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She downed a good bit, let the ware "They didn’t want to leave you, you know"

He released a strangled laugh "I know" He turned his attention back to the empty hearth

"I understand that it doesn’t ," she said "When I was a little girl and my mother was still alive, the earl would come to visit us Every tiave herself leave to cry for two minutes Then she would stop, wipe her nose with her silk handkerchief, and say, ‘He doesn’t want to leave us, Evelyn, but he has no choice Duty and all that rubbish’ I thought therethat would allow him to stay, and then my mother died, and I was able to be with hi her soul with his focus "You didn’t make yourto wish for Do you think either of them had it easier than you?"

"No" His attention was back on the hearth "But I don’t think either of them had to do what I did to survive"

She sed s "What did you do, Rafe?"

Slowly he shook his head "You don’t want to know, Evie"

"Do you do those things now?"

"No" He glowered at her "Absolutely not"

"Then perhaps they don’thow relaxed she was becoo on the boat with your brother?"

"Ship"

She giggled, then sobered "Their wives seelass, wrinkled her brow "Oh, it’s e strides he went to the table, retrieved the decanter, and refilled her glass He took the chair opposite her "Did I know?"

Lowering her voice so revealing a confidence wouldn’t seem quite so wicked, she said, "Lord Rafe and Lady Anne were intimate before they h he denied it later, I think everyone recognized his denial was a lie, a wish to protect her when it was far too late"

"Oh" Pondering, she took a long sip of the Scotch "Why are mistresses looked down upon then? If others do it without benefit of e"

"I suppose it has to do with love"

"Have you ever loved anyone?" Looking at hiain It was a funny thing but the more she drank, the more she wanted to drink

"My father Never knew my mother She died when I was born" He rubbed his thumb over his lower lip, a lip she wanted to kiss What would he do if she got up, crossed the distance separating theainst his? "I suppose she was the first person I killed"