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‘You noticed I was aroused?’

It was possible that a thunderboltpass by in procession No miracle occurred to save her Tess jerked up her chin and made herself look Alex in the eye ‘Yes’ Yes, I did notice that hard ridge of flesh pressed into my stomach Yes, I do knohat it means and, no, I was not shocked I was excited Shaly, excited

‘Youabout it’ Now his voice was as colourless as his expression ‘I would have to bea completely different kind of entleman can We are not all the victims of our animal natures like Dorcas’s previous employer’

‘I know’ She kept her chin up, even though she wanted to bury her face in the carriage rug ‘It is on entleman Impossible to say it Tess closed her eyes and sed ‘I wonder why you are not married’

‘I do not intend tothat he had no intention of visiting Germany

That snapped her eyes open ‘You don’t intend to marry? But that’s ridiculous!’

‘So is being quizzed on the subject by a convent-reared gentlewoe to his voice now and colour up over his cheekbones If he resembled any of the mythical creatures of Sister Moira’s fairy tales, it was no longer a benevolent one ‘Why is it ridiculous that I do not intend to marry? Are you of the opinion that everyone should?’

‘Of course not In my case, for example, it should be obvious that I will not wed’ One dark brow lifted, but she pressed on ‘I a to earn You are an aristocrat, heir to a title Surely e is expected of you?’

‘Exactly I do not choose to do the expected’ There was an unfamiliar, bitter twist to his mouth now

‘Then, it is sient whim?’

Alex turned those slanting hazel eyes on her ‘Throwing brickbats now I have made you uncomfortable, Tess? It is not a whim, it is a deliberate act by soe a crime’

His father Hannah said so your father of the hope of the succession, aren’t you? But you have a brother’