"Oh."Henry shifted. "We all agreed it musthavebeensome petty thief hoping tograb a trinket ortwo, but that you surprised him in the kitchen and got koshed for your trouble."

Valoree accepted that witha grunt.Itmade sense.There was no reason for anyone to be whacking her over the head otherwise. At least, not here. Now, if this were Spain, or maybe evenFrance or Holland, and people knew who she was... Well, that was another story.Buthere in England? She did noteven knowanyone here, otherthan her own men and the few people she had metso far.

"Thurborne suggestedwe postsomeone towatchthe back door as well asthe front for awhile, to keep an eyeout, just to make sure, " One-Eye added. Valoree nodded again. Sensible and cautious. Shefigured he'd think that way.

Groaning, she lay back on the pillows and made a face."Well, you can all stoplooking at me like Iamat death's door, " shesaid in disgust. "I amfine."

Her menstraightened, muttering an agreement to that, but not lookingas though they really believed it. Valoree blamed it onthe dresses She had been forced to wear. They never would have looked at her likethisafter akoshingbeforethey'd heard she was really a girl.When shewas Captain Valerian, they wouldhave gone about their workand left Henry to tend to her wounds.Now they allthoughther so fragile they had to see forthemselves that she wasall right, and even then they looked reluctant to look away orleave her.Hell, she mightdropdead while theyweren't looking! "Oh, goon, get out of here, "she saidin a snarl."Myhead is pounding something fierce."

"Aye, come on, let her rest, "Henryordered, straightening and urging the rest of themen awayfromthebed. "She'll be fine.

She's suffered worse than this before."

"Go ahead. You too, Meg. I am fine, " Valoreeadded whenthe woman hesitated.

Nodding, theolderladymovedaway, exiting throughthe door Henry heldopen for her.Valoree wasn't terribly surprised when he then closedthe doorandreturned to her bedside. Beingthe only onewho had knownhertrue sex, he had always beenthe oneto tend her whenshe was ill or injured - and he had also always tended to fuss overher like a mother hen.

"Do yeneed anything? "he asked, settling himself on the edge of the bed.

"Nay. Thanks, "she added a bit gruffly, then waited, knowing him well enough tosuspect he had something to say. She didn't have long to wait.

"Daniel seems a fine boy, " he murmured, and Valoree glowered at him. Lord Thurborne wasa man, not a boy. Still, Henry calledanyoneunder his own nearly sixty yearsboy or girl.

"Aye, "she agreedatlast.

"Heis smart, strong, and handsome. Virile, too."

"Aye, "Valoree agreed, trying notto smile at thatlast comment.

What would Henry knowaboutthat?

"You noticed, then? "he asked hopefully. Valoree madea face.

"Iwould have had to beblind not tonotice."

Henry nodded sagely. Then heblurted, "I thinkhe'd be willing tomarry - "

"Forget it!"

Henry blinked at the hard tone of her voice as shecut himoff.

"Why? You likehim, don't ye? I can tell ye likehim.And - "

"Henry, I need a husband I can control, and Daniel does not strike me as verycontrollable."

Theold man scowled at that reasoning."A wife ain't supposed tocontrol - "

"A normal wife, mayhap, butI am not a normal woman! There isnothing normal about me, " shesaid.

He hesitated atthat, then peered down athis handas he began plucking atthe linen sheets. "Iknow you haven't had theusual childhood, girl, but now is your chance for a normal life.

Wouldn't you liketo set down your burdenand lean on - "

"I leaned on Jeremy once, " she interrupted quietly. "I have learnedmylesson."

"Jeremy didn'tmean to let you down.He didn't mean todie. He  - "

"Jeremy never ever let me down, " she said harshly, then glanced away. After amoment, sheadded, "But when hedied... I waslost.Ifnot for you, Skully, One-Eye, and Petey - Well, who knows whatwould have become of me? The men could have voted in another captainand I could have found myselfsuddenly alone and destitute. I probably would have endedup dead, or a prostitute.Iwill not everbe weak like that again. I want to run my own life. Nosurprises, no - "

"Passion? " Henry suggested sadly. "I understand what ye're saying, girl. Butdo you? "

She felt surprise at that, then asked warily, "What do you mean? "

"What I hear ye sayingis that ye're afraid." She started to protest, but he waved her to silence. "Ye're afraid to be hurt again.To love and lose. Tocare andsuffer. To do those things, ye gotta give up control. I've said it before: ye've no fear of dying, but ye're terrifiedto live." Seeing herclosedexpression, he sighed and got tohis feet."Ye must betired. I'llleave ye to rest.

