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‘Haze to her scratched wrist and began to wrap her handkerchief around it ‘I do not buy my sisters or my mother presents, and I am not married’

‘No, I suppose I should have deduced that you were not’ Tess tied a neat knot in the handkerchief and looked up

‘Indeed?’ His eyes narrowed and she discovered that relaxed, amiable Lord Weybourn could look very formidable indeed ‘And how did you arrive at that conclusion?’

Chapter Four

‘How did I deduce that you were not erous personal territory and she could only hope he did not think she had been fishingthat she had any ulterior ht smile ‘It was easy from what you said about Christmas If you were married, your ould not allow you to spend it cosily beside the fire with your brandy and books You would be out visiting your in-laws’

‘So you iine that if I were to be married I would live under the cat’s foot, do you?’ The relaxed, rather quizzical sain

‘Not at all But visits to relatives are what happens in families’

‘I wouldn’t know I am out of practice with them’

‘That is a sha part of a fa about whose turn it was to entertain the aard relatives for the holiday season It was a long time since she had experienced a Christe A long tiift and was apparently happy to throw it away

‘A shame? Not at all’ Alex moved away as the landlord, followed by ain their dinner ‘It is freedom’

They said no ain Tess ladled soup into bohile Alex shredded roast chicken into a saucer and put it down for the kitten ‘There you are Now leaveto call him?’

So I’ivea saucer of milk beside the chicken ‘Because he is a Christmas present’