“First of all, it is your reputation that I am concerned about, not my own. I can handle whatever comes my way. Secondly, a young lady should not be traipsing around the East End. I will give you lessons here at your home and not at the clinic.”
“Why didn’t you offer that option before?” She gazed at him with dawning suspicion. “Was your prior argument a mere ploy to dissuade me from pestering you for lessons?”
His expression remained bland. “The supreme art of war is to subdue the opponent without fighting.”
“Is that Lao Tzu?” She canted her head. “I don’t recall coming across that quotation.”
“The philosophy comes from another source.” His mouth quivered, as if at some private jest.
Wrinkling her nose, she said, “You know, for a noble shifu, you have a sneaky streak.”
“For an eager pupil, you have a cheeky one.”
At the warm humor in his eyes, her heart somersaulted.
“Do we have an understanding then?” he asked.
I understand that we’ll be spending time together. That despite my better judgment, my heart wants what it wants. That this could be the most brilliant—or devastating—adventure I’ve ever embarked upon.
“Yes,” she said breathlessly.
“Splendid. Then let us secure your aunt’s permission.” As they circled back toward the house, he said, “What is your next move regarding the case?”
She slid him a glance. True to his word, he seemed encouraging rather than disapproving. The fact emboldened her to tell the truth.
“Charlie and I reviewed Scott’s map,” she said. “We plan to surveil the marked locations for signs of Sir Barkley and any other stolen dogs.”
“When will you be going on a scouting expedition?”
“Not soon enough.” Glory blew a curl out of her eye. “The soonest I’ll be able to go is tomorrow since I have a ball tonight.”
He cocked his head. “You do not sound happy about it.”
“Balls are the bane of my existence,” she confessed. “Especially when my friends won’t be present. I will have no one to talk to, and the only ones who’ll ask me to dance are fortune hunters and aging roués.”
“Surely you underestimate your own charms,” he said gravely.
“Surely I do not. I told you before that I am the opposite of popular.”
“I find that difficult to believe.”
“You wouldn’t if you saw me at one of these affairs,” she said candidly. “I am not like the other debutantes. I don’t fit in and never will.”
“To my mind, there is no finer trait than authenticity.”
His gentleness and wisdom made her long for things she couldn’t have.
Shrugging, she trudged on. “I don’t wish to complain. Grin and bear it, as my papa would say.”
“How pragmatic.” Mr. Chen sounded amused. “At any rate, I hope you do not stay out too late.”
“Why?”
“Because I plan to be here tomorrow morning for your first lesson.”
“Oh.” For a giddy heartbeat, she stared into his deep-brown eyes. “I would, um, like that.”
More than I probably should.
