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Major Channing clasped it elegantly in both of his, boith evident interest, even daring to brush his lips across her wrist "You are a picture, Miss Loontwill A picture"

Felicity blushed and took back her hand ht you a olf, Major"

"Ah, Miss Loontwill, it was eternal life as a gallant soldier that called toh, are you, sir? How romantic"

"To the bone, Miss Loontwill"

Alexia felt she was about to be sick, and it had nothing to do with her pregnancy "Really, Felicity, it is the s tomorrow?"

"Oh, yes, Alexia, but I should never wish to be rude in fine co practically clicked his heels "Miss Loontwill, I cannot deny you your beauty rest, however unnecessary I ht feel it Such loveliness as yours is already so near to perfection it can require no further assistance in that regard"

Alexia tilted her head, trying to determine if there was an insult buried in all that flowery talk

Felicity tittered again "Oh, really, Major Channing, we hardly know one another"

"Your , Felicity Rest" Alexia tapped her parasol pointedly

"Oh, la, yes, I suppose I should"

Lady Maccon was tired and out of teht, under such circumstances, to be difficult "My sister is an active e," she explained sweetly to Major Channing

The Gamma was taken aback by this infor years he had never encountered a woman of Felicity’s ilk--and her ilk was in very little doubt after even a few seconds of acquaintance--ould be involved in such a thing as politics

"Really, Miss Loontwill? You must tell me more about this little club of yours I can hardly believe a woance need dabble in such trifles Find yourself a nice gentle for you"

Rather suddenly, Alexia felt like she ine such aof what a wo

Felicity’s eyelashes fluttered as though doing battle with a very fierce wind "No one has asked me yet"

Lady Maccon marshaled her displeasure "Felicity, bed, now I don’t care one jot for your finer feelings, but I need , help me up the stairs and we shall have our little confidence"

Felicity reluctantly undertook to do her sister’s bidding

Major Channing, even more reluctantly, took Alexia’s arm "So, my lady, I wanted to--"

"No, Major, wait until she is well away," cautioned Lady Maccon

They waited,their way slowly up to the next floor

Alexia finally deemed it safe, but still she spoke in a very low voice "Yes?"

"I wanted to say, about that business with our Beta Randolph is different from the rest of us wolves, you do realize? Your father was the love of his life, and we ihtly Oh, there were others before Sandy-- seemed to be one of the few is "But Sandy was the last I worry It was a quarter of a century ago"

Lady Maccon frowned "I have other pressing concerns at the ive thepanicked "Oh, now, I’ for leniency I could not confide such fears to Lord Maccon, and you are also our Alpha"

Alexia pinched at the bridge of her nose "Could we talk about this to, perhaps? I really aotten? Tomorrow is full moon"

"Oh, blast it, it is What a mess Later, then I proood professor without due consideration as to the consequences"

Channing clearly knehen to retreat from a battle "Thank you very much, my lady As to your sister, she is quite a peach, is she not? You have been hiding her fro, she is practically"--she paused to do soe Or worse Don’t you want some maturity in your life?"

"Good God, no!"

"Well, how about so"

Alexia huffed in a raised blond eyebrows at her, handsome devil that he was "Ah, but this is what I enjoy so much about immortality The decadesalong all young and beautiful, noon’t they?"

"Channing, someone should lock you away"