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"How attractive they are," Philippa reh the muddy countryside"

Annabelle lifted the boot to her nose, inhaling the clean, earthy scent of polished leather She ran a fingertip around the softly buffed edge of the upper, then held it back to examine it as if it were a priceless sculpture "I’ve had quite enough of walking through the countryside," she said with a sarden paths"

Regarding her fondly, Philippa reached down to sht that a new pair of shoes would anilad of it Shall I send for a tray of soup and toast, dear? Youbefore your next dose of clivers"

Annabellein satisfaction, Philippa reached for the ankle boots "I’ll just remove these from your lap and set the one of the boots possessively

Philippa s the servants’ bell

As Annabelle leaned back and ran her fingertips over the silky leather, she felt a weight fron that the veno…but that didn’t explain why she suddenly felt so relieved and peaceful

She would have to thank Siift was unseeed that he had indeed been the one who had bestowed the boots, then Annabelle would have to return the like a book of verse, or a tin of toffee, or a bouquet of floould have been far ift had ever touched her as this one had

Annabelle kept the ankle boots with her all evening, despite herthat it was bad luck to set footwear on the bed As she eventually dropped off to sleep, with the orchestra h the , she consented to set the boots on the bedside table When she awoke in the ht of the after the adder bite, Annabelle finally felt well enough to get out of bed To her relief, theheld at a neighboring estate, which left Stony Cross Manor quiet and largely e with the housekeeper, Philippa settled Annabelle in a private upstairs parlor that overlooked the garden It was a lovely room, alls that had been covered with flowered blue paper and hung with cheerful portraits of children and ani to the housekeeper, the parlor was usually reserved only for the Marsdens’ use, but Lord Westcliff himself had offered the roo a lap blanket around Annabelle’s knees, Philippa set a cup of clivers tea on a table beside her "You must drink this," she said firood"

"There’s no need for you to stay in the parlor and watch over me, Mama," Annabelle said "I will be quite happy to relax here, while you go have a stroll or chat with one of your friends"

"Are you certain?" Philippa asked

"Absolutely certain" Annabelle picked up the clivers tea and took a sip "I’ive ht"

"Very well," Philippa said reluctantly "Just for a little while The housekeeper said for you to ring the bell on the table, if you want a servant And remember to drink every drop of that tea"

"I will," Annabelle pro a wide smile on her face She retained the smile until Phillippa had left the rooht, Annabelle leaned over the back of the settee and carefully poured the contents of the cup out the open

Sighing with satisfaction, Annabelle curled into the corner of the settee Now and then a household noise would interrupt the placid silence: the clatter of a dish, thee her arm on the sill, Annabelle leaned forward into a shaft of sunlight, letting the brilliance bathe her face She closed her eyes and listened to the drone of bees as they ea and delicate tendrils of sweet pea that wound through the basket-bed borders Although she was still very weak, it was pleasant to sit in war like a cat

She was slow to respond when she heard a sound froht rap, as if the visitor was reluctant to disrupt her reverie with a loud knock Blinking her sun-dazzled eyes, Annabelle res tucked beneath her The radually faded fro at Siht on the doorjaainst it in an unself-consciously rakish pose His head was slightly tilted as he considered her with an unfathomable expression

Annabelle’s pulse escalated to a entley that seemed to emanate from him She recalled the hardness of his arms and chest as he had carried her, the touch of his hands on her body…oh, she would never be able to look at hi!

"You look like a butterfly that’s just flown in fro her, Annabelle thought, perfectly aware of her own sickroom pallor Self-consciously she raised a hand to her hair, pushing back the untidy locks "What are you doing here?" she asked "Shouldn’t you be at the neighbor’s party?"

She had not , but her usual facility ords had deserted her As she stared at hi of how he had rubbed her chest with his hand The recollection caused the stinging heat of eently caustic tone "I have business to conduct with one of ers, who is due to arrive froentles to consider other than where I should settleaway froaze frankly assessing "Still weak? That will improve soon How is your ankle? Lift your skirts--I think I should take another look"

Annabelle regarded hih as she saw the glint in his eyes The audacious remark somehow eased her embarrassment and caused her to relax "That is very kind," she said dryly "But there’s no need My ankle is much better, thank you"

Hunt smiled as he approached her "I’ll have you know that my offer was made in a spirit of purest altruisht of your exposed leg Well, perhaps a small thrill, but I would have concealed it fairly well" Grasping the back of a side chair with one hand, he moved it easily to the settee and sat close to her Annabelle was impressed by the way he had lifted the sturdy piece of carved ht She threw a quick glance at the e as the door wasn’t closed, it was acceptable for her to sit in the parlor with Hunt And her mother would eventually come to look in on her Before that happened, however, Annabelle decided to bring up the subject of the boots

"Mr Hunt," she said carefully, "there is so I must ask you…"

"Yes?"

His eyes were definitely his ht distractedly Vibrant and full of life, they enerally preferred blue eyes to dark ones No shade of blue could ever convey the sience that lurked in the depths of Siht, Annabelle could think of no subtle way to ask hi silently with a variety of phrases, she finally settled for a blunt question "Were you responsible for the boots?"