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Chapter Thirteen

‘Tired?’ Tess stifled her on and smiled at Dorcas, who perched, heavy-eyed, on the seat beside her Opposite theain, one hand on little Daisy lying securely swaddled on the carriage’s plush upholstery

‘Retiring at two and up at six is not my favourite choice of bedtime, Miss Ellery’

‘Not following on froht to the strap as the carriage rounded the corner on to the Edgware Road and headed north

‘It feels like a drea in such a procession’ Dorcas stroked the upholstery with the reverence she would accord fine silk as she peered out of theinto the gradually lightening ’

Now Dorcas had drawn her attention to their outrider Tess allowed herself to stare It was the first time she had seen Alex on horseback, and she was not at all certain she was glad she had seen hi chestnut that it would only add to her store of delicious, and thoroughly unco and then severely closed away again Ever since that kiss yesterday it had been even more difficult to close the mental door on those fantasies

‘I wonder why he chooses to ride It is such a daet ? It had never occurred to her before, but Alex was controlling the big aniain, that deceptive strength

‘Perhaps he does not want to be sitting with us because of the baby,’ Dorcas said, jerking Tess back from her reverie

‘He could always tell Annie to take her to the other carriage if she became fractious,’ she pointed out

‘I aentleman and patient with her’

Impossible man He is nice to babies and kind to kittens, he looks wonderful on a horse And he kisses like every sort of teine and more