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“Francesca is a very proper young lady”

“Well, then”

Francesca tried her best to appear “proper” beneath his steely gaze, and she must have done a reasonable job of it, because he looked almost benevolently upon her

“Very well, then I will speak to Mrs March about it Thank irl!” to Francesca “You are about to have more money and time lavished on you than you no doubt deserve”

“Uncle William, I have no wish to—”

“Thank your uncle, my dear” Amy’s eyes could be just as steely as her brother’s

Francesca knehen she was beaten “Thank you very much Now, if you will excuse me The excite sick in the pit of her sto her looks and her prospects and her secrets And all the ti for her tofor the real Francesca to escape her bonds and scandalize London

She shivered

And what about Sebastian? If Uncle William knew about him, he would have an apoplexy Two apoplexies But was it likely he’d find out? Sebastian was not soed in the shadows, and that here he must stay

Francesca realized then that she’d miss him It would have been very pleasant indeed to waltz in Sebastian’s strong ar the expression in his eyes when he saw her in her new ball gown He wouldn’t mind if she scandalized London In fact, she realized with surprise, he probably wouldn’t care what she did as long as she was being herself Sebastian didn’t approve when she played at being the sort of young woman Uncle William wanted her to be

He wanted to set her free

Francesca couldn’t decide whether that was a good thing

Chapter 18

“You see that man over there?”

Lil peered across the square, following the direction of Martin’s pointing finger The house was in darkness, but there was a gas la