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“Letty, for heaven’s sake! I was funning you,” Callie said, then lowered her voice to say, “he kissed my mouth and I…I kissed him back In truth I have been able to think of little else”

“Oh, my”

Oh, my indeed

“Do you like the viscount? Because I do not think you can marry hial?”

She flushed hot, and annoyance prickled her spine “Letty you go too far It was just a few kisses and you are suggesting e! I do not even like him!”

Her sister folded her arant brow “Then why did you allow him liberties?”

Callie closed her eyes briefly “I…I feel a bit foolish to say this but when he kisses me, I feel like he is the center of a storht in it” An odd sensation quivered low in her belly

Letty appeared at loss for words for several seconds, then said, “Is he courting you?”

“He has no favorable intentions” And Callie did not know if she wanted him to have any

In round-eyed astonish Vinnette did not satisfy—”

“He did not ruin her,” Callie blurted, disconcerted by how she wanted to defend him Did she dare to really like the viscount?

“Oh,” Letty said, her ire deflated “Still…what did he mean by his kisses?” she asked with naïve curiosity

Callie lifted a shoulder in a shrug, not wanting to ad for hours Was he interested in her, or was he playing the libertine? “I do not want to think about that noe need to direct all our efforts to Ma for fear of encountering the earl”

“Yes, I heard all those s about the dreadfulfor her to accept the earl’s invitation to a stroll this h “Why did he not asked her to dance at last night’s soiree It is evident the earl is shamelessly besotted He danced with three ladies and not once with mamma She was miserable for it”

“I thinktoo careful with her emotions, it makes her seems rather indifferent Perhaps Lord Deeras uncertain But he tried toWe did shamefully eavesdrop, and the earl worked hard to persuade Ma for the first time if she should allow the entire scheested