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Rosalie gave a moan of appreciation It all tasted incredible The herb-crusted la over charcoal for hours, Xandros told her—and the accompaniments, hearty as they were, tasted, to herin since Xandros had lifted her of the poverty she’d known all her life

‘This is so good!’ she enthused

Maria e an open bottle of red wine, depositing that, too, on the table with a flourish

Rosalie ventured another line of phrasebook Greek, trying to saying how good the food was, and acquired a volley of approving speech in return

Xandros translated for her ‘She says you need to be strong for your wedding night,’ he told her

In the candlelight there was a knowing glint in his eyes that Rosalie found difficult to cope with But then reason came to the rescue

He knows the irony of that That’s what that glint is for

A shadow fluttered over her and she reached for her flute again, to banish it But as the ressed it was hard to keep to her resolve not to be beguiled by everything about Xandros

He’d always been attentive to her when they’d dined together in Athens, but this evening, under the fairy-lights woven into the vines, in the soft, flickering candlelight, she could see his eyes constantly on her War

She tried to ward it off

He doesn’t realise the effect he’s having! That’s the thing—he doesn’t mean itdoesn’t intend it It just comes naturally to him It’s part of who he is

The ine, let alone have set eyes on in real life

She fought it—she had to—but it was getting harder by the minute

He’d poured a full glass of red wine for her, and its heady strength could not be denied Perhaps it was not wise of her to imbibe so freely, but it washed the rich lamb down so perfectly it was hard to refrain

Her plate was e for theood it was impossible to refrain from that