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Hazel blushed, snatching the co-table 'They were a goodbye present from a friend'

Celia raised one dark eyebrow 'They don't look like goodbye to me, more like thank you'

'I'm not interested in your opinion Did you deliberately not tell me about Rafe?' Hazel persisted

'Not deliberately, no I just didn't think it any of your business After all, you aren't family'

Hazel would have liked to have refuted this, but she couldn't when it was al before 'And what makes you think I haven't already told Rafe? We were alone yesterday evening, I had plenty of time to tell him exactly what a deceiver you are'

Celia smiled 'Very politely said, Hazel "I'm sure you could have said a few other names that would have suited the occasion better'

'Like you did yesterday?'

'You make it too easy for me, Hazel, you always did You never would tell Rafe when I pinched you or pulled your hair, and you haven't told him about this either'

'How do you know that?' Hazel shivered under the other girl's conteaze

'Because if you had Rafe would have blasted me out for it But he hasn't said a word about it, only told ht, which I have no intention of doing But I'm sure you won't tell Rafe that either'

'I could tell hi into anger by the other woman's complacency

Celia walked casually over to the door 'Too late Hazel I would only have to say that you're lying to protect yourself, to ingratiate yourself back into Rafe's good books, and he would have to believe me You should have told him when you arrived, not waited until the next day No, Hazel, I'e I'm the one most likely to be believed' After a triumphant smile in Hazel's direction she closed the door quietly behind her as she left

Hazel sla her hot forehead on the cold mirror tiles She felt shivery and hot at the saely eain she had let her get under her skin Oh, why did she let her get aith it? Why didn't she stand up to her, show soained in America?

She turned around with a sigh, resting back against the wall She let Celia get aith it because she was a coward, because she didn't want to leave Savage House so soon after returning here, and more than that, she didn't want to leave Rafe

She put that thought firmly to the back of her mind andfor the day The shower soothed and woke her up and she felt refreshed by the tied-for coffee Celia had seen fit to deny her

Sara looked up with a suessed 'And toast?'

Hazel grinned 'Yes, please' She made herself comfortable on the stool in front of the breakfast bar, as she had often done as a child Sara had always beenher like the daughter she had never had Consequently Hazel had eaten most of her meals in the kitchen, when Rafe had allowed it of course, and during the summer months he had found it very hard to keep track of her whereabouts

The coffee was just as good as she had been i it would be for the last half hour She wasn't really hungry, but as there were still two hours to wait until lunchti

'Where's Rafe today?' she asked casually

'Out on the estate, and has been for the last four hours'

As it was eleven-thirty now that meant Rafe had left at seven-thirty, and he had worked late into the evening too It had been after twelve when she heard him come up to bed, and he had been in his study all that ti 'He works too hard, Sara'

The housekeeper clucked disapprovingly 'Many's the ti like a de told by the doctors that he should take things easy' She shook her head, ‘But he won't listen to anyone, insists on doing the work of three men'

'But sohast 'He'll kill himself!'

Sara poured her so hi that now you're hos a bit easier'