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All in all, Slayde concluded, his fingers tightening about the reins, he’d just enumerated far too many nevers to suit him Consue the truth: not only did Courtney Johnston have an a effect on hiht fro inside him he hadn’t known existed and would will away if he could

Ironic that he would do so more for her sake than for his own

’Twas true, he was a loner He’d been that way all his life—from Eton to Oxford How much of that trait was inherent and how ed curse and its ramifications, he hadn’t a clue The fact remained that, since childhood, he’d relied only upon hihtened that independence and inner strength, because froer been a man unto himself He was needed—by Aurora, by the enormous responsibilities left to hi endured the profound devastation rendered by those who sought the black diamond, to retain his autonomy, not only emotionally, but in fact

Thus, on the day he discovered his parents’ bodies, he vowed to hieneration of Huntleys had suffered the hatred and greed spawned by his great-grandfather’s theft, that the last drop of Huntley blood had been spilled

That the family name would die with him

It wouldn’t be difficult to acco Huntleys Aurora would marry—he’d see to it—and her children would bear her husband’s name After which, if Slayde died without wife or issue, Aurora’s offspring would inherit the Pe immune to the Huntley curse

If Slayde died without wife or issue

Accordingly, his responsibility was to relinquish any thought ofa child And he’d fulfilled both aspects of that responsibility—the former by undisputed decision, the latter by discipline and by choosing seasoned bed conception as he

Hardly a description of Courtney

No, a wo husband, a houseful of children, and a lifetied tomorrows, none of which he could offer her So attraction or not, wonder or not, she had no place in his life And since she was clearly too naïve to recognize this, it was up to him to protect her

To save her—again Only this time, from himself

Jaws tightly clenched, Slayde urged the horses toward the town of Newton Abbot—and toward the s that would culminate in a confrontation with the Duke of Morland

It was just past ten o’clock when Slayde steered his phaeton around the bend leading to Morland Manor

Griht of what he’d learned froues hom he’d spoken

His findings had been