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Ilie greeted the other woman pleasantly, and Miss Margaret let out a girlish giggle.

Fleur snapped her fan open and covered her mouth so she could grin. Miss Margaret was normally prudish, but she had suspected her companion would be no match for the marquis’ seductive airs.

And she was right, Fleur thought, grinning again. Wait until she told Soleil about this.

She glanced at the Marquis, asking cheekily, “Are you looking for my sister?”

“Will you tell me where she is?”

“Of course.” Mischief danced in her eyes as she added, “But only if you tell me something first.”

Ilie had to smile. “Are you actually trying to blackmail...me?”

Fleur let her eyes go wide. “I have no idea what you’re saying, milord.” She gestured to the stairs. “Shall we? The tourism office has a beautiful garden at the back.”

And so they walked, and while surrounded by tourists and workers, they restricted themselves to pure pleasantries.

But when they reached the garden, with Miss Margaret walking a small but proper distance behind them, Fleur asked flatly, “Will you have other women even when my sister’s your heartkeeper?”

Ilie choked. He hadnotexpected that at all.

Fleur looked up at him, her gaze serious. “Soleil was fifteen when she first saw you.”

He was stunned. He’d never imagined she had known about him for that long.

“You weren’t alone though.” Fleur’s lips were compressed. “You were with...” Her voice lowered, and she looked behind her shoulder to make sure her companion wouldn’t overhear her. Satisfied, she looked back at the marquis and said darkly, “You were with a...doxy.”

Ilie flushed as Fleur’s words painted an unbecoming portrait of himself. He could just imagine how his heartkeeper felt, having seen him with another woman.

“I deeply apologize for that,” he said stiffly.

“You should say sorry to her, not me.”

“I will most assuredly do that as soon as you tell me where she is.”

She shook her head. “Not so fast, milord. You haven’t answered my question yet.”

He gazed at her thoughtfully, his head cocking to the side. “You appear to be the sensible sort, milady.”

“I’m sensible,” she agreed, “but not as smart as Aurora or as practical as Soleil.”

“Good common sense is all I need,” he assured her. “You are aware of how heartkeeping works?”

“Just what most people know,” she answered.

“Then you know, milady, that heartkeeping doesn’t necessarily mean two people being in love with each other?”

“And your point, milord?”

“Fidelity is not a requirement of the union.”

“Then she won’t accept you,” Fleur said without hesitation.

“You sound so certain of this.”

“I am.”

“But you also mentioned your sister being practical.”