The only boy Madeleine had ever considered in that regard had been Handsome Whitledge, they had called it love, but who knew if that’s what it really was. Stolen kisses and clandestine rendezvous had been its own form of romance, and now she wasn’t sure if it was the secret nature of it all had been most of it’s appeal. Who could tell with so much time and distance between them. They had never shared cross words, never ‘broken up’, they had just stopped talking to one another and let time carry them apart like leaves in a rivers current.

Maddie didn’t respond in words to his correction that he meant a marriage of friendly convenience rather than what she had said. Although in her experience girls like her, who had little but their money to recommend them seldom had the luxury of the distinction. And if she was honest – she could probably live with that. After all weren’t all marriages merely a contract between two people – a woman bought security and freedom with her looks or her money, and a man bought a bedmate and an heir? Although the first one was probably negotiable – it didn’t take a wife to procure a bedmate.

’Perhaps Mister Fisk’, she half muttered after a moment, there was no point in launching into all of the details, she doubted he had much interest in the goings on of her teenage heart. ’I try to take a weekly walk, to my sisters cafe and bakery’ she explained, ’Neither Ana nor Georgi attend but Magdalena is there, if you would care to drop by at times for something pleasant to eat and a chat you know where I shall be.’ she offered with a smile, Maggies presence would be easier to tolerate than Ana’s and her meddling couldn’t intercept the communications again. ’and I assure you the cakes should absolutely be taken as a bribe!’

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