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As they worked their horses out of the field and back onto the country road just outside their village, Aht the rain would never leave us ‘Tis good to have the sun s, even if it is a bit sultry”

“Eh, oh, I suppose,” Ned replied absently

“Aunt Agatha drove o home and leave us be at Sherborne, I mean after all, it has been well over a year!”

“Lord yes!” Her brother agreed “Gadzooks, that woman does chatter on forever Grandpa could never abide her cohed “At least you had a respite a few months back when she went home to see to her place for a bit I tell you what, Mandy…think I’ll ask her to leave I aht That would solve all the probles, you shouldn’t be either She has never worried about hurting ours”

Mandy gave him a rueful look and a low chuckle, “Indeed, yes But she will need to be booted out if you want her to leave, as she won’t go willingly I know because I have tried hinting at it often enough and I ao”

“Aye, but I aive her a week or so to get her things together, after all Mandy, she has a ho her out in the cold,” Ned said on a groan “Have you noticed the way she walks about the Halls as though she owns the place? I tell you what—one day soon, no doubt as soon as the beaus of London see you, you will get an offer that suits and off you will go and I will be stuck with her” This so upset him that he seethed, “I won’t have it, I tell you! I think it best to ask her to leave immediately…while you are about to back me up”

“Yes, Ned, but we don’t want to be cruel,” Mandy offered on a heavy sigh

“I’ll think of so,” he answered

“Will you?” she laughed

“Bound to, for I tell you roundly, I haveher off Will do it your way at first and if she doesn’t go, then we’ll do it my way How is that?”

Mandy beaht As toany tiht just end up an ‘old maid’, Neddy”

“Zounds girl, you look like ht sh, for it is now or never You’ll be twenty-one, and you are right, people will start thinking of you as a spinster” He winked at her, his eyes alight with his banter

“Odious thing,” she answered with half a s to feel like an old maid Her friends were for the ed and in her i notes about just what to do with a man in bed

It was at the very least, shocking although she admitted to herself that she was more than curious Ho

w could she not be? She listened to the her for more than a year that it was overdue for ashe take her body on its natural course…ht made her smile