“Grace-" He scowled, then laughed. "What the devil is your middle name?""Catriona." she whispered."Grace Catriona Eversleigh," he said, loud and sure, "I love you.”

“I'm not sure what it means."Grace frowned. "I don't think I do either.""It sounds bad, though.""Sodding bad." Grace said with a smile, and she patted Amelia's hand.Amelia sighed. "A dammed shame."We are repeating ourselves." Grace pointed out."I know." Amelia said, but with a fair bit of feeling. "But whose fault is ut? Not ours. We've been far too sheltered.""Now that," Grace announced with a flair, "really is a dammed shame!""A bloody inconvenience, if you ask me.”

“Lovely house,” Jack said, as he was led—hands still bound—through the grand entrance ofBelgrave. He turned to the old lady. “Did you decorate? It has that woman‟s touch.”Miss Eversleigh was trailing behind, but he could hear her choke back a bubble of laughter.“Oh, let it out, Miss Eversleigh,” he called over his shoulder. “Much better for yourconstitution.”

“Will you leave my companion alone!” the dowager barked.He sighed and shook his head toward Miss Eversleigh. “She‟s so domineering, don‟t you think?”Miss Eversleigh blushed. Truly, it was the prettiest pink he‟d ever seen.“Pity about these bindings,” he continued. “We do seem to be caught in a romantic moment,your employer‟s acidic presence aside, and it would be far easier to drop one exquisite kiss onthe back of your hand were I able to lift it with one of mine.”

“Very well,” he said with a small sigh. “Ladies today are so very capable. It breaks my hea rt,really.” He leaned in, almost as if sharing a secret. “No one likes to feel superfluous.”Grace just stared at him.“Rendered mute by my grace and charm,” he said, stepping back to allow them to exit. “Ithappens all the time. Really, I shouldn‟t be allowed near the ladies. I have such a vexing effecton you.”

“He said he loved me,” she whispered.Daniel swallowed, and he had the strangest sensation, almost a premonition of what it must like to be a parent.Someday, God willing, he’d have a daughter, and that daughter would look like the woman standing in front of him, and if ever she looked at him with that bewildered expression, whispering, “He said he loved me . . .”Nothing short of murder would be an acceptable response.”

“He yawned again, this time very loudly, and lazily opened his eyes."I'm sorry I woke you up," she said quickly."Was I sleeping?"She nodded."So there really is a God," he muttered.”