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“I doubt love is all it’s cracked up to be,” Ally said. “More important things exist than an emotion that can cause as much pain as happiness.”
“Like what?”
“Is that your question?”
“All right. Call it my question, then. What is more important than love?”
“Oh, little things like knowing you might be fed, for one. My God, I’m famished. Having enough so you’re not a burden on anyone else. Silly things like that.”
“How can you say that when you just saw both your cousins fall in love?”
“Sorry, it’s my turn to ask a question. I just answered yours.”
“Rubbish. I answered several of yours.”
Ally laughed. “It’s not my fault you don’t understand the rules of the game. I answer one question, and then I get to ask you one.”
“Lord… All right. Go ahead.”
“Were you in love with Rose?”
“I don’t think that’s any of your concern.”
“Very well. You shall do something. Hmm.” She rubbed her chin. “I’m thinking I should like to see what’s under that linen…”
“Alexandra!”
“Then answer, Evan.”
“Fine. No, I was not in love with Rose. Nor she with me.”
“Have you ever been in love?”
“No.” He pounded the table. “Damn! That’s two questions.”
Ally laughed again. “Yes, you’re going to have to pay more attention now, aren’t you?”
He lifted his lips into a lopsided grin. Good, he was unwinding a bit. Such a beautiful man shouldn’t always be so stuffy.
“My turn, then,” he said. “Did your father strike your mother?”
Ally’s body heated, and she clenched her hands into fists. Angus MacIntyre, the Earl of Longarry, had done far more than strike her mother. “I’m not going to answer that.”
“The game was your idea, Alexandra.”
“I know. And it was a foolish one.”
“You don’t strike me as a woman who backs down from a challenge.”
“I’m not.” She stood. “Give me my action, then. What must I do?”
“You’d better watch yourself,” he said slyly. “I may actually drop my toga and force you to look.”
“You think that would deter me?” She scoffed. “I nearly made you take the dratted thing off a moment ago.”
“Yes, you did. But you were bluffing, I’d bet. I don’t think you’re nearly as experienced as you’d like me to believe you are.”
She sat down with a huff. “Yes, my father struck my mother. Now why do you want to know?”
