But it’d made a bit of sense to her since he told her about his sisters.

Men who had other women in their lives, like sisters or mothers or even aunts, could show a little sympathy when it came to the opposite sex.

At least, that had been her experience. But that wasn’t always the case.

A good example of that was Jerome, who had once had a mother but who clearly had no sympathy or compassion when it came to women.

It was true what she had told Magnus: she was indeed terrified of Lord Daventry’s son.

The man was vile and unpredictable, one who drank alcohol to excess and gambled until there was nothing left.

Even though Delaina had known Lord Daventry for a relatively short amount of time, she’d been around long enough to see what his son had done to him.

And she wanted nothing to do with that son.

They walked in silence to the carriage, finally reaching it as Magnus reached out to open up the door.

Delaina didn’t enter right away; she stood there for a moment, looking at him, wondering if she should apologize for the fact that she didn’t want his help.

Perhaps that was something that she needed to do, simply so he wouldn’t think she was entirely ungrateful.

“I would thank you for your assistance this evening, Sir Magnus,” she said. “I do not know what I would have done had you not been so accommodating. And I want to assure you that your offer of continued assistance has been appreciated. I am sorry that I cannot accept it.”

He lifted a dark eyebrow. “You can accept it, my lady,” he said. “You simply choose not to.”

That was true. Delaina wondered if she heard a bit of a rebuke in that statement. “For my own reasons, as I am certain you will understand,” she said. “It is nothing personal against you, I assure you.”

He shrugged. “It does not matter if it is or not,” he said. “As you said, none of this is my concern, and you are correct. I’m simply sorry that you have been conditioned to believe that every man wants something from you. That must be a difficult burden to bear.”

Delaina was fairly certain he was somehow insulting her.

She had known too many men in her short lifetime, and she understood a man’s pride.

She understood that when men were refused their desires, they often became bitter or insulting, or sometimes both.

Magnus had been denied his want to escort her home or protect her, as he had offered, and she had refused.

Of course he was feeling insulted. But the more she thought about it, the more she began to feel some offence.

None of this was genuinely any of his business.

“My burdens are my own,” she said. “You know nothing about me, Sir Magnus, and let us keep it that way. Although I am very grateful for your assistance, it ends here. I shall take Lord Daventry home and that will be the end of it. However, for your kindness to me in my moment of need, I wish you a good life and much happiness.”

He simply looked at her before shaking his head as if truly feeling some pity for a woman who thought the entire world was out to gain something from her.

She had no idea what a genuine offer of kindness was.

As he’d seen from the start of their association, she was a prisoner of the wall of protection she’d built around herself.

Not that he blamed her.

But he did feel sorry for her.

Without another word, he indicated for her to climb into the carriage, and she did, with minimal help from him.

A severe-looking servant tried to climb in with her, but Delaina chased the woman away.

Once she was situated inside the carriage, alone, he shut the door and whistled loudly between his teeth, causing the horses to start.

Waving an enormous arm, he indicated for the carriage, and wagon, to start moving, and they did, heading for the gatehouse as Magnus stood back and watched them go.

And feeling an odd sense of disappointment.

“I thought you were going with them?”

Denys was suddenly at his side. Magnus hadn’t even heard him walk up. Distracted from his disappointment, he turned away from the party as it passed through the north gatehouse.

“Nay,” he said. “She is adamant that she does not want a royal escort, but I have a feeling she simply doesn’t want me around. I offered to escort her and Daventry back to Haydon Square, but she thinks I will expect something in return.”

Denys looked at him curiously. “Expect what?”

Magnus cast him a long look. “She’s a courtesan,” he said. “What do you think she will give me in exchange for my services?”

Denys was dense a moment longer before his eyes widened and he realized what Magnus meant. “I see,” he said. “But you do not expect that .”

“Of course I don’t.

“Would you like me to follow the escort to ensure they make it safely home?”

Magnus nodded. “Go ahead,” he said. “But do not linger. Once they are securely at Haydon Square, return to me with all due haste. I will need you once these drunken warlords start departing the feast.”

Nodding smartly, Denys headed off toward the royal stables, which were some distance away.

Magnus returned to his duties, which were in the hall this night.

There were hundreds of finely dressed lords and ladies, but all he could think about as he watched the festivities was one small, magnificent woman he’d had a chance encounter with.

He’d had chance encounters with many people in his lifetime, but not like this.

Never like this. Something about Delaina de Courant stayed with him, and he couldn’t figure out why.

All he knew was that as the evening deepened, so did his sense of disappointment.

The most exquisite creature he had ever seen was out of his life forever.

That was reason enough.

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