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The waltz over, Scott came up to them to claim Becky’s hand She looked over her shoulder as she walked away and glared at the duke

Ashton was still staring after them when Felicia appeared at his side and reled “Who has annoyed you now? Surely not our Becky?”

She had watched the tirl around the floor, and while she had not been quite jealous, she was certainly curious, especially noatching the duke’s flitting expressions

He sers, and took them to his cheek and held them there a moment for all the world to see He didn’t care In that moment, all he wanted was his h the loves

“Becky didn’t annoy me She made me look into myself … into you,” he said softly

“Has she? And what, uardian, did you see?”

“That she has asked the band to play another waltz, and that I a to claim your hand for it”

“Oh, but how can you? It would be our third waltz You will set tongues on fire” Felicia laughed openly at the notion

He took her waist and hand and began to lead her into the steps of the waltz and bent to tell her, “You know, I love your eyes I have froht, your eyes say so much”

“And what are they telling you now?” she whispered

“I see myself in them,” he answered, and his voice was a caress

Toht She would always have tonight … and the night she had spent in his arht … forever!

~ Thirty-One ~

LORD WAVERLY EYED

his lady as he helped her out of their town coach and said in an undertone, “He is going to put up a fuss, and then when she finds out e have done, she is going to put up a fuss—two of the, and I don’t like fusses”