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Ja froed by grief and anger and tears that had taken a decade to spill frolad she had chosen to tell him So relieved So honoured It made him feel as if she finally saw him as someone she could trust Not someone ould exploit her or betray her It was a nice feeling A good feeling He blotted her wet cheeks with the pad of his thuet you into a nice hot bath I’ll tell the jeweller to push back our appointment an hour’

She put her hand over his and held it to her cheek ‘James’

He looked into her tear-washed grey eyes ‘Yes?’

She chewed at her lip, looking so young and vulnerable his chest cramped ‘I’ve never told anyone that Not even your mother’

He brushed a wisp of hair off her forehead with a gentle hand ‘I wish I’d known ten years ago I would’ve tried to help you’

She trained her gaze on his shirt button ‘I’ with your father I never intended to do anything other than show your mother what a jerk he was I didn’t realise how much it would impact you’

James tipped up her face to look into her eyes ‘I knew s to a head, led on in silence for God kno long I guess you can tell she’s not the type to give up easily’

She gave a long sigh ‘I owe her a lot And how do I repay her? By stuffing up your engagement to Phoebe what’s-her-name’

Jaht about Phoebe for days He struggled to think of what he had liked about her Liked? Wasn’t he supposed to have loved her? Had he loved her? He had liked that Phoebe fitted in with his lifestyle, that she was poised and well spoken, well read and cultured That she understood the deround and support him

But there were things he hadn’t liked, annoying little things he had chosen to ignore Phoebe was not adventurous or playful, in bed or out of it She was even more staid and formal than he was She had no interest in people outside her social circle She didn’t stop to talk to the housekeeper or the gardener

And she would definitely not run screaer to rescue a little dog