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‘Close enough On a good episode When I’ood soldier But I do need to go take care of otherissues And find my boots At the moment I can’t remember hohere I took them off’

He stood very carefully and gave a sh of relief At the door he turned

‘Thank you, Sam’

And left

Chapter Eight

‘He is no warrior,’ Sekh forht

Leila cast her shadoeen hioddess ‘Yet he did not run with the others He is here’

—The Sprite Queen,

Desert Boy Book One

Egypt had been land still wasn’t convinced it was spring The reen coastline the world lost its sunny briskness and sank into a sulking drizzle that lasted all the way to London

The sae as well It was his first ti it He was even beginning to think fondly of HMS Lark, which was surely a sign of severe desperation Sa the coach ride, but hisbeyond monosyllables and she finally let him be He hoped she would attribute it to what she insisted on calling a rim He could see the benefits such ailments served Not that he wanted to keep Sam at bay, he merely

He didn’t want to be here

England was not a good place for hiland was centred on that brief period with Jacob at Chesham House when he’d been shocked to discover he not only loved being a father, but was a good one

Not a bad brother either—Rafe had surprised both of the at Chesham for almost a year before he had to return to his affairs Jacob had rey Greybournes bloom And then wither

Noas back

And ain

It would be a miracle if he didn’t ruin this

The carriage clacked to a stop and Edge stepped on to the pave Palladian-styled house Sinclair House presented a perfect façade and probably hid a e and her hand jerked a little in his, pulling him out of his self-absorption

‘Sam? What is it?’

She shook her head, the ribbons of her bonnet dancing in the wind