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“Is he dead, miss?” Ada whispered

“Of course he’s not dead,” Lydia said, but she knew of many ”

She noted the gentle rise and fall of his chest In slu like the black-hearted devil she’d believed him to be There was a softness to his features, an inner radiance that shone froth of heart

“Sleeping?” Ada frowned “On a stone?”

“He’s probably tired after such a long journey”

The corners of Greystone’s mouth curled up in a his eyes “And don’t try to blame it on my inadequate timepiece”

For sohter when he spoke “As a lady of principle, I alanced around the circle of stones “Thesun has moved beyond the stone to my left By my estimation, this ancient timepiece confirms I am fifteen minutes late”

Greystone opened his eyes, the green ge his round “Impressive, Miss Lovell Few take time to study the stones”

A blush warmed Lydia’s cheeks Other than the odd insincere compliment from Lord Randall—which always focused on one’s outward presentation—no one had ever praised her intelligence

“I’ve spent a lot of ti the last three years” Lydia used any excuse to be away fro about the place, so”

“Indeed” His gaze drifted over her face The corners of his mouth twitched when he focused on the bunch of cherries decorating her bonnet “I’ve always thought so”

A brief silence ensued though the charge in the air, coupled with her heightened awareness of him, created an inner chaos

In a sudden round and dusted off his bare hands So, he had forgone gloves and a hat When one spent days in the sun, no doubt certain items of apparel proved bothersome But was he not cold? Did he not feel the autumn chill in the air?

Ada gasped and shrank back The whites of her eyes bulged fron of the cross

“My maid was told the devil has returned to Cuckfield,” Lydia said by way of an explanation If she was going to help the tenants, she would need to encourage honesty between herself and Lord Greystone “I’m afraid to say she believes the worst”