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didn’t press. When she did begin to talk, her voice was thin.
    “It appears I must find somewhere else to live. My sister is no longer happy with our arrangement.” Despite her best efforts, her voice caught in a sob, and Jackson pulled her to face him.
    “Why? What has happened, Sophie?”
    “She doesn’t like it that I have been seeing you, but it goes farther than that. She wants me to go back to being the scared little mouse that I was before, and I just can’t do it.” She smiled up at him. “Come, let’s go to the park and walk through the trees. We’ll listen to the children playing and forget my troubles for a moment.” When he hesitated, she gripped his hand tightly. “Please, Jackson. I need that. I’ll tell you about it, I promise, but not now. I don’t want to weep all over you. ”
    “All right,” he said slowly. “Perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad idea to calm down before you tell me about it.”
    He tucked her arm under his, and walked slowly through the park with her. Eventually, Sophie felt her heart rate slow and her thoughts calm. The warm breeze and the laughing children were exactly what she needed. After all, who could be unhappy while children played all around them?
    “She’s become unstable,” she said abruptly as they strolled beside a small pond. “Delia, I mean. She’s beginning to act as if I really was her servant and not her sister. She tried to strike me when I said I was going out, and then she ordered me out by the end of the week.”
    ‘What will you do?”
    “I don’t know.” Sophie reached her hand up and trailed it through the strands of weeping willow that stood beside the water. “I will find something.”
    His gaze was warm on her face, and he brought his hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind her air.
    “My offer is still open,” he said softly, and Sophie felt her face heat up. “I haven’t mentioned it for fear that I would scare you away, but I think we will do well together, Sophie. I…I find you very attractive, and I know that you feel the same way. I would give you a place to live as long as you want it, and I would make sure that you are taken care of if you decide to leave me. I will have papers drawn up, if that is your worry.” He looked away from her, his mouth compressed. “I will be leaving on Friday,” he said. “I don’t…I can’t stay here any longer. I am needed at home.”
    “Let me think about it,” she said. “I …I will let you know by Thursday, all right?”
    “If you decide against coming with me…I will miss you, Sophie. You’ve made my stay here most interesting.”
    Sophie felt tears sting her eyes and she blinked furiously to hold them back, afraid if she started crying now she wouldn’t be able to stop. “I would miss you, as well,” she said when she could trust her voice. She squeezed his arm against her side , liking the way she felt when she touched him. She felt secure and cared-for, and his touch almost made her forget her troubles with Delia . “I would miss you very much.”
    “You shouldn’t stay with her,” he said softly. “Even if she changes her mind and wishes you to stay, it is time to leave. Come with me. You can stay as long as you like, and leave whenever you wish.”
    Sophie shook her head. “Let me think on it,” she said. “I promise you that I will leave that house , even if Delia changes her mind.”
    He turned to face her, his gaze intent. Sudd enly his arms surrounded her, p ulling her close, and his mouth touched hers in hunger…a hunger that caused her heart to race . She made a sound in her throat and put her arms around his neck, wanting more. Jackson broke away, breathing heavily, and looked at her with desire in his eyes.
    “I won’t do this,” he muttered. “I won’t convince you this way. Come to me with your decision, Sophie. I promise to not try and sway you any further.” He grinned crookedly. “ Now I must take you home, before I embarrass us both by