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Having given instructions to a footh she raised her slender dark brows at the sight of Hunt leaning over Annabelle, she forbore to comment Instead, she asked, "Shouldn’t we cut across the puncture wounds to let the poison out?"

Annabelle sent her a warning glance and croaked, "Don’t give him ideas, Daisy!"

Hunt looked up briefly as he replied "Not for an adder bite" His eyes narrowed as he returned his attention to Annabelle, noting that her breathing was rapid and shallow "Is it difficult to breathe?"

Annabelle nodded, struggling to pull air into lungs that seemed to have shrunk to a third of their usual size It felt as if bands were drawing htly around her chest with every breath she took, until her ribs threatened to crack from the pressure

Hunt touched her face softly, his thu over the dry surface of her lips "Open yourbeyond her parted lips, he observed, "Your tongue isn’t swelling--you’ll be fine Your corset has to come off, however Turn over"

Before Annabelle could fornantly "I’ll help Annabelle with her corset Leave the room, please"

"I’ve seen a woman’s corset before," he informed her sarcastically

Daisy rolled her eyes "Don’t be deliberately obtuse, Mr Hunt Obviously you’re not the one I’ ladies’ corsets for any reason, unless the circu-- which you have just assured us that they are not"

Hunt regarded her with a long-suffering expression "Dammit, woman--"

"Swear all you like," Daisy said implacably "My older sister could outcurse you ten tih at five feet and one debatable inch, the effect was hardly impressive "Miss Peyton’s corset stays on until you leave the roolanced down at Annabelle, who suddenly craved air too badly to care who re as it was done "For God’s sake," he said i his back to the to realize that it was the only concession he was prepared to make, Daisy obeyed hurriedly She eased the coat away from Annabelle’s stiff body "I’ll untie the laces in the back and slip it off beneath your gown," she murmured to Annabelle "That way you’ll remain decently covered"

Annabelle couldn’t suht have had about modesty had paled in co able to breathe Wheezing harshly, she turned to her side and felt Daisy’s fingers plucking at the slippery back of her ball gown Her lungs spasmed in their frustrated atte out an anxious an to pant desperately

Daisy let out a few choice curses "Mr Hunt, I’s are knotted, and I can’t--oof!" The last exclamation came as Hunt strode to the bed, shoved her unceremoniously aside, and set to work on the corset himself A few judicious applications of his knife, and suddenly the obstinate gar clasp around Annabelle’s ribs

She felt hi only the thin veil of her cheaze and her bare skin In Annabelle’s current condition, the exposure was of little concern However, she knew in the back of herAnnabelle to her back as easily if she were a rag doll, Hunt bent over her "Don’t try so hard, sweetheart" His hand flattened over the upper reach of her chest Holding her frightened gaze intently, he rubbed in a soothing circle "Slowly Just relax"

Staring into the colitter of his eyes, Annabelle tried to obey, but her throat clenched around every wheezing breath She was going to die of suffocation, right there and then

He wouldn’t let her look away froht Let your breath ease in and out Slowly That’s it Yes" Soht of his hand on her chest sees back to their norht now," he said

"Oh, lovely," she tried to say in acerbic response, but the effort made her choke and hiccup

"Don’t try to talk--just breathe Another long, slow one…another Good girl"

As Annabelle gradually recovered her breath, the panic began to fade He was right…it was easier if she didn’t struggle The sound of her fitful gasping was underlaid by the ht," he murmured "That’s the way of it" His hand continued to move in a slow, easy rotation over her chest There was nothing sexual in his touch--in fact, sheto soothe Annabelle was amazed Who would have ever dreamed that Simon Hunt could be so kind?

Filled with equal parts of confusion and gratitude, Annabelle fuently on her chest She was so feeble that the gesture required all her strength Assuan to withdraw, but as he felt her fingers curl around two of his, he went very still

"Thank you," she whispered

The touch made Hunt tense visibly, as if the contact had sent a shock through his body He stared not at her face but at the delicate fingers entwined with his, in theto solve a coed theto conceal his expression

Annabelle used her tongue tothat she still couldn’t feel theo of his hand

Hunt looked up with the wry s unexpected about himself "The clivers will help" He touched the side of her throat, his thuesture that could only be characterized as a caress "Which relanced over his shoulder as if just re that Daisy was in the rooht--"

"It’s here," the dark-haired girl said, coht up Apparently they had both been too absorbed in each other to notice the servant’s knock "The housekeeper sent up the clivers tea, which shastly, and there’s also a little bottle that the footman said was ‘tincture of nettle’ And it see upstairs any minute--which means that you must leave, Mr Hunt"

His jaw hardened "Not yet"

"Now," Daisy said urgently "At least wait outside the door For Annabelle’s sake She’ll be ruined if you’re seen in here"