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“My ward evidently is upstairs with her friend Scott”

“How?” Daffy was flabbergasted

“Never ht this?”

His sister took to pacing, and he could see her for Scott ith me the entire tiether”

“Nonsense,” he snapped

“Why? There is nothing toward in that No one is to know otherwise, and scandal is averted” She plopped into a chair and said, “Now, you shall tell me how those tard youths happen to be here!”

He did this, interrupted by her questions, but at length she had the entire tale and sat back with a heavy sigh “Oh ht You had to see to the lad, didn’t you … and then, you couldn’t leave them in the lurch I quite see that”

He frowned “I am a devil, and this is a bloody mess”

“A devil? Ah, you began a flirtation with the child? Well, she is a beauty, so that, too, is understandable Never ether, and we shall travel together, and scandal will be very neatly averted for us and your ward Thank goodness, I had the f

oresight to track down your direction I have arrived just in the nick of time”

He eyed her doubtfully and then turned away His life had suddenly gone to hell He heard his sister rise, felt her hand on his back as she asked, “Glen … what is it? What is wrong?”

“Daffy, you don’t understand I have been … well, as you said, she is beautiful, and I didn’t know she was my ward … and I have, well … I kissed her … many times and …”

“Ah, yes,” she said, her eyes narrowing as she looked into his “Tell h, did you not find it all a coincidence?”

“What?”

“A young wo about the countryside unattended? After all, Felicia is not a common name How odd that you did not immediately realize she was your ward”