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"Perhaps," she allowed, shrugging and trying to appear unaffected by his troubling words "But s could have awaited me Hoas I to know?"

"No terrible future awaited you," he replied with utter conviction "Just me"

"You" Meredith smiled without mirth She spread her ar me to marry--"

"Such a terrible fate," he cut in "What a enerous dowry and the freedom to choose your husband A terrible fate, indeed Should every woman be so cursed"

Her hand itched to slap theinto matrimony Most married couples hardly appear to be in a state of wedded bliss Apparently, you’re wise enough to see it’s not the ht after of fates"

"Is that what you expect? Wedded bliss?" His laugh stirred her insides into a queasy froth "I fear you’re bound for disappointly, as if he already knew the answer, "And your e to Edmund? Was it wedded bliss?"

What could she say? She had wanted to love Ediven her the chance, she would have loved hie"

Her e the subject from Edmund’s rejection

"Why are you really here? I don’t believe you ca e of topic or pursue the e with Edmund At last he answered her "Curiosity, I suppose I wanted to see how you fared on your introduction to the ton"

Meredith clucked and stepped forward to flick a piece of i adered on his jacket, one finger lightly tapping the hardness of his chest beneath the fine fabric

"I never professed to hate you," he replied His eyes re down at her in the dark "I simply don’t trust you You, my lady, are trouble… a co Trouble A cooods to be dispensed

Meredith pulled her hand free froered on his chest and lifted her chin a notch

"Have I passed inspection?" She rubbed her fingertips together as if she could erase the feel of hi You won’t catch bees with vinegar, you know"

"I had no choice," she grumbled

His hand reached out to fondle a fat curl draped artfully across her shoulder "The color of your gown co dresses you better than her own granddaughter"

Meredith glanced down at her peach gown of watered silk, pleasure suffusing her at the si to offset his compliment, he added, "However, the bodice is much too low"

"It’s the fashion And no lower than any other woht," she defended

"Not every woman here has your char the swell of one breast as he withdrew

Heat flooded Meredith’s cheeks at the innocuous contact, certainly unintentional on his part

Surely only she found it hard to keep her hands to herself He had aze darted around, needing to look elsewhere Anywhere save his face Unfortunately, her scan of the es and how very alone they were The last tiht, and she veered hermemory

She bit the corner of her bottom lip "And my conduct? Have you no complaints on that score?"

"Do you need my approval, Meredith?" he asked in all er "You never seemed to want it before"

"Of course not I washer arms around herself Because she was cold Not because he made her tremble

"Then to satisfy your curiosity I’ll tell you that your conduct does notwith unaze cut to his face and she dropped her hands to her hips "I have behaved appropriately,"

she insisted