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whom everyone considers so intelligent can be such an imbecile  Shaking her head, she
continued to storm along the drive.
Bewildered, Harry followed at her heels.
 Does it not occur to you, her words came winging over her shoulder like angry bats,  that I
might
not like the idea of someone making threats against your life? That I might be just the least little
bit
bothered by someone coming to our home waving a gun about with the intention of shooting
you?
It took Harry a long time to answer. In fact, they had nearly reached the house by the time he
replied, his voice thick and odd.  You re concerned for my safety? For... me?
 Someone has to be, she muttered, stomping to the front door.  I m sure I don t know why it s
me.
Poppy reached for the handle, but Harry stunned her by flinging it open, whisking her inside, and
slamming it shut. Before she could even draw breath, he had pushed her back up against the
door, a
bit rough in his eagerness.
She had never seen him look quite this way, incredulous, anxious, yearning.
His body crowded hers, his breath falling in swift strikes against her cheek. She saw a visible
pulse
in the strong plane of his throat.  Poppy... Are you... He was forced to pause, as if he were
fumbling to speak in a foreign language.
Which he was, in a way.
Poppy knew what Harry wanted to ask, and yet she didn t want him to. He was forcing the issue
 it
was too soon she wanted to beg him to be patient, for both their sakes.
He managed to get the words out.  Are you starting to care for me, Poppy?
 No, she said firmly, but that didn t seem to put him off at all.
Harry leaned his face against hers, his lips parting against her cheek in a nuzzling half kiss.  Not
even a little? he whispered.
 Not the slightest bit.
He pressed the side of his cheek to hers, his lips playing with the wisps of hair at her ear.  Why
won t you say it?
He was so large and warm, and everything in her wanted to surrender to him. A fine trembling
started inside her, radiating outward from her bones to her skin.  Because if I did, you wouldn t
be
able to run from me fast enough.
 I would never run from you.
 Yes, you would. You d turn distant and push me away, because you re not nearly ready to take
such a risk yet.
Harry pressed the front of his body all along hers, his forearms braced on either side of her head.
 Say it, he urged, tender and predatory.  I want to hear what it sounds like.
Poppy had never thought it was possible to be amused and aroused at the same time.  No, you
don t. Slowly, her arms went around his lean waist.
If only Harry knew the extent of what she felt for him. The very second she judged that he was
ready, the moment she was certain it wouldn t cause their marriage to lose ground, she would tell
him how dearly she loved him. She could hardly wait.
 I ll make you say it, Harry said, his sensuous mouth covering hers, his hands going to the
fastenings of her bodice.
Poppy couldn t control a shiver of anticipation. No, he wouldn t... but for the next few hours, she
would certainly enjoy letting him try.
Chapter Twenty-five
To the Hathaways general surprise, Leo elected to return to London the same day as the
Rutledges.
His original intention had been to stay in Hampshire the remainder of the summer, but he had
decided instead to take on a small commission to design a conservatory addition to a Mayfair
mansion. Poppy wondered privately if his change of plan had anything to do with Miss Marks.
She
suspected they had quarreled, because it seemed they were going to great extremes to avoid each
other now. Even more than usual.
 You can t go, Merripen had said in outrage when Leo told him he was heading back to
London.
 We re preparing to sow the turnip crop. There is much to be decided, including the composition
of
the manure, and how best to approach the harrowing and plowing, and 
 Merripen, Leo had interrupted sarcastically,  I know you consider my help to be invaluable in
these matters, but I believe that somehow you ll all manage to drill turnip seed competently
without
my involvement. As for the manure composition, I can t help you there. I have a very democratic
view of excrement it s all shit to me.
Merripen had responded with a volley of Romany that no one except Cam could understand. And
Cam refused to translate a word of it, claiming there were no English equivalents and that was a
good thing.
After making his farewells, Leo left for London in his carriage. Harry and Poppy were slower to
depart, having a last cup of tea, a last lingering glimpse of the green summer-dressed estate.
 I m almost surprised you re letting me take her, Harry said to Cam after handing his wife into
the
carriage.
 Oh, we voted this morning, and it was a unanimous decision, his brother-in-law replied in a
matter-of-fact tone.
 You voted on my marriage?
 Yes, we decided you fit in with the family quite well.
 Oh, God, Harry said, just as Cam closed the carriage door.
After a pleasant and uneventful journey, the Rutledges arrived in London. To discerning
outsiders,
particularly the hotel employees, it was clear that Poppy and Harry had acquired the mysterious
and
intangible bond of two people who had made a promise to each other. They were a couple.
Although Poppy was happy to return to the Rutledge, she had a few private concerns about how
her
relationship with Harry would proceed if perhaps he might slip back into his former habits. To
her
reassurance, Harry had firmly set a new course, and he seemed to have no intention of deviating
from it.
The differences in him were observed with gratified wonder by the hotel staff the first full day of
his
return. Poppy had brought back gifts, including jars of honey for the managers and everyone in
the
front office, a length of bobbin lace for Mrs. Pennywhistle, cured Hampshire hams and sides of
smoked bacon for Chef Broussard and Chef Rupert and the kitchen staff, and for Jake Valentine,
a
sheep hide that had been tanned and polished with smooth stones until the material had been
worked into butter-soft glove leather.
After delivering the presents, Poppy sat in the kitchen and chattered animatedly about her visit to
Hampshire.  ... and we found a dozen truffles, she told Chef Broussard,  each one nearly as
large
as my fist. All at the roots of a beech tree, and barely a half inch beneath the soil. And guess how
we
discovered them? My sister s pet ferret! He ran over to them and started nibbling.
Broussard sighed dreamily.  When I was a boy, I lived in Périgord for a time. The truffles there
would make one weep. So delicious and dear, they were usually only eaten by nobles and their
kept
women. He looked at Poppy expectantly.  How did you prepare them?
 We chopped some leeks and sautéed them in butter and cream, and  She paused as she
noticed
the staff in a sudden flurry of activity, scrubbing, chopping, stirring. Glancing over her shoulder,
she
saw that Harry had entered the kitchen.
 Sir, Mrs. Pennywhistle said, while she and Jake stood to face him.
Harry motioned for them to stay seated.  Good morning, he said with a slight smile.  Forgive
me
for interrupting. He came to stand beside Poppy, who was perched on a stool.  Mrs. Rutledge,
he
murmured,  I wonder if I might steal you away for just a few minutes? There s a... His voice
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