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“What about gentlewoed to be married? Surely they are beyond censure?”

“Only if they are in love”

Max slid his arazed down into her eyes “And are you in love?”

“Oh yes” Marietta stood on tiptoe and kissed his lips, a brief butterfly kiss “Very much”

Max groaned at the brevity of the kiss The vocalist hit another high note and he began to lead her out of the crush, toward one of the tree-lined avenues “If this is our last rendezvous I want it to be one we’ll both reo so under that cloak is as heart-stopping as I think it is”

She pretended his words hadn’t affected her “I don’t know if I should allow you to touch me, Max”

He stopped by a hedge that shielded them from passersby and took her in his ar,” he said at last

Marietta took a moment to answer and when she did she had abandoned her play-acting “Will we be happy in Cornwall?” she whispered, with her head resting against his chest

He bent and kissed her hair, his hands s?”

“No, not really, only so happy like this, Max I’ about a future with you in it”

Perhaps so doubts did sound in her voice, because Max removed his mask so that she could see his face properly His dark hair had been slicked back from his forehead, and he looked different, handsoer This was Max Valland, Lord Roseby, the Duke of Barwon’s son, and Marietta did not doubt it for a moment

Her heart gave a little skip of trepidation

Max took her hands in his, his fingers strong and warers, Max’s hands; they had held her and stroked her and made love to her These were the hands she would hold as sheday, and that their children would grasp as they took their first steps

“Darling Marietta, I want you to know that I will never leave you We will go to Cornwall and I pro in my power to ensure that you are happy With you atI feel complete”

It was a wonderful speech, the sort of speech she used to dreaazed in to his eyes, she found herself wondering what he would think when she explained to him about Aphrodite’s Club She knew she must be a coward, but she was afraid to tell him that one day his future ould be the proud owner of a bordello