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How could he possibly ree with our assessment of this exquisite beast?"

The words juht "A plu a ht the double entendre only after she herself made it But the duke didn’t miss the intiht, a secret promise that made fire pool in her body

"Why, Miss Lytton," he said, his voice a deep purr, "you surprise me"

It forcibly occurred to her that he had deliberately brought Lady Godiva into the conversation at luncheon "Ury in his eyes that wasn’t for her--couldn’t be for her She could never have what he was offering

That hunger should be for Georgiana From the time she was ten years old she’d known that her future didn’t includethis

She couldn’t think what to say

The children had no such hesitation "You’re looking at Miss Lytton like the way our Annie looks at Bean," Apple told the duke

"I expect you’re walking out," Apricot chimed in "Ma did say as how the duke was like to marry, remember?"

The duke didn’t seem to be inclined to respond One moment he had looked unemotionally ducal, for lack of a better word, and the next his face was transforh sensuality

"That’s just how Bean looks back at Annie, too," Acorn put in, apparently taking silence as encouragement "Like trouble, that’s what Mum says" She turned to Olivia "That’s why Annie won’t come out of the house Because those purple buet there?"

Olivia frowned

"Iffen she had had her clothes on," Acorn explained

"See, Bean is the butcher’s son, and they’re walking out," Apricot added "Though you shouldn’t be saying things like that to fine folk," she told her brother with a poke to hisabout their own clothes"

"We don’t?" Olivia asked

"You can’t take ’eh it could be she’s wrong"

Alas, Olivia had to confirowns are all buttoned up the back and I do need soood news is that you won’t get the purple itch, then, at least not on your bottoravely

But he would never fool Olivia again This particular dukequite different inside

A smile, a hidden smile

Twelve

The Merits of Scrambled Custards and Gooseberries

Immediately upon the little band’s return to Littlebourne Manor--the unfortunate Annie’s rash having been inspected, diagnosed, and treated--the dowager waved all the ladies off to their chaer at Quin