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“It isn’t as if I’ll need your expert assistance to try to persuade her to come back with me,” Will said irritably “She’s a bloody duchessa now, for heaven’s sake Besides, you’ve never before interfered in my affairs of the heart”

“I’ve never before had to serve you while you prowled around like a bear with a sore paw, snapping at everything Oh, you’ve been better since we returned to Brook, but if I were to let you go alone and you failed to win Miss Antinori this tiland that I ht have to let the razor slip the first time I shaved you”

For a bleak moment, Will considered what his life would be, stripped of any hope of winning Allegra “If I came back without her, I’d probably want you to”

Barrows tipped back the rest of the brandy “Exactly,” he said, setting down the glass “So how soon do we leave?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

NEAR NOON TWO WEEKS LATER, Allegra strolled a graveled allée in the for the shade provided by the sculpted yews and the wind-drifted moisture from the fountains Already the afternoon pro

A reluctant Signora Bertrude sat on a nearby bench beside a wilted ra that ’twas already too hot to venture into the garden But after being confined to the house alltoo restless to re outside pleasant again, Allegra had insisted on co now

She was about to take pity on her attendants when a footentleman come to see you, Duchessa,” he said

Allegra suppressed a groan “Offer him refreshment, Federico, but tell him ’tis too sultry forI shall see hiht”

“So I already told hi you his card” The foot his head in disapproval “A foreign gentlee not very well”

One special English gentleman came immediately to mind—but that was impossible Still, a tremor of anticipation fluttered in her stomach as she seized the card—then uttered a cry of pure joy

Will! Unbelievable as it seemed, it really was Will Of course, she had invited him, so it wasn’t totally beyond credibility that he’d come, but it had only been a feeeks since she’d written…

She took a deep breath and pulled her wits together “Please escort him here immediately, Federico”

About to walk off, the foot him here? Now? Are you sure, Duchessa?”

“Yes At once”

Looking mystified, the footman bowed and went off

Her heart commenced to pound and she could feel her cheeks flush Suddenly nervous, Allegra snon was still in place If only this yellowfrom the heat!

“You nora Bertrude walked to Allegra’s side, disapproval on her face “Please, Duchessa, not in the seclusion of the garden! Let us go into the house, where I may summon a footman—”

“Nonsense, signora,” Allegra interrupted ih beside the fountains Lord Tavener is not going to ravish ,” she added, to the scandalized gasp of the duenna

She could still scarcely believe Will was here As she could scarcely prevent herself froer was she to verify it really was hi

What could have brought him here, almost as if the invitation in her letter had su trip…but no, he hadn’t sent in his wife’s card, which he surely would have done if he were married He must have come alone