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“Right,” Alexis agreed numbly

Happiness Could she bring that elusive ingredient back into Raoul’s life? While her aihter, could he find rooain?

She pushed the thought away If he could accept Ruby into his life, she’d be satisfied She had no right to hope for anything more

Five

After everyone had eaten, the group of adults sat around watching their kids at play Alexis kept her eye on Ruby as she crawled a couple of round where Laura and some of the other parents had taken their babies for a turn on the swings The grass would be hell on those pink dungarees, she thought ruefully, but it was good for Ruby to be out in the fresh air and interacting with everyone else It wouldn’t be long before tiredness would set in—she was already overdue for her nap—but Alexis wanted to prolong the fun for as long as possible

A cry of anguish froirl, distracting her for the moment it took to return a clearly much-loved piece of tatty muslin to its stroller-bound owner She turned her eyes back to where Ruby had been, only to feel her stomach drop She lurched to her feet, her eyes anxiously scanning the crowd for the little splotch of pink Her feet were already round Ah, there she was Relief flooded Alexis with the force of a tidal wave and she covered the short distance between them as quickly as she could

Ruby sat on her little padded butt, chewing on soround A sht as she reached her

“What’s that she’s got?”

Raoul appeared beside thehter, an expression of distaste on his face as he reached down and extricated the twig froreement with his action, loudly

“I thought you were supposed to be watching her,” he accused, holding the stick out for Alexis to see it

“I was I—”

“Not closely enough, it seems God only knohat else she could have picked up and put in her ”

“Raoul, you’re overreacting It’s just a twig, and off a nontoxic plant at that Babies learn by putting things in their mouths Don’t worry, she’s fine”