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“Tell Matilda to get some rest,” the earl advised “I’ll administer Miss Johnston’s next dose of laudanum Once the medicine takes effect, she’ll sleep until midafternoon, so neither you nor Matilda will be needed However, once Miss Johnston awakens, perhaps the two of you could entice her to eat some toast”

“Of course,” the housekeeper agreed immediately “ ’Twould be a pleasure, my lord” With a polite smile in Courtney’s direction, she took her leave

The earl gave Courtney another probing look “Is the pain severe?”

“I can bear it, if that’s what you mean Ask your questions The laudanum can wait a few minutes”

“Damn, I feel like a cad,” he muttered

?

??Don’t Obviously your concerns are serious”

“Serious? Yes Or I wouldn’t be pressuring you like this” A pause “My sister’s life is at stake”

“Your sister?” It was the last thing Courtney had expected

“Yes The pirate who seized your ship used you as bait He wanted so quite valuable And he’s not alone Hundreds of greedy bastards want the same prize And one of theht even kill her, and all to get his hands on that bloody gem”

Gem Another vivid recollection fell into place The pirate…taunting her with instant death if whoever he aiting didn’t deliver the requisite stone “Of course,” Courtneyabout”

“He spoke to you?” Her rescuer lunged forward like a panther

Courtney gazed into the handsoave voice to the question she’d wanted to ask a dozen ti boat, had that question not vanished into nothingness each time she’d tried to speak it “Who are you?”

For a moment, he seemed not to have heard Then, he replied, “Slayde Huntley The Earl of Pembourne”

“Huntley…” Reflexively, Courtney came up off the bed, then sank back on the pilloith a moan