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"Lord Trenton How are you this--Oh ed her down the hall and into the servant’s stairwell He paused on the tiny landing and looked at her, noting the slight parting of her lips Before she could protest, he drew her to hi herher response like he needed to breathe

When she whied into him, Rhys had to bite back the shout of triumph She tasted like sweet cream and warm honey, a simple flavor that cleansed his jaded senses, and made the world fresh and new He had to tear hi a ht without her

"You will hed and kept her eyes closed "Nohy did you have to ruin a perfect fareith that nonsense?"

"It is not nonsense!"

"It is," she insisted, shaking her head as she looked at him "I will not say yes So please, cease"

"You wanthis thumb across her swollen bottoh" It wasn’t, but if he had her beneath him whenever he wanted, perhaps he could reclaim the ability to think Once he could think, he could plan to win her Grayson was bu that path He could sireenery

"It isn’t," she argued gently

"Have you any idea how many unions have no passion at all?"

"Yes" She set her hand over his heart "But I do not believe that passion will be enough to bear the things others will say about you taking an Aru well We enjoy each other’s coardens"

She smiled and his heart leapt Then she dashed it to pieces "I want love, and I won’t settle for less"

Rhys sed hard It was obvious she did not love him, but to hear her say it aloud was painful in the extrerow"

Her lip quivered beneath his thurow I ail," he breathed, pressing his cheek to hers He could win her heart If she would only give him the chance

Unfortunately, before he could press further, a door opened on a lower floor and the sounds of twoto one another rose up to them

"Farewell, ifting him with a bittersweet kiss "Save that dance for one, and the sudden emptiness in his ar into the drive before the Hammond estate, Isabel was relieved to see Rhys’ black lacquered coach preparing for departure After spending the last hour soaking her kerchief over the dee and her broken dreams, she needed her brother’s shoulder to cry on and advice on how to proceed

"Rhys!" she cried, descending the steps with the help of a foot toward him

He turned with a frown, one hand set at his waist, the other rubbing the back of his neck He stood tall and proud, his s sheathed in triht of her brother offered coht you had left for the day What has happened? You’ve been crying"

"I a with you back to London," she said hoarsely, her throat raw "I can be ready withinover her head, he asked, "Where is Grayson?"

She shook her head violently in answer

"Bella?"

"Please," she aze because his coate a torrent of tears "You will turnpot in front of the servants I shall tell you everything, once I’ve refreshed ail"

Rhys ed at his cravat "Make haste," he growled, shooting an anxious glance at the front entrance "Please believe that I don’t , but truly ten , Isabel hurried into the house Everything she had with her could not be packed in ten minutes, so she splashed water on her face, took what she needed to be co drive, and left a note for Grayson to see to the rest of her belongings

At any moment, she expected her husband to appear and the anxiousness of waiting hten She felt rushed, off-kilter, breathless Her entire world was spinning without the steady core she thought she had discovered in Gray She should have known she would be lacking in sohtness in her chest that made her dizzy was her own fault The reality had always been there--she was too old for Gray and he did not trust that her body could give hier, she doubted he would have such fears about her health

"Co," she said to Mary, and they followed the footman, who carried her valise down the stairs to the front driveway

Rhys waited out front, pacing restlessly "Da her abigail to the nearby servants’ coach, before catching Isabel’s are He pulled open the door and nearly thrust her inside

Isabel had to scramble to stay on her feet and as she lifted her head within the confines of the coach, she understood her brother’s need for haste Above a gag, eyes of bright blue with golden flecksout quickly She glanced around in search of a possible audience, then whispered furiously, "What are you doing with Miss Abigail in the coach trussed up like a dinner fowl?"

He heaved out his breath and then set his hands on his hips "Blasted woman won’t listen to reason"

"What?" Her arms akimbo pose mimicked his "This is reason? The future Duke of Sandforth kidnapping an un out his hands to her, he asked, "Was I simply to walk ahen she refused e by co union?"

He winced again "I love her, Bella I cannot i on with my life without her Tell me what to do"

"Oh, Rhys," Isabel breathed, her tears beginning anew "Do you not think that if I kne to create love where none existed, I would have done so with Pelham?"

Perhaps it was a familial curse of some terrible sort

She had wished desperately for Rhys to find a true loving partner What was left of her heart was broken further to learn that he had fallen in love with a woman who did not return his affections

Fierce kicking against the interior of the carriage drew their attention When Rhys moved toward the door, Isabel stepped into his path "Allowher skirts, she used the sain entry into the coach She sat on the opposite squab, pulled off her gloves, and began to work on re that allowed onlyabout "impossible women"

"Please do not screaed softly as she worked at the knot "I realize you have been treated abominably by Lord Trenton, but he truly does care for you He is siail writhed frantically as the gag worked free "My hands, my lady! Free my hands!"

"Yes, of course" Isabel swiped at the tears that wet Abigail’s cheeks, then tugged at the soft cloth that wrapped around her wrists The ail worked her arms free and threw herself out the open door of the coach at Rhys His tall frah his hat was knocked away