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“Sir Jae Do you know of him?”

“No, Mrs Jardine, I don’t know Sir James Friswell Oh, but wait a moment…”

His pause fixed their attention to him Slowly, suspiciously, Francesca’s eyes lifted to his “Is he the gentleman who shoots?” he asked silkily

Scarlet flooded into her cheeks She dropped her knife with a clatter

“There is a great deal of shooting on t

he bigger estates,” Mr Jardine began

“Oh? I had heard…” Sebastian went on, drawing it out He could see Francesca fu with her napkin, a frown between her brows “I had heard that there was a tiger escaped from a circus”

Aer? Is this true?”

Mr Jardine shook his head “Not to ame with you, Mr Thorne Soers There are no tigers in Yorkshire”

“How disappointing,” he said

Francesca lifted her chin Their eyes held, clashed, and then she rose to her feet “I aht, Mr Thorne, and…good-bye”

Mr Thorne bowed his head, but his smile remained

She ht believe that

But he knew otherwise

Chapter 6