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Thruentleman so perfectly suited to her needs He was safe and unthreatening

The sting was back in her eyes again She blinked several times as the doubts pressed in on her Blast it Moisture built in her eyes and she wiped at the at her sudden eravated her to such a degree before Maybe the tenor of his threats had altered today and frightened her?

She shook her head, quickly dis beneath her stepfather’s roof, she’d tasted the bitterness of fear before When she was a girl, Roger’s alcohol-laced voice had spit angry words that shadowed everydread

Fear didn’telse--so voice and derisive re her head back against the tree, she listened to the thoughts warring inside her head She wasn’t hurting anyone Lord Thruoodie would be thrilled for her companionshipthrilled to call her wife Why did a certain cad have to give her second thoughts?

Steps sounded on the path and she jerked her gaze up, spotting Ha down the path Had he followed her? He hadn’t noticed her yet With a s the pond Drastic perhaps, but the last thing she wanted was to be cornered alone by the vile h that would somehow make her quieter, she lifted her skirts and oasn’t detectable fro sure she wasn’t being followed A branch snagged her hair and she winced, atte her coiffure

"Allow me"

She froze at the sound of the deep voice Her stoers delicately freed the strands of her hair

She quickly stepped back several paces, surveying who else hid in the shrubbery alongside her "Lord McKinney," she greeted

"Miss Hadley" He rowth surrounding the a moment alone?"

"You could say that And you?"

He sray gaze flitted over her

She evaluated him in turn He wore a deep blue jacket with tan trousers Apparently he’d eschewed the vivid colors that see htfully After a moment, he moved She watched warily as he closed the space between thes and fallen leaves

"I’ve been giving soht to what you said," he finally announced

"Have you?" She tried to reveal none of her surprise that he should be thinking about anything she said "And as it I said requiring such reflection?"

"That we are both great pretenders, fooling poor souls into thinking we care about theht We’re both playing at this galed her head "Ga for a wife, or in your case a husband, is nothingthe case, we shouldn’t be sniping at one another It serves no purpose"

She crossed her ar? That they actually be friends? Warning bells rang in her ears

"Splendid"

She nodded, feeling like an aard schoolgirl It was easier before this truce Silence descended and her heart beat a loud rhythet back"

That ain, and she knew she’d displeased hione?" he asked idly

"Why? I’," she lied

His lips curved in a slow, seductive s he ever wanted "Indeed?" He leaned back against a tree, the picture of a relaxed gentleman, totally at ease, without a care in the world "I am"

From Libba? Of course he was Not about to co the need to hide from one’s beau, she nodded and strode past hiht on a root, and she went flying, narrowly escaping a hard fall as he caught her

Strong hands flexed around her arht?"

"Fine," she replied breathlessly

Soazed at each other "You’re always running froracefully"

"This time, no But I sense that worked for the best"

A shudder traveled through her "Why is that?"