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When he finally released her, it took her several seconds to realise where they were and why Tears glittered brightly in her eyes as she started to turn away from him, her face hot with shame Why was it that she responded so immediately and so physically to him? Why?

‘Poppy,’ she heard hi when she made to walk away The sound of his voice halted her and she turned autoot this,’ he reers spread, placed against her stomach

She could feel the warh her clothes—h she kneas impossible Poppy could have sworn that the new life within her responded somehow to his touch, knew it almost

Head bowed, she stood there unresisting as the tears again filled her eyes like liquid crystals She could feel Jaap between them She could feel the warmth of his breath as he bent his head towards her, and the fear that heback the wretched, treacherous surge of desire that he seemed to summon up within her so effortlessly lent her the impetus to push away from him and half run towards the sanctuary of the house

‘I’m afraid that I’m really the one to blarip felt oddly co the icy chill of her own nervously tense fingers

Ja her parents that they intended to marry as soon as they could—and why The silence which had followed his announce her head in shame as she’d waited for the blow to fall and for her parents to de James’s child when they both kne much she loved Chris, but to her astonished her lovingly whilst her father cleared his throat

‘Oh, darling, I always knew that eventually you and Jah I must admit, I didn’t expect it to happen quite so—’

‘It’sPoppy towards him so that she had no alternative but to allow him to draw her into the protection of his body

And he told her parents with an apparent sincerity that had Poppy holding her breath and staring up at hi loved and wanted her for so long, once Poppy Well, let’s just say that I let h the potential consequences And, wrongly or not, I can’t pretend that the end result isn’t one that fills h for the sake of conformity I should have taken steps

‘My main concern in all of this is that Poppy isn’t upset and that you’ll forgiveyou of the opportunity to spend the next twelve ,’ he told Poppy’s mother wryly

‘Well, I must admit that you have rather surprised us,’ Poppy’s ,’ she reassured Poppy ‘I do remember how it feels to be so very ently ‘Your father and I’

Poppy’s father coughed again, h

‘It will have to be a quiet fa, of course; have you made any plans? Poppy will need a dress, of course, and then there’ll be the wedding breakfast’

‘No,’ Poppy protested ‘I’ She flushed as both her parents looked at her ‘I won’t need a dress,’ she told the I—’

‘It won’t be a register office wedding,’ Ja married in church,’ he told her mother, to Poppy’s shock

And then, before Poppy could say anything, he cupped her face in one hand and there, in full view of her parents, turned it up towards his own, kissing her lightly on the tip of her nose and then farsoftly, ‘I don’t want anyone thinking that either of us regrets what’s happened or that our child isn’t welcome and a wanted addition to our lives And I certainly don’t want the other than a celebration of the love we feel for one another and for him or her’

It wasn’t until he kissed the moisture fro As James released her she saw that her mother’s eyes looked suspiciously damp as well

‘I can’t wear a white dress,’ she told her mother shakily ‘It will have to be—’

‘Ivory or crea her ‘White has never been a good colour for you I re robe

‘If it’s just going to be a fa breakfast here We’ll have it catered, of course Have you told your own mother yet?’

‘No, Poppy and I are going to see her later’