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Her ear tingled as Hunt bent to murmur to her, his voice threaded with amusement "Checkmate"

Lillian was the first to speak "What in the world is going on, Annabelle?"

Cringing, Annabelle forced herself to h with it," she said sheepishly "I’ood one, and you did your part beautifully--"

"And it would have been a great success if you hadn’t been kissing the wrong man," Lillian exclaimed "What in God’s name happened? Why aren’t you in the pear orchard with Lord Kendall?"

It was hardly the sort of thing that one wanted to articulate in front of a crowd Annabelle hesitated and looked up at Hunt, atching her with afascinated to hear what explanation shesilence, Lord Westcliff appeared to have put two and two together, and he looked froust "So this is why you were so insistent upon a walk You two ement to trap Kendall!"

"I was part of it, too," Daisy asserted, determined to share in the blaaze locked on Lillian’s unrepentant face "Good God--is there nothing you won’t stoop to?"

"If there is," Lillian replied smartly, "I haven’t discovered it yet"

Had her own circu, Annabelle would have dissolved into laughter at the earl’s expression

Frowning, Lillian returned her attention to Annabelle "It s," she said "We’llseen you and Mr Hunt together Without any witnesses, it hasn’t happened"

Lord Westcliff considered the words with a scowl "Much as I despise the prospect of agreeing with Miss Bow for all concerned is for us to ignore this incident Miss Peyton and Mr Hunt have not been seen, and, therefore, no one has been compromised, which means that there will be no consequences to this unfortunate situation"

"Oh, yes, she has been corim determination "By me And I don’t want to avoid the consequences, Westcliff I--"

"Yes, you do," the earl assured him authoritatively "I’ll be damned if I’ll allow you to ruin your life over this creature, Hunt"

"Ruin his life?" Lillian repeated indignantly "Mr Hunt couldn’t do better than to irl like Annabelle! How dare you insinuate that she isn’t good enough for him, when obviously he’s the one who--"

"No," Annabelle interrupted anxiously "Please, Lillian--"

"Excuse us," Mr Shawa poor job of concealing a grin He pulled Lady Olivia’s hand through the crook of his arraceful bow in no particular direction "I believe that s, being somewhat de trop I think I can safely speak for the both of us when I say that we intend to be as deaf, du Tze ood-natured humor "We’ll leave the rest of you to decide just what has been seen and heard tonight…or not Co Lady Olivia aith him, he escorted her back toward the manor

The earl turned to the Bowmans’ mother, a tall woman with a narrow, foxlike face She had worked her expression into one of righteous indignation, but had held her tongue out of a desire not toAs Daisy later explained ruefully, Mrs Bowman never had her conniptions in theto save them for intermission

"Mrs Bowman," Westcliff asked, " this matter?"

Had the earl, or any other titled man within reach, asked the ambitious Mrs Bowman to jump headfirst into the flower bed for his amusement, she would have done so with a perfect somersault "Oh, of course, hters are such sheltered innocents--it grieves irl has brought theentleels are co been led astray by the sche a skeptical glance at the two "angels," Westcliff replied coldly "Quite"

Hunt, who had retained a possessive arm around Annabelle’s waist, surveyed the lot of the to be coan to pull her along the path with hi his hold on her wrist

"To the house If they’re not willing to be witnesses, then it seems I’ll have to debauch you in front of soreed to nored the combined protests of Westcliff and the Bowmans as he replied succinctly "Insurance"

Annabelle braced her heels, refusing to budge as he pulled at her arm "You have no need of insurance! Do you think I would break an to drag her along the path "Nohere should we go? The entrance hall, I think Plenty of people to witness you being ravished there Or maybe the card room--"

"Simon," Annabelle protested, as she was hauled unceremoniously in his wake "Simon--"

Her use of his na to look down at her with a curious half smile "Yes, sweet?"

"For God’s sake," Westcliff ht, shall we? If you’re so bloody bent on having her, Hunt, then you ladly bear witness from here to London about your fiancee’s besmirched honor, if only to have some peace around here Just don’t ask , as I have no desire to be a hypocrite"