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She was out of her chair in seconds, grabbing his ar to do?”

“What I should have done a long tirasp

Mr Wycliff was on his feet, too “Rash decisions lead to acts of sheer folly Wait Take a ret”

They chased after Benedict, as already in the hall, instructing the butler to sue “Never mind, Slocombe, I’ll walk”

Mr Wycliff continued to offer words of caution, but Benedict wrenched open the front door and took to the street

“Damnation!” Mr Wycliff shook his head “I would follow hieance For five years, he’s let his bitterness for your father fester I fear it’s too late to make him see sense now”

Tears welled in Cassandra’s eyes “I would chase after him, too, but my efforts to make him see sense will fall on deaf ears I cannot help but feel this is all my fault”

Mr Wycliff touched her gently on the arm “I’ll not lie to you I have despised you for five years and cannot fatho when you refused his suit But I believe you love him And by God, the man is besotted with you”

In a state of panic, she grabbed Mr Wycliff’s arm “I made a dreadful mistake, but we have a real chance of happiness now Help me Oh, please help me, Mr Wycliff Tell me what to do”

Mr Wycliff dragged his hand down his face and sighed “We arth He’s the only one who has the re foolish Come It will take Benedict thirty minutes to reach Cavendish Square on foot Let’s hope his te outside Fetch a jacket, and we’ll be on our way”

Anger boiled in Benedict’s veins Hot Molten Deadly When he unleashed his rage, he was guaranteed to cause destruction, untold devastation For years, he had stood aside while Worthen manipulated events to suit his purpose He had allowed the earl to browbeat Cassandra into refusing his suit Though he had pushed the thoughts from his mind, he had always felt less of a man fo

r not supporting her, for not pleading, not fighting

But he was an outcast—a man who anticipated rejection

The moood enough, was the moment he locked his heart away in a sealed box never to be opened again

And yet …