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And here she was thinking about hi her drea a book and absorbing the story She would find herself drifting off with thoughts of him She didn’t think of the old sea captain or the scarred one or the toothless one she’d approach about passage She didn’t even think of the fair handso their h and a ready sht of It was the captain with icy blue eyes that seeer they spoke The one who ers over that unshaven jaw

Walter had never been in her presence with stubble shadowing his face All of his buttons were always properly done up Not a single strand of his wheat-golden hair was ever out of place The two men were complete opposites The captain was not the sort to appeal to her in the least, so why did he plague her so?

She had no answer to that question as the carriage drew to a halt outside the manor Suddenly she was incredibly weary It seey when she was facing an encounter with Crie and she trudged up the stone steps, each one more laborious to reach than the one before Once inside she felt the oppressive weight of despair She would talk with her father She didn’t want to enter the London Season Not this year Perhaps next

"Martha, please giveme some war the banister, Anne dragged herself up the stairs Theor invitation It just seemed to slam into her of its oill She didn’t like it, she didn’t want it She needed Walter to conquer it Her father didn’t understand that He’d never needed anyone, not even her e They’d been content, but when her o, her father had carried on

Anne wanted to be that strong, but it see when the one who held her affections departed this world

She walked down the long hallway toward the corner rooreeted her Not a snore or a bed creaking or whispers They were out, her brothers Her father as well, no doubt Why didinto her bedcha her pelisse and tossing it on a nearby chair, she began tugging off her gloves, refusing to remember how lovely it had felt as the captain had removed one Fortunately she owned several pairs, but still she didn’t like that she had left one behind When she was done she tossed theany wardrobe The door released a quick snick as she opened it and reached into the back for the brandy she’d pilfered from her father’s collection She knew ladies didn’t drink spirits, but she’d been so cold after Walter’s death that she’d been desperate for warht in her father’s liquor cabinet

She set a snifter on her vanity and poured herself a generous portion

"I’ll join you"

With a startled gasp she spun around, the decanter slipping froers It didn’t hit the floor and shatter into a thousand shards because Cri it on its journey to extinction Breathing harshly, she stared at hihtly past her, he set the decanter on the vanity Then he held up a hand before her face Over it was draped her glove, the one she’d left at the tavern that awful night, the one he’d relove"

"How did you get in here?"

His gaze wandered over her features and she suddenly felt bared to his inspection She desperately wanted to step back but she didn’t want hirows outside yourFor aa store"

"If I were to scream, my father and brothers--"