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She’d have to find some other way to persuade Mr Thorne that she was exactly what she see, and spent her spare tiood works for those in need And she was not the slightest bit interested in playing a part in any ned herself to spinsterhood

I want you and I mean to have you

She shivered again at the memory of his words, with that delicious mixture of fear and excitement

“’Ave you caught a chill, Miss Francesca?” Lil was using a soft cloth to wash her back and shoulders “You shouldn’t’ve been out in that weather The moor’s no place for a lady”

Francesca leaned forward to allow Lil better access to her back, enjoying being pa the hten me”

“Well maybe they should do,” Lil retorted, unstoppable as ever

Francesca smiled into her folded arms Lil was Lil and they all loved her dearly It was sad that she hadn’t married the balloon aeronaut she’d met at Vauxhall Gardens, but for some reason Lil had broken off with him and returned north to Greentree Manor She’d married Jacob Coachman a year later, and they’d been happy until Jacob was killed in an accident ten ic, and Lil still wore her eeds, but secretly Francesca wondered whether she ever regrettedthe safer choice Not that she’d ever ask; Lil kept her personal feelings very much to herself, and wouldn’t appreciate any unsolicited prying

“That ain Lil’s voice broke into her

“Mr Thorne?” Francesca’s voice was ave her a sense of stepping outside her boundaries

Lil paused in her entleman, miss I’ve seen his like before”

“Lil, you don’t even know him!”

“I don’t need

to know him I seen the way he looked at you”

“Mr Thorne spent all night in the mire, remember? He was too weak to ithout assistance What harm could he possibly do to me?”

“Men are ument “Now lean back and I’ll wash your hair, Miss Francesca Tsk, such a wild et a coh it”