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“Of course I’ll let Max know”

“No, I will send hiers, remember Do you think he will refuse?”

“He can hardly refuse me, not after he proh to travel the short distance to the club Especially,” Marietta’shiets here” It would be Marietta ould be doing all the work

“That is settled then,” Aphrodite said, ignoring her daughter’s expression, and rising to her feet with a rustle of silk and lace

It was a dismissal, and obediently Marietta stood up, too “Thank you, Aphrodite I will try to…that is, I will do as you say”

“Of course you will,” Aphrodite agreed Then she hesitated

Marietta looked at her expectantly

“My child, I do not kno to say thi

s…You have never asked er for such information, but you…you do not seem to want to know”

Marietta felt a little chill inside her and knew it for what it was—fear “I do not need to meet him, Madame,” she said quietly “I am content with you and my sisters I am sure I would be a disappointment to him”

Aphrodite gave a fierce frown “That is nonsense! A disappointhter to be proud of, and so he will be I will not have such talk, do you hear me?”

Marietta had never seen her ry “I did not mean—”

“He is in town”

She stopped, confused “You mean my father is here, in London?”

Aphrodite nodded “I have seen him I can call upon him, if you wish, and ask if he will see you Of course, it is entirely up to you” She shrugged huffily, and Marietta bit her lip on a smile, but her humor was brief