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'You're going to e?'

'Yes'

'And that's why Celia left?' He sounded incredulous

'Try to understand how she felt, Carl,' she said quickly 'She's beenti a wife at this late stage' In fact she felt sure Celia hadn't expected Rafe to marry at all

'But even so'

'She'll come round, Carl, I'm sure of it' If for no other reason than that Rafe held the purse strings

He took a deep breath 'So you're going to marry your cousin'

'He isn't my cousin, Carl, we aren't related My father already had me before he married Rafe's cousin'

Carl stood up, 'I think I should be going now, I've taken up enough of your tilass down on the table

Hazel stood up too 'Oh, don't go yet, Carl It's early' She wasn't in the mood for her own company at the moment

'No, I think I should go'

'Stay and keep ly

'No, I------'

'Oh, stay, Mr Logan,' drawled Rafe from the open doorway 'My fiancée so obviously craves your company that it would be a pity to disappoint her' He ca the door heavily behind hilassful of whisky 'Just carry on as if I weren't here'

Hazel glanced hurriedly at Carl, seeing his embarrassment 'Rafe!' she said sharply

He gave her an insolent look 'Yes?'

'You're e our visitor'

He looked coldly at Carl 'He isn't my visitor If you must invite your ex-lovers to the house don't expect me to entertain them'

'Rafe!' She was deathly white, her eyes a cloudy brown

'It doesn'tnoay' He nodded abruptly to the other e—Hazel'

She caught up with him in the hallway 'I',' she lied, knowing full well that it was finding her alone in the lounge with Carl that had sparked off Rafe's anger

He squeezed her hand understanding 'I understand, if I were him I'd be jealous too'

She smiled at him 'Thank you'

All huoing straight to Rafe as he stood by the drinks cabinet, a fresh drink in his hand 'How many of those have you had?' she asked coldly

'Not enough,' he growled, throwing the alass again

'I think you've hadin here throwing accusations at people! Carl's visit here was perfectly innocent, which is '

'And hoould that be?'

'At Janine Clarke's In her bed, for all I know'

'You could be right,' he said calmly

'I know I am'

'Maybe it was a way of saying goodbye I expect to be much too busy in future in my own bed with my wife to have the time to visit other women'

She coloured at his taunting tone 'I'ht'

'Enjoy your last few nights alone,' he mocked softly 'Because as frohts'

Hazel fumed all the way up to her bedrooht, and she was going to enjoy watching him squirm Oh yes, she would enjoy that enormously

CHAPTER NINE

The wedding seemed to have attracted all the local people, the hastily invited guests in no waythe aements had been made with relative ease by Rafe, even to the extreown

It was a truly beautiful gown, the white lace bodice finishing just below the bust to flow out in a cloud of white chiffon The neckline was low, revealing the dark curve of her breasts, a choker of pearls on lace to alleviate the bareness of her throat The veil was a ether by a band of pearls

She hadn't been able to hide her surprise when the dress, refusing at first to even consider that it was own definitely was for her, and Hazel had been convinced when told that the purchaser was Rafe

She perversely hadn't own to hi to hiements to be made by him Not that he see her of the ti on this at all