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n Skippy’s preserve Poachers? No—too odd an hour for poachers

She picked through the evergreen bush and peered through the hidden light of the moon She could not see anyone, but she heard most clearly

“My dearest, this cannot continue I won’t have you riding out in the ht, alone just for a few stolen moments…” It was a desperate ed to the Viscount Skippendon

A soft, sweet-sounding fe tone and Mandy heard an accent there—Irish?

“But they are precious ’ Don’t take on so…’tis only a wee bit more we shall have to deal with Soon ill be able to…”

Skip then annoyed Mandy because he cut her off and did not allow Mandy to learn what they soon would be able to do

“No My only love, it must stop, now That is, unless you feel we can…” he said and Mandy thought he sounded miserable

“M’oeet John Darlin’ ye will not deny ht to claih ‘tis m’wish to do so”

“But why? This is torture, Kathleen…”

Now she cut hih ye never really understood I know that Whist there, darlin’, never mind”

As silence ensued, Mandy iined that they were no doubt locked in an e on Skip?

All she wanted then was to hurry off As quietly as she could, she picked her way out of the brush and took her horse in hand as she ed him away from the scene

Why was Skippyon here? The woht, so ould she be sneaking off to meet the viscount? He was a nobleinable way…so this did not make sense

Sir Owen had said that Skip was seeing someone and had not wanted her to know about his relationship with Celia So here it was the truth of the matter…?

Sir Owen had said Skip could be the father of Celia’s unborn child No…that wasn’t like Skip at all She refused to think this