Identify whether “connection” increases only when similarities are found.
Note ego-reinforcing responses.
Expected Conclusion: Validation masquerades as compatibility.
“I am so sorry that I didn’t get to you sooner.” Anna led Theodora through the side door.
Theodora looked around for her father. Then, she tried swallowing, but her throat felt dry.
Where is he? Who is he with? What if someone catches him and Mama gets word of his affairs?
She had no idea where Anna was taking her. She was just grateful that it was away from the possibility of her catching him in the act again. She rested her hand against a wall and dropped her head, taking deep breaths.
Anna continued leading, not noticing her friend’s renewed distress. “When Mary said she left you with Lord Danning I thought, My God, I need to save her! That man can be terribly boring but then imagine my surprise when I saw you with the Scarlet Duke!”
Theo squeezed her eyes shut before opening them to focus on Anna who was fiddling with the mask on her face.
“Are you going to explain this nonsense about a Scarlet Duke or keep me guessing?” She scrunched her nose.
Her voice was weak and breathless.
Anna huffed. “He is Alexander Kendall, Duke of Hawthorne. He is a good man, truly, but not when it comes to women…he toys with them. I am unsure if he ever left a lady ruined but his reputation amongst the courtesans is quite… scandalous. He is my husband’s best friend…but I feel like I must warn you, Theodora. The Scarlet Duke is...” She leaned closer and whispered, “…a rake.”
For once, Theodora appreciated Anna engaging in a bit of gossip rather than focusing on calming her Theo’s agitated breathing. She needed to get a handle of her distress before someone asked a question she did not want to answer.
“Perhaps a rake is exactly what I need for this experiment,” she eventually said.
Anna gasped. “Oh, no, Theo. Anyone buthim. He is charming, handsome and mischievous; he will most definitely break your heart…”
Theodora felt a surge of anger. It seemed as though her friend did not believe that she was strong enough to handle the experiment on her own, but she did not have the energy to argue.
“There you two are!”
Both Anna and Theodora looked up to see Maria and Evelina rushing towards them from the ballroom.
“Yes, here we are, and where wereyou?” Anna pointed at Evelina.
“What do you mean? I was off finding another participant for Theodora’s study,” Evelina replied.
“You thought she would be up for more experimenting after dealing with the Scarlet Duke?” Anna returned.
Maria and Evelina both gasped. “The Duke of Hawthorne!”
Maria took Theo’s hands. “Are you all right? I’ve heard stories about him. He—” Maria’s words cut off as she dropped her eyes to their joined hands.
“Theodora, your hands? They are shaking and clammy. Are you all right?”
Theodora was losing patience and stamina.
“Yes, yes, I’m fine. It has just been a whirlwind of a night is all.” She pushed Maria’s hands away and swiped the back of her wrist across the perspiration gathering along her hairline.
