julianne shook her head wildly, auburn hair tu over her shoulders, the very picture of wanton abandon

"S--Seth," she began, panic tightening her expression "Please Don’t be angry It’s not what it looks like I love Gregory"

He glared at Knightly, suddenly convinced he had never seen the man before, until now The libertine held hilare

"How far has this gone?" he de his rage, his ihtly apart "Have you coh with indignation as she gathered her hair and pulled it over one shoulder

Knightly squared his shoulders "I would not dishonor Julianne… or you for--"

"Speak not of honor," he cut in, fuhtly’s fa what I’ve witnessed, I don’t put reatest esteeaze back to Julianne, he added in a softer voice, "I love her"

"Gregory," Julianne gasped, groping for his arhtly’s hand clasped hers

"Julianne, go to your roo as if his world were rapidly unraveling

Julianne’s chin shot up "I’m not a child, Seth"

"Seth," Jane spoke beside him, but he silenced her with a wave of his hand, too focused on his sister, on shattering whatever spell Knightly had woven over her

Knightly tucked Julianne’s hand in the crook of his ar his head, he added, "I wish to h, broken laugh rose froe that? You cannot support her with the care that she requires Can you hire a companion to see to her needs?

A housekeeper? A cook? A maid? How exactly will you afford to keep her in the htly’s face and doubt flickered in his once steady gaze

Splotches of color broke out over Julianne’s face "I’round out, as if she had not spoken "And you shall never have "

Tears pooled in Julianne’s eyes "Seth… don’t do this," she whispered, lips tre her sad plea out of his head Staring only at Knightly, the one to blaiven Julianne romantic notions, he continued, "Consider yourself dishtly remain another moment to toy further with his sister’s affections

"Seth," Jane broke in, her voice erat the look of disappointment on her face--as if _be _ had somehow failed her

"See, Jane," Julianne cut in, her voice hard and hostile in a way he had never heard "I told you he would not understand"

He stared hard at Jane, watching as guilty color swept high on her cheeks Soly twisted inside of hi as he did the day he learned she was Aurora Again, she had withheld the truth from him Only this time, pain accompanied the betrayal

"Why don’t we all sit down and discuss this calht with appeal

"No, Jane" The sound of her name fell like a stone fro his heart "This is a family matter It’s none of your concern"

The color drained from her face, and his heart squeezed His hand twitched at his side Weak fool he was, he felt inclined to sy

Before he could succuave a jerky nod and quickly stepped back

Turning, she exited the roo at her ankles He watched her leave, saying nothing even as the urge to stop her coursed thickly in his veins

"I’ll pack ory, no!" Julianne cried, her fingers white where they clung to his ar"

He flinched at his sister’s words, never realizing how ood opinionher The ache in his chest deepened as he realized Julianne would never understand, never see that he only sought to protect her

To have lost the love of his one re family member filled him with impotent fury Not a day passed that he did not bla her life, but he had been able to live with hi that _she _ never blahtly had robbed hirowled

"Seth, no!" She took a sudden step in his direction, lifting a fist as if she intended to attack hiory"

"What do you know of love?" he asked, gentling his voice in an attempt to soften the severity of the question "You’ve spent your life sheltered, protected, devoid of male attention"

Julianne drew a deep breath, her chest rising with the effort "I know a good dealhurt that I can’t see what’s staring me in the face"

She released a pent-up breath, the sound harsh and angry Words rushed from her lips in a torrent "The only one blind here is you"

Knightly ran the backs of his fingers over Julianne’s flushed cheek, ible words to cal the sun

Seth watched, disgusted that the bastard had the power to soothe her Gritting his teeth against the sight of their familiarity, he pretended her words did not affect hihtly pressed a kiss to Julianne’s forehead, the gesture soo now"