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Oh, God The assembly!

An evening of fake ss was not Lydia’s idea of entertain but a sore tongue She should have feigned an illness But then perhaps she wouldn’t have to Each startling revelation left a throbbing pain in her temple

Lydia closed her eyes briefly

In less than a month her problems would be over She would coht listening to Arabella’s constant criticism Never have to watch her weak, insipid brother bow to his wife’s demands

“They weren’t riding in a coach, ed Lydia froe muscled beasts Beasts that snorted puffs of smoke if you dared look ’em in the eye”

“Both?”

“The devil and his friend who’ve come to stay at Greystone Manor”

Good God! It was him!

The room spun

Clutching her hand to her heart, Lydia shuffled back and flopped onto the bed

Seeing hersound “Oh, miss, he must surely be the devil to cause fear to flash in your eyes”

It wasn’t fear that gripped Lydia and refused to let go It was shock Quickly followed by a burning anger capable of obliterating any demon from Hades’ realm

By God, she would rip into Greystone and tear him limb from limb Even if it meant eternal damnation

But she should wait, bide her time, speak to him in a composed and rational manner

No!