Yer first visit with oneof themsuitors is midmorning tomorrow."

".. .and she had a molecut to look like a carriage and horses thatsheinsistedonwearingrightabove her lip. It was themost disgustingthing, and yet she thought herself soclever for it."

Valoree forced a smileas Lord Gravennertittered at his own ancodote. He was thesecond of her scheduled visits of the day.

Unfortunately, hewas just as boring as LordShether, her first.

Shether had talked of nothing buthimself: how clever he was, how fashionable, how everyone adored him. Gravenner talked about everyone else: how stupid they were, how ugly, how terribly unfashionable anddull.Really!She didn'tknow which was worse. She did know, however, that both men were idiots and off her list of prospective husbands. Lack of personality aside, she didn't think that either man could be quietlongenough toaccomplish thetask of getting her withchild.If she wereeven capable of allowingthem near her.

Bothmen had decided ona "nice walk in the park"as their courtship activity, and Valoreehad briefly wondered if they were separatedtwins. Still, she'd foundthe proposal finefor thefirst appointment, so she, Shether, Meg, and Henry had set out on a walkwith good cheer. Half anhour intotheirpromenade around the park, they had run intoDaniel, who had "just happened" to be outfor a stroll himself.

Honestly, Valoree had beenrelieved to see the man. By that point, she had too long listened to a nonstop diatribe from Shether about his favorite topic -  Shether. At first she had thought that the man was simply trying to let herknow as much about himself as he could to help her make her decision, but by the time they hadrun into Daniel, she had begun tothinkthatthe man was simply a bore. Lord Thurborne's amused and rather snide littlecomments when he joinedthemhadonly proved her right.

"Shether iswell known as anexperton himself, "had been one of Daniel's quips. It had madeher eyeswiden, her hand covering her mouth to hold back a laugh, and that laugh had nearly escaped whenShether hadagreed enthusiastically.

"Aye, " he'd said. "He was an expert onhimself. Why he could tellher..." And off he had gone, not even seeming to realize that the commenthadbeen a poke at his egotisticalpersonality. By the time they hadsaid good-byeto Daniel to return to the town house, Valoree's mouthwas sore from biting itin forbearance, andthemuscles in hercheeks ached from the effortnot tolaugh.

She had instructed Henryto crosstheman off the list themoment he had bidden them adieu and ridden off. Alas, they had entered the town house tofind Gravennerwaiting in the salon, eager to announce that he, too, had decided on a pleasant little walk.

Sighing, Valoree, Meg, and Henry had trotted out again, following the exact samepaththeyhad just trodden, this time running into Daniel right away. Stunned to find them there again, or sohe proclaimed, he had fallen into their groupand murmured, "Lord Gravenner is the one to ask should you wish to know anything at all about the ton. Heis quite in the know.A very sharp fellow."

Valoree had raised an eyebrow at the twinkleinhis eyes as he'd said that, then turnedherattention to Gravenner. He, too, hadagreed with Lord Thurborne's assessment. "Oh, my, yes. I know everyoneand everything. Forinstance ..." Andoffhe had gone, into an attack on seemingly every member of society.

"Lady Braccon isa cow, she ...";"Lord Snowtanis a dullard, he ...";and so on and so forth. Valoree, aside from beginning to suffer aching feet, was heartily sick of the man with his cruel quipsand snide remarks. If it weren't for Daniel's gentle little jibes at the man - jibesGravenner, just likeShether, did not seem tograsp - -she wouldhave told Gravenner toshove off andhave headed home long ago. Instead, she was seeing thehumor inthe situation, sharing silent laughter with Daniel, and actually enjoying herself in an odd way.

"Well, herewe are."

Meg's voice, heavy with relief, madeValoree glance aroundin surpriseto see that they had returned to the townhouse.

"Aye. I can hardly believe it. The hour passed like mere moments in your company." Lord Gravenner turned to take Valoree's hand."It has been a true pleasure, my lady. I can hardly wait to enjoy yourcompany again."

Bending, he pressed akiss to her hand, then nodded to the groupatlarge and turnedto get into hiswaiting carriage. Valoree turned awayas it pulled off, her gazemoving to Henry.

