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Frederick gripped her upper arm, pulling her further into the shadows of the alley. Holding her back against the cold wall, Frederick covered her with his body, shielding her from the eyes of the approaching men. But she wasn’t stupid. The Duke was making it look like he was simply out with another foolish girl, claiming her virtue in the street.

“Get off me,” she whispered harshly.

“Shh.” Frederick craned his head, blocking her view of the alley.

He held himself there, pressed to her like he was about to kiss her. Charlotte’s pulse thundered through her head and chest, and she could scarcely breathe for the proximity of this rakish man against her. The men were walking past, and she flicked her eyes up toward Frederick.

Even in the dark, she could make out the sheen of his black hair. The broad width of his shoulder effectively obscured her from sight, and the fabric of his coat stretched around the thick biceps that framed her. Charlotte forced herself to swallow, tearing her eyes away from the uniquely lovely grey of Frederick’s eyes.

“Well done, old chap!” one of the men called out, and then the sounds of both of them whistling filled the quiet.

A few moments later, however, they were both gone. Frederick’s ruse had worked.

Charlotte swallowed, her throat overly dry, and lifted her stare up to the Duke. He was already looking down at her.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her breath catching as Frederick adjusted, his shoulder pressing in briefly.

The man had the gall to smirk at that, and Charlotte quickly pushed him back, furious that he found the situation so humorous—as well as herself.

“I’m going home,” she announced, stepping past the Duke and heading for the now unoccupied exit to the alley.

“I will escort you.” Frederick nodded, stepping up to begin walking beside her.

“That is truly unnecessary. I am quite capable of reaching my home. It is not far.”

Shaking his head, Frederick took hold of Charlotte’s arm, ensuring their forward momentum. “Nonsense. The streets are not safe for a woman to be traveling alone. I will drop you outside of your estate.”

There was little use in arguing with him. Charlotte could see that the man had thoroughly made up his mind, and he was unlikely as ever to change it. Sighing, she resigned herself to accepting his accompaniment.

They approached the outer reaches of her estate, and Charlotte glanced over the exterior, looking for any sign that her brother might be awake and looking for her arrival. There was nothing noticeable from this distance.

As she stepped forward to circle around to the back of the estate, entering through the kitchen as she usually did, Frederick stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“You should not mention what has transpired this evening to anyone, Lady Charlotte.”

Glaring, she yanked her arm free of his hold and eyed the Duke with a frown. “Oh, and why not? Are you concerned over your actions against that man?”

Towering over her, Frederick sent his stare through her like daggers through flesh, the weight of his presence crushing her. He took one step closer, whispering into the dark as he held her eyes with his.

“You know nothing of what was going on in that alley. And don’t forget that I have quite a bit of leverage to use against youmyself. I doubt your brother will look kindly on your being out this late—alone.”

Charlotte’s pulse quickened, fluttering in her throat, and she forced herself to swallow. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Frederick took her chin, closing the distance between them so that there was hardly more than a breath that separated them. He locked his gaze on her, the corner of his mouth lifting in a slight smirk.

“Do you truly wish to risk finding out?”

Shivering, Charlotte stole herself away from Frederick. Her breath shuddered out of her before she managed to eke out a handful of words.

“Go on then. I will not speak of it. Good…Good evening, Your Grace.”

The gentle color of Frederick’s grey eyes was alive in the dim light cast by a streetlamp, and he tilted his head just a hair.

“Good evening…Lady Charlotte.”

Chapter Two

“Mistress?Mistress?Are you quite well?”