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“Then please wait here for me, if it is not too much trouble. I shall only be a moment.”

They agreed, and Emma left with the Duke. They only took a few steps, however, before she was faced once again by Gretchen’s sour expression.

“Might we go to a different drawing room?” she asked, and he followed her line of vision to Gretchen and whisked her away without question.

She was thankful for that, at least.

“I thank you for not refusing me,” he began as they walked.

“I very nearly did, if you must know.”

“I do, which is why I thank you for not doing so. We have some things to discuss.”

“Do we? I wouldn’t know what about. It certainly wouldn’t be to do with the poor young lady you were being improper with, for only a fool would tempt such scandal. And you are no fool, are you?”

“Certainly not. I would never– well…”

“So will you marry her, Your Grace? You were certainly acting as though you wouldn’t mind it as a consequence.”

“Is this about dinner? Miss Kendall, I assure you that I was only trying to be kind. She seemed ill at ease, and I wanted to make her comfortable.”

“That and then some, yes? I am not the naive thing you might think I am, you know. I understand what it is a gentleman is after when he does such things to a woman.”

“Ah, yes?” he asked. “And what might that be?”

She turned scarlet once more. In truth, she did not have the faintest idea, only that it led to ruin and she did not want that for anyone.

“It is something that one does not discuss in polite company. Might we leave it there?”

It seemed to satisfy him, and she was quite pleased about that. Perhaps spinsters were more inclined to know about such things? In any case, she was simply pleased that he wouldn’t press the matter further, as she wouldn’t have known the first thing to say in response.

“I must admit,” he said, “I find you very interesting indeed.”

“Is that because I do not feel an inherent desire to swoon at your feet?”

“Something like that,” he chuckled. “I mean, other ladies in your position might see this walk as an opportunity to at least ask me about myself, but you act as though you could not care less.”

“It is not an act, Your Grace. I have no need to enquire about you.”

“Ah, might that be because you have already asked others?”

“No, it is because I can already tell you everything that I need to know about you. For one, you hold an opinion of yourself that is entirely too high.”

He smiled at that, and Emma wondered why that was. He should have taken offense, and she would have been lying if she said it was not the desired outcome. She wanted him to leave her be, and she hoped that by taking a simple turn about the room she might satisfy his need to speak with her, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.

“Do continue,” he nodded after a while. “I should very much like to know how I am perceived by those who do not truly know me.”

“Then you might wish to know about the way it is clear that you have always been given what you want. You enjoy it, too. Nobody would ever refuse you, for you are so very important.”

“Ah, so you do not think I have ever been told that awful two-letter word?”

“No.”

“Yes, that one.”

He was, she decided, completely infuriating.

“Your Grace, pardon my asking, but why did you ask me to join you?”