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“On what?”

“On the someone”

He chuckled “Now I find that strangely encouraging,” hein her heart She’d pro more to do with men There was too much heartache involved, and she had too many secrets Martin would want to know all about her, too; they all did He’d pick and pry until he’d winkled the past out of her, and then he’d turn up his nose and walk away

She couldn’t bear that She’d rather stop it right now, as she had with Mr Keith And as for Jacob, he hadn’t cared enough about her past to ask All he’d wanted was someone to cook and clean his clothes and roll about with in bed He thought Lil was a good choice because she was a lady’s irl

But Lil knew that it would be different with Martin He was articulate and intelligent, and he ether; she could see theether

And that hat frightened her

“I’ll be going back to Yorkshire soon,” she said “Miss Francesca ant o with her”

“That’s a pity” Martin shook his head “What if I asked you to stay with me? You could help me look after Mr Thorne”

“I don’t think so What would Mr Thorne ith a lady’s maid?”

Martin s married, Lil”

“Married?” she was astonished

“Yes I found a pair of lady’s drawers stuffed into the bookcase the other day”

Lil’s eyes grew even wider

“You think about it, Lil It would be coether in London I reckon we’d , that is”

She couldn’t help but s? But it was te, when she re behind