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"I don’t care about your runtled "It’s one of the reasons I’ve got to have you"

"Have?"

"Marry"

Frowning, Livia began to slide off hirasped her hps and , isn’t it?" he asked

"Not e’ve known each other for littlea courtship you want I can wait"

"You have to go back to New York"

"I can wait," he repeated stubbornly

Sighing, Livia lowered her face to his chest and rested her cheek against the crisp, curling hair She forced herself to be honest "Nothing would induce "

Gideon’s arhtly, and ran his hands over her back in a long, supplicating stroke "Why not?"

"Because I care for you too much to watch you destroy yourself"

She felt the sudden tension in the long body beneath hers Again shethat this tihtened around her slender back, and one hand canation flattened his tone "You want "

"No--I want no part of that decision"

"But you would consider ed her to raise her head and look at him

"Yes," she said reluctantly "In that case, I would probably consider it"

Gideon’s expression was shuttered, hisinside himself and was dissatisfied hat he saw "I don’t know if I can stop," he muttered with a frankness that she admired, even if the words were unwelcome "I don’t even know if I want to I’d rather just keep drinking, and have you as well"

"You can’t," she said flatly "Even if you are a Shaw"

Gideon turned to his side, holding her head in the crook of his ar you’ve ever wanted I would take you anywhere in the world Anything you asked for--"

"It would coan to wonder if she weren’t insane, turning down a proposal froratitude A tremulous smile came to her lips as she saw his expression Clearly he was not arefused for any reason "Let’s just enjoy the ti to Stony Cross in a few days, but until then--"

"A few days? No, stay longer, and go back with me"

She shook her head "It wouldn’t do for us to travel together--people would talk"

"I don’t give a dah his voice "Just take me as I am, Livia"

"Perhaps I could, if I cared less," she returned, keeping her eyes closed as he brushed his lips over her delicate lids, her lashes, her hot cheeks, the tip of her nose

"But I won’t subjectyou little by little, until you’ve either killed yourself or becoave her a sullen stare "At least tell --do you love me?"

Livia remained silent, uncertain whether the ads better or worse

"I have to know," Gideon said, hiswith self-derision as he heard the plea in his own voice "If I’ot to have soe your life for me You’ll have to make the same decision every day, over and over--it must be for yourself alone Otherwise you will coue with her Instead he settled beside her, loosely wrapping his arm around her waist "I don’t want to lose you," he whispered

Stroking the back of his hand, Livia sighed "I’ve been adrift for so long, ever since Aain You ca just at the time I needed you, and for that I will always reratitude"

"Fondness?" he repeated, histo adbeneath his breath, Gideon rose above her "Maybe I should test your resolve"

"You’re welco flirtatious, her voice washis as if she could sohed as she extracted yet another sheet of crea desk and wiped the quill of her pen with a square of black felt Nearly a dozen letters were piled in front of her, from friends and relatives ere doubtless peeved at her lateness in replying However, one could not si was an art that demanded close attention to detail One had to convey the latest neith style and verve…and if there had been a lack of noteworthy events to write about, one had to be creatively a, or philosophical

Aline frowned at the three letters that she had already finished So far she had described ossip, and even given commentary on the recent weather "How skillful I’ve beco but the truth," she co smile But she doubted that her real neould be music to the ears of her relatives…I have recently taken a lover, and have participated in two decidedly torrid encounters, in the forest and in ood health, and is currently on a visit to London, where at thisin bed with a perpetually inebriated A how such a ina, or Great-Aunt Maude, Aline stifled a grin

Her brother’s voice ca a welcome interruption "Good God Youto do, if you’ve resorted to writing letters"

She glanced up at Marcus with a teasing smile "Spoken by the one person on earth who is more abominable at correspondence than I"

"I despise every aspect of it," Marcus ad a letter is receiving one--God knohy anyone would think I would be interested in theto se of ink on the tip of her finger "Is there so to rescueRescue is at hand…or at least a convenient distraction" He showed her the sealed letter in his hand, while an odd expression crossed his face "A delivery has arrived from London This came with it"

"All the way from London? If it’s the oysters we sent for, they’re two days early--"