"Cross himoff the list? "theolder man asked solemnly.

"Aye. Who isnext? "

"Ye've a free hour between now and the next one, " Henry informed her, pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket and contemplating it briefly before scratching out an entry, presumably Gravenner. "I thought I'd best put rest periods in once in awhile - incaseone of the appointments ran overtime."

"Hmmm." Valoree nodded, impressed with his forethought, thenstartedfor thedoor. "Well, I do not know about the rest of you, butI could use adrink."

"I intendto putmy feet up, " Megmuttered, following her into the town house. "I certainly hope the rest of the suitors have something alittlemore entertaining inmind thanwalkingabout jabbering about themselves ... orsniping about everyone else."

"So doI, " Valoree muttereddryly, stripping her gloves off her hands as she crossed the entry tothesalon.

"What youneed is to giveyour feet a good soak, Meg, " Henry commented, following Danielinand closing the front door.

"Oh, thatdoes soundlovely." Theolder woman sighed, then shook her head. "Mayhaplater. We should - "

"There's no better time than now, wife" Henry arguedfirmly.

Pausing by the sideboard, Valoree glanced overin timeto see the man catchMeg by the arm, drag her around a startled Daniel, then pull her out of the salon.

"Henry, what areyou doing? " Meg gasped, struggling tofree her arm. "I cannotsoakthemnow. Valoree cannot be left alone with agentleman caller. It isnot proper."

"It ain't improperif noone knows aboutit. 'Sides, shecan take  - "

The door closedbehind the older couplewitha firm snap.

ValoreeandDanielwerebothsilentfor a moment, staringat the closed door; then their gazes met.

"Well, " he began with a smile, "I would guess that means that I have your uncle's, approval."

"Aye, "Valoree admitted, then frowned and glanced back to the sideboard. She busied herself preparinga drink, then asked politely, "Did youwant refreshment, mylord? "

"Please." The soundof hisvoice right behind her made her start slightly in surprise. Forcing herself to ignore him, she finished pouringtwodrinks, drawing itoutas long asshe could before picking up both and turning reluctantly to face him.

"Here you are." She held one glass out.

"Thank you." His voice was deeper than usual, softer as he closed his hand overhersonthe glass. "Now perhaps you could tell me something? "

Valoree glanced up tomeet his gaze, amazedto find herself suddenly nervous. "I... Whatwould thatbe? "

"What itis I have todo to convinceyou to reconsider."

She didn't play dumb. She knew he was referring to her considering him as a potential husband, and her lips tightened slightly inself-defense.He was a temptingpackage. Especially when he stood thisclose, his bodyandlips a hairbreadth away, his hand gentlywarming hers around thecool drink. She took a deepbreathto tryto clearthe effecthe hadonher senses, but it just made thingsworse as she inhaled the scent of him.

"Itold you, I donot reconsider, " shebeganalmost desperately, buthe interrupted, finishing for her.

"Unless there is a part of the equation thatwas left out. And there is, you know."

Valoree paused in surprise, her head cocking to the side.

"What? "

Taking both glasses, he reached his arms around her to set thembothon thesideboard.Then he caught her shoulders and drew her toward him, whispering, 'This." And then his lips covered hers, warm, soft, and seductive.

As before, Valoree was lost at once. Opening her mouth beneath his evenbefore he issued the invitation, shesoughtthe heat and excitement she hadexperienced in his mother's garden.

She had beenyearning for a repeat performance since thatnight, andwas honest enough to admit it, at least to herself, as she wrapped her arms aroundhis neck, archingso that her breasts pressed tightlyagainst him through their clothes.

Muttering a sound of surprised delight into her mouth, Daniel thrust his tongue inside, his hands slipping down her sides to grasp her waist. He inched forward, pressing her back until a sword blade couldn't have fitbetween herand the sideboard, or herand himself. When hismouth left hers to traildownher neck, shetipped her head slightly to the side, releasing amurmur of pleasure.Thenshe shuddered and broughther head back around topress akiss to, suck, then nip at his neck in return, enjoyingthe slightroughness ofhis skin against herlips andtongue.

"Vixen." Daniel chuckled breathlessly, raisinghis head to kiss her lips again as hegrasped her by the waist andlifted her tosit on the sideboard.But then his kisses became moreteasingthan satisfying. Healternated between brushing hislipslightly over hers, then nippingather.