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“Even if there was it would not matter,” she sighed, feeling her body relax as he carried her along with the music, “As I have already told you, my mother will not allow me to accept such a proposal from you. Now, please. Let. Me. Go.”

Hugo continued looking on at her with the same intensity for a long moment as he led her through the dance, then gave her a small nod.

“Very well. Answer my next question honestly and I will,” He promised.

Seraphina glanced toward the crowd, wondering if it would aid or damage her reputation for her to push him away. It was obvious they were whispering about them, but to push a noble, especially one of Hugo’s station, would surely be a scandal of its own. Suddenly her eyes caught her mother’s and saw that she was furious for her blatant disobedience. However her mother gave her a curt shake of her head, as if to say she could not just walk away now that she was mid-dance.

“Seeing as how this is the only way you will allow me to get out of this,” Seraphina sighed, glancing back at Hugo, “What is your question?”

“Do you believe the rumors about me?” He asked, his tone surprisingly sincere. “Do you believe that I would hurt you?”

Seraphina was taken aback by the bluntness of inquisition, and for a moment, she only stared at him.

“Do not spare my feelings,” he urged, “I truly want to know. And if you are afraid of me, I will stop my pursuit of you as you request.”

Seraphina drew in a breath. This was her chance to get him to stop. All she had to do was say yes. And yet as she opened her mouth…

“I do not like the way you speak to others. It hints toward the cruelty that is so talked about. But no. I do not believe you would do me bodily harm, Your Grace,” she confessed.

For a moment Hugo looked as if he were about to smile smugly, but then she pressed on.

“But youareharming my already precarious reputation. I cannot marry you, even if I can admit there is… ‘something’ between us. You must let this idea of you and me go, or you will curse me to spinsterhood.”

Hugo let go of her just as the song ended, but Seraphina’s mind still spun as she watched him bow to her.

“We shall see about that, Miss Seraphina,” he replied, his expression unreadable. And, before she could ask him what he meant by that, he walked away.

“Your Grace!”

Hugo stopped as he heard the shrill tone, and turned in the hall.

Mary, Seraphina’s mother, was walking toward him with purpose, her face etched with anger.

“May I ask what you are doing?”

“Dancing,” he answered with a sigh, waving his hand toward the ballroom, “Is that not what you are to do at a party?”

“Not with my daughter,” Mary replied sharply. “Both my daughter and I have warned you now not to go near her, and yet you still persist. What will it take for you to leave her alone?”

Remembering how Seraphina reacted the last time he was short-tempered with her mother, he kept his original response to himself.

“Her hand in marriage,” he said simply.

Mary laughed, though it was clear she was not amused.

“That is not going to happen,” she retorted, “She needs someone who can save her reputation, not make it worse.”

“Herreputation?” He asked, his resolve quickly dissolving. “Tell me, Ms. Kinderson, what is it that Miss Seraphina has done herself to garner whispers? Is it her reputation that is in need of saving? Or yours?”

Mary bared her teeth with rage and for a moment, she looked as if he were about to slap him.

“I want what is best for my daughter and myself, Your Grace, and you are not it,” she seethed. “I know who you are, Iknowwhat you have done.”

“You knownothing,”he seethed.

“You want what’s best for you, Ms. Kinderson,” Hugo went on with contempt that rivaled Mary's, “Otherwise you would see that I what I offer is more than just a title, but safety. A partnership. Her status will be elevated, Ms. Kinderson, but you do not care about that do you? You only care about your own. And a son-in-law like me will win you no favors with these boorish aristocrats.”

Mary’s face reddened.