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She went to hiri Adam, Aline took his hands and ser," she teased "No, wait--were you not once a frequent visitor to Stony Cross Park? It has been so long since I’ve seen you, my memory fails me"
Adam’s mouth quirked with amusement as he replied "My absence has been deliberate, sweet--and you knohy"
She felt a glow of fondness, co that he had stayed away to allow her to deal with McKenna in any way she desired "That doesn’t prevent ers squeezed hers before he released her hand "I’ll come to call soon," he promised "Now, introduce me to your companion"
Obediently Aline made the introduction between her dearest friend and her past love…the former, ould never cause her unhappiness, and the latter, who ale to see McKenna and Adained the two of the, and she could not help but el and the devil
"Mr McKenna," Adam said easily, "your return to Stony Cross has afforded Lady Aline such delight that I can’t help but share it, as I a her pleasure"
"Thank you" McKenna subjected him to a coldly hostile stare "You have been friends for soh five years," Adam replied
A stilted silence ensued, until it was broken by a cry fro in the direction of the voice, Aline realized that some of McKenna’s old friends had seen hied boy, as now a stocky married man in his midthirties…Tom Haydon, the baker’s son, who now ran his father’s business…and Tohter who, Aline nudged McKenna gently "Go on"
He needed no further urging As he strode to the group with a grin, they all let out jubilant laughs and shook hands enthusiastically Mary, a mother of five, wore a look of astonishment on her round face as McKenna bent to kiss her cheek
"I perceive that you have not been intimate with him yet," Adam said to Aline sotto voce
She replied softly as she continued to watch McKenna "I h to take such a risk"
"As your friend, I should probably advise you not to do soret later" Adareat deal of fun that way"
"Ada?"
"Only if you promise to tell h Hearing the sound, McKenna turned and looked at her, a scoorking between his dark brows
"There, I’ve just made it easier for you," Adam murmured "The flames of jealousy have been fanned Noon’t rest until he claims his territory My God, you do like theh, McKenna returned to her in less than aAline’s elbow in a clear display of ownership "We were heading to the village green," he reminded her curtly
"So ere," Aline retfully, no" Adam lifted Aline’s free hand to kiss the points of her knuckles "Ito you both"
"Goodbye," McKenna said,no effort to hide his animosity as the handsome viscount took his leave
"Do be civil to hie is quite dear to s hurt for the world"
"I was being civil," McKennahis obvious jealousy "You barely said one word to hilowered ree--"
"What kind of a man is he," McKenna interrupted, "that he h the village by soe and I have a certain understanding--we allow each other as ehtened," he repeated with ill-concealed contee is a fool And if I were in his place, you wouldn’t even be here"
"Where would I be, then?" she asked pertly "At ho your shirt cuffs?"
"No, in my bed Under me"
Her amusement dissolved at once Reaction to the soft-voiced words skittered through her body, ht and shivery She kept silent, her face turning pink as she walked with hilanced at them speculatively as they passed After McKenna had spent so ers’ interest, but the fact that he was in Aline’s coerly
Thefeet as men and wo the infectious melody, Aline let McKenna draw her closer to the estured to their leader, a fiddle player, who approached him at once McKenna spoke close to the man’s ear and crossed his palm with a few coins, while Aline observed hi broadly, the fiddle player hastened back to his coht arded McKenna with growing suspicion "What have you done?"
Bringing her with them to the center of the crowd, the musicians stood her in front where she was visible to everyone Their leader gestured with his bow to McKenna "My entle to honor the char your kind assistance in singing ‘The Rose of Tralee’ to Lady Aline"
The audience applauded heartily, for the tune was a wildly popular one that had just been published that year Turning scarlet, Aline gave McKenna a glance that openly threatened h He returned her gaze with an innocent sly to remind her that she had been the one to request a serenade
The azes, and she shook her head with a grin as they began to play, accompanied by at least two hundred voices Even soathered near to join in, substituting her na:
The pale reen
beneath the blue sea
when I strayed with my love
to the pure crystal fountain
that stands in the beautiful
vale of Tralee
She was
lovely and fair
as the rose of the summer
yet ’twas not her beauty