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He wasn’t sure how long he cradled her there as the shadows lengthened and the stark outline of Neville Tour began showing black against the western sky Finally, inevitably, her eyes fluttered open

Stretching with sleepy satisfaction, she murmured, ‘That was…remarkable’ Then her eyes blinked fully open, and he saw the exact moment she recalled what they’d just done ‘And incredibly ill advised’

‘I suppose I should say I regret it, but if ever lightning bolts would be dispatched to strike down one uttering an untruth, that would have to be the time’

His speech had the desired effect; some of the alar bolt be dispatched for your calling down the Alhty in so inappropriate a situation’

‘The giving of pleasure is a pure gift, devised by God himself,’ he said, his heart in every word

She looked away, her cheeks pinking ‘I don’t really knohat to say’

He tipped her chin back up so she had to ’

He kneould pay for the episode, but he was struck with grief as he saw recognition of the gravity of what she’d just perret creased her brohile the panicked urge to flee widened her eyes

All these years, he’d avoided coin so as not to be forced into wedlock; now the girl he’d just thoroughly compromised wanted to escape this place—because she didn’t want to be compelled to marry him

The bitter irony of it twisted his lips in a gri eer had led the, threatened the dreairl He’d better reassure her she had nothing to fear froe of friendship

Cursing the old Greville for letting things spin out of control, he said, ‘It was unwise, certainly, but with no lasting consequences Except, I hope, a ’

She bobbed her head quickly as, avoiding his eyes, with o Papa will be worried’

‘Yes,’ he agreed, sorting through all the words he wished he could say to find so herself for a weakness she already regretted ‘We o from one abduction to another But you needn’t worry; I’m wonderfully inventive By the time we arrive, I will have concocted a story to explain any lost time To make it creditable, however, we must tidy you’

To his relief, she let hi fingers, he helped her pin up her hair, keeping hi another kiss on her head as a sorrow keener than that cutlass slash seared his heart

She took a step towards her horse, then hesitated ‘Whatever story you concoct,in it to alarm Papa’

‘There won’t be,’ he assured her ‘Nothing to alarm you, either You mustn’t feel uneasy; no one but the two of us will ever knohat happened here’

The lessening of the anxiety on her face both relieved and pained hi trapped into wedding him

‘I know you would never hurt me’

Meaning, she trusted him never to reveal their indiscretion He supposed that was so

‘Of course I wouldn’t I only hope my rashness hasn’t destroyed our friendship’

She blushed a bit ‘I believe we’ve rather shockingly bypassed the bounds of “friendship”’

‘My fault You are irresistible, you know’

‘I, at least, am supposed to be able to resist’

‘You mustn’t feel ashamed! In another time, another place, your passion will be blessed and sanctified Remember this afternoon, if you do at all, as a preview of the delight to coe your hand’