“Yes, I asked Minerva to pretend to be the Comtesse. To steer the vulturine eyes away from you,” he explained.
It is to protect me.Still, the voice of doubt pushed her to question him further.
“Who is Minerva?”
“She was my mistress.”
Natalie immediately regretted asking the question because she had more peace not knowing who he had been with that night. Now she could not help thinking of what they had likely done in his private room.
“You have no reason to be jealous of her, Natalie. She is no longer my mistress.”
“I am not jealous,” she said softly as she turned to look out the window.
“Well…I would have been jealous.” He let out a small laugh. “There is no man in your life but I find myself jealous because I cannot bear the thought of any other man having you.”
Natalie thought of admitting her jealousy, as well, but she decided against it. “Would your new Comtesse accompany you on your nights about town?”
Jasper shook his head. “No.” He reached for her hand. “You, Natalie, are my only Comtesse De Villepin, and the reason I asked Minerva to pretend is so you would be protected. She has some influence in London, and many women she is acquainted with are dressing as the Comtesse to mislead society.”
She could not help laughing, both from relief and in reaction to what he said. “London will be very confused.”
“Certainly.” He smiled softly. The carriage slowed, and looking out the window, he announced, “We are here.”
Natalie looked out, and she was surprised to find an isolated atmosphere. The street was quiet and empty, and the gymnasium was a small building with a large sign bearing the image of pugilists and swordsmen.
Jasper led them through an obscure entrance on the side of the building and down a flight of stairs to the floor below ground. A man greeted them before handing him a key, and taking Natalie down a hall, he opened a door that led into a fencing chamber.
"Do you also reserve this room for your special use?" Natalie asked as she took in the room with wooden walls and all manner of fencing equipment.
"Convenient, hmm?" Jasper asked with a smug smile curving his lips, and Natalie giggled. He locked the door.
After giving her a mask, he allowed her the choice of weapon, and she selected a sword with a broad guard. Surprise fleeted over Jasper's features, but he remained silent.
Natalie took the weapon and felt its weight and balance in her hand before taking position. "Have you fenced before, Natalie?" Jasper asked, looking almost intrigued now. “That blade is the heaviest of the three types of fencing blades, and you do not look as though you are handling it for the first time.”
"Fencing was my father's favorite pastime, and I quite enjoyed my bouts with him. He taught me, you see. It is all fond memories now which is why I wished to try it once more," she explained.
"The surprises you come with never end, do they?" Jasper looked impressed.
"Stay with me for a while, and you shall find out," Natalie returned slyly.
“Let us play a game,” Jasper proposed before he took his stance. “Whoever scores a point gets a chance to ask the other a question which they must answer with absolute honesty.”
Natalie contemplated the wisdom in this before she nodded, ignoring the voice in her head that tried to convince her against it. She wanted to know why he was the Masked Rogue of London, and this was her chance.
Although she did not know how good a player Jasper was at the sport, she had decent skill.I need only avoid losing,she told herself just as Jasper took a lunge at her.
She parried immediately, and the move was not as impressive as she imagined it. Natalie had not fenced in a while, but she was happy to see that she still had a knack for the sport. She allowed herself a satisfied smile as she took her own lunge.
Jasper was unsurprisingly an impressive sport, but he complimented her. The next move she made was with more confidence, and it invited him to say, "At this rate, neither of us would get to ask those questions, and I am awfully curious about you.”
"So am I." Natalie took a quick lunge that he did not defend in time, and she pointed her blade at his chest and scored.
"Splendid," Jasper chuckled. She thought he would complain but he gave her the point, saying she had earned it.
"I am very happy to be questioning you, Jasper," Natalie gloated, removing her mask.
"Do not get too happy," he returned before asking what it was going to be.
