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Much had been begun this day, yet evenover the ers who accused the rain There was only one ’s e of service Being the only one, he had been able to exert absolute control over the villager’s grain and had, in collusion with the local bailiff, indeed been cheating on weights, substitutinga tidy profit three towns northerly

Hawk sighed That had been only the first of a dozen proble his attention He would have to hold the courts for a fortnight to catch up on all that had gone wrong under his benign neglect while he had been off in service to Jaers’ many ills, and remedy them he would His people had been well pleased to have hi an interest in their needs As of this day, three hts The Hawk sood for his people

Tansy and mint swirled out the door of an open establishment as he passed by A woman beckoned from the doorway, clad only in a filmy bit of stained and tattered silk The Hawk cocked an amused brow and smiled, but declined as he continued down the street His eyes turned dark and bitter He hadfor him at home

Adrienne sat up with a start when she heard the Hawk throw open the door to her cha the sweet seduction he had in store for her and had to use all her composure to hide her excite she had succeeded in ht

He crossed the room in tesome strides, took her in his arms, and frowned darkly down at her He lowered his head inexorably toward her lips, and she turned her face away Undeterred, he grazed her neck with his teeth until he reached the base where her traitorous pulse beat raggedly Her breath caught in her throat as he nipped her and ran his tongue up the column of her neck If his very nearnessHis rough shadow beard chafed her skin when he tugged her head back and gently nipped the lobe of her ear Adrienne sighed her pleasure, then added a little squeal of protest just to be convincing

"You will forget the smithy, lass," he proaze

"I had no intention of rescoundrel"

"Nice try, wife," Hawk said dryly

"What do you mean, nice try? Why are you so obsessed with the smithy?"

"Me? You’re the one who’s obsessed with the smithy!" He raised the hood toward her head

"You are so thickheaded you don’t even see the truth when it’s right in front of you"

"Oh, but that’s just the point, lass I saw the truth clearly with arden Aye, too clearly, and theyour fickle life, but you had no care for that Nay, you had other sweet plans in theAnd my absence only made it easier for you Gone from your side for all of a few hours and so quickly you lay beneath him on the fountain My fountain My wife"

So that was it, shethose foggy frightening things to her, when she’d been fighting hi the smithy practically rape her and, in his ht to help her

"Perhaps I’m not the only one who can’t see so clearly," she said scathingly "Perhaps there are two in this room who could benefit from a little inner vision"

"What say you, lass?" Hawk said softly

She would not dignify his stupidity with a response A man had practically raped her, and in his jealousy her husband had siuiltier she would look And the rier it est you find that inner eye yourself, husband," she said, just as softly

Her quiet dignity gave hi No justifications Could it be he had misunderstood what he had seen on the fountain? Perhaps But he would erase her memories of the smithy, that he vowed He sain Yes, by the tiet Adam Black even existed