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She wasn’t concerned for herself, but that was selfish Her child would be illegitimate and ridiculed as such How could she do that to her baby?

Maurice was such a finein her logic and heart shifted Her heart still cried for Godwin, but the

babe kicking in her belly told her she had to think of only that child

Maurice looked her way and she saw his eyes light up Could she learn to more than like him? Was that possible?

The coulf his heart Was it a trick of thethere, was itmore? Dare he hope?

She did not look away but nificent eyes that said so very ly, he lance He wanted her both physically and spiritually He wanted her in a way he was certain no man had ever wanted a woman before Ah, she knew and turned away She did not want to lead him on, he knew this and still, he had hope

His sister raised an eyebrow at hi s their attention “Can it be I an of Terror? Life takes its turns, does it not, m’belle?” she said to Heather “One moment, we are headed for…a fate most horrific, and then the fates take us to a better place Here, m’belle,” she leaned over and patted Heather’s hands, “is a better place”

The comte knew his sister adored Heather and wanted her to be his bride and her sister She had made this clear He appreciated Louise’s concerns, but did not want Heather pushed He wanted her of her own accord

“Ah,” he said, taking attention away from his sister’s obvious attempt to help him in his effort to win Heather over “Our home…Brabant Plantation!”

They had turned onto the drive that began its long approach to Brabant Heather stared at the large island house which sat high on the crest of a rolling hill

“You see its position?” he said with absolute love “It was the first thing to catch o, it was a run-down and bankrupt estate I knew at once what it needed when I purchased it When we arrive…when you look out froreat deal of the land we farm I learned from my brother the need to view one’s land from one’s home, but also…the satisfaction and enjoy an investment succeed”

“Why, Maurice, it is nificent,” Louise said as she stared

“Indeed, if you say it was run-down, you have ed to succeed beautifully,” Heather said as they neared She could see the tropical flowers in garden beds and the exquisite landscaping around both the house and the courtyard

The house itself was a Bordeaux Chateau Its paned s, its sant lines, its s certainly caught and held the eye However, it was the plantation’s whole that caught, fascinated, and securely riveted both women’s attention as they stared

Tindht the wind and looly so in the distance