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“Yes,” Everett mused, smirking at Dominic. “How is that going by the way? Any more stolen kisses at the gallery?”

“What?” Tristan demanded, his head whipping toward Hugo’s direction. “You didwhat?”

Hugo aimed an annoyed side-eyed glance at Everett, who only grinned devilishly.

“Personally I was quite proud,” Everett quipped, leaning back in his chair as he put his hands behind his head.

“You are supposed to be courting her, not ruining her,” Tristan bit out, brow furrowed as he looked at Hugo.

A sudden and surprising shot of possession burrowed through Hugo as he glared back at his friend.

“What I do with Seraphina is my business,” he stated.

“Not if it risks her reputation,” Tristan retorted. “You have no idea the circumstances her mother is willing to put her through to get her married off to a respectable title with a good reputation. Any further damage you cause to Seraphina will only push her mother to do worse. You need to be careful, Hugo. This isn’t some hunt.”

Another word, another dig at Hugo’s rumored reputation, shot like an arrow into Hugo’s chest, and Tristan’s eyes widened as he realized his mistake. He moved to leave, but Tristan was leaningtoward him in a second, pushing at his shoulder so he would sit back down.

“I didn’t mean that,” Tristan said hurriedly.

“Two barbs from two friends in one day,” Hugo mused, shooting a distrusting look around the table. “It seems you all are now believing the rumors too.”

“I don’t,” Everett quipped, refilling his mug of beer.

“Noneof us do,” Dominic insisted. “We’re not judging you, old boy. God knows we all have our own faults.”

“I don’t,” Everett quipped again.

“Shut up you fool,” Dominic growled at him, stealing the mug from Everett’s hands just as he was about to take another drink. Everett glared at him as Dominic then lifted the mug to his mouth, and chugged the beer.

“I just want you to be careful,” Tristan sighed. “Things are different in London. If another person saw you they weren’t just going to walk away and pretend otherwise. They thrive on gossip here. Especially gossip surrounding you. Everyone has their eye on you.”

“So you are saying my pursuit is futile?” Hugo asked.

“Not at all,” Tristan replied quickly. “But you could be more subtle.”

Hugo looked at him askance. “Because subtlety is clearly a specialty of mine.”

“No, but it is mine,” Tristan replied, his lips quirking into a smile, “And perhaps I could help.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

“Ihave heard talk, Seraphina,” Mary said coldly. “The Duke of Merrivale was escorting you at the art show the other night. I told you to stay away from him.”

“He certainly was not,” Seraphina retorted.

Her attention was drawn away from the passing scenery outside the carriage window as she heard her mother’s accusation.

“Is that why you are not letting me attend this evening’s ball with Theo and the others?”

“Do not lie to me,” Mary scolded. “And how ungrateful you sound! Most daughters would appreciate the company of their mothers at balls.”

Most Mothers are not like you.

Seraphina pressed her lips together to keep the comment to herself.

“He did not escort me, Mama,” she said after a moment, “I did not even know he was going to be attending. He walked with me around some paintings, but it was brief.”

Brief but passionate. Brief but infuriating.She was still put off by Hugo’s rudeness toward Lord Fellon, as well as the smugness he showed toward being her betrothed. But she could not deny that his kiss had been everything she had always hoped a kiss would be, nor could she deny that the man read her like an open book. She was drawn to him. Immensely.