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my answer was not so simply given.
    Was I so close to accepting Alejandro’s proposal, after all?
    ‘I have not yet decided,’ I managed, not particularly willing to discuss the workings of my heart with my father.
    ‘But he has asked for your hand?’ he persisted.
    I hesitated, then gave a reluctant nod. Why bother to hide the depth of our involvement? My father must have seen our affection for each other. Alejandro had been living under his roof for the past few weeks, albeit sharing a room with my brother William. My father was many things, but he was not a fool.
    ‘And you have not yet given him a reply. So you do not want him, then?’ His eyes narrowed on my face, striving to understand. ‘You seem very thick with him for a girl who is not betrothed.’
    His questions flustered me. We were secretly betrothed, but only until the spring, when I must give Alejandro my final answer – at my request, he had allowed me a year and day to answer his proposal, and the time was drawing near when I needed to decide.
    Yes or no.
    I did want Alejandro. Of course I did. I loved him with all my heart and soul. Indeed, I loved him more completely than I had ever loved any other living creature. But that did not mean I should seek to bind him to me for ever.
    Being in love with someone did not mean you were perfect for that person, or vice versa. Sometimes the universe played cruel tricks, pushing two people into marriage who had no business being together. And I had no wish to become a cosmic joke.
    ‘I cannot answer that, sir,’ I managed, and willed myself to sound calm.
    No, I was not interested in discussing my feelings for Alejandro with my father. After his betrayal of my aunt, leaving her to die a hideous death at the hands of Marcus Dent, I did not consider he had any right to interfere with my life.
    ‘Cannot, or will not?’ he muttered.
    ‘Forgive me, Father,’ I said abruptly, getting to my feet, ‘but unless there is something you wish to discuss, I will go. I have urgent matters I must attend to today.’
    My father stiffened, a flash of anger in his eyes at the way I had just dismissed his authority.
    ‘Insolent girl!’
    I thought for a brief moment that he would strike me. But his eyelids dropped to hide his rage, and he seemed to regain some control. His mouth twitched, then he turned on his heel and limped to the fireplace.
    ‘Well, you know your own mind,’ he admitted grimly. ‘But while you are under my roof, I would ask you to abide by my rules. The Spaniard must leave as soon as he is able. And until he has gone, I would rather you spend no more time alone with him. You are still unmarried, and that boy is a Spaniard and a Catholic, long enemies of this country. It is not right.’
    ‘Not every Spaniard is our enemy, Father!’ I remonstrated with him. ‘Our Queen is married to the King of Spain, if you recall. And we are all supposed to be Catholics now.’
    He looked at me sideways, a strange expression on his face, then nodded stiffly. ‘Of course, of course . . . Forgive me. How could I have forgotten the change in our country’s fortunes?’
    The apology had been mechanical, forced from his lips. He thought I was his enemy too, I realized with a shock. My heart thudded erratically.
    My father had never looked at me the same since the night I had broken out of my bedroom by dissolving the entire wall, tossing chunks of masonry about like pebbles, in order to confront Marcus Dent. I had not wanted to make my power quite so apparent to my family, but they had forced my hand by locking me up when Alejandro was in danger and needed me.
    Besides, I had restored the wall on my return, and was no danger to anyone here at Lytton Park. So there was no need for my father to be quite so wary around me these days.
    Yet he was afraid of me now, and the knowledge made me sad. I had only ever wanted us to be close: father and daughter, flesh and blood, bound together by love. Instead, there was this