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"When we first arrived at Eton, Buck held the grand distinction of being the only Duke in our year, having inherited the Dukedom from his father when he passed."

"I imagine there weren't many thirteen-year-old Dukes," asked Eliza.

"Not in abundance, no."

She smiled.

"The other boys took exception to it. They reminded him that every school play, every prize giving, every Christmas... his father would never be there."

Eliza's smile disappeared.

"My own father had always maintained that a man ought to answer only for his own conduct, never for the sins of those who came before him. So naturally..."

He sighed theatrically.

"...I stole the Head Master's ceremonial sword."

She halted, her foot caught mid-step as she climbed over a rough tree root, and stared.

"I beg your pardon?" Eliza asked.

"It seemed perfectly sensible at the time. I marched straight up to Watson—the loudest of the oafs who would taunt Buck—and pointed the thing at his throat."

Her eyes widened, and now she had both feet on the ground, hands on her hips and a brow raised, trying to reconcile the character of the man she knew and the sword-wielding boy he described.

"You did not." Eliza admonished.

"I did," Laurence confirmed.

"Were you not frightened?" Eliza asked.

"I was considerably smaller than Watson." She watched as he held one hand several inches above the other. "I hadn't had my growth spurt," he continued.

She covered her mouth, trying unsuccessfully to suppress a laugh.

"So there I was, attempting to defend Arthur's honour whilst being thoroughly incapable of winning the duel I'd just proposed." Laurence shared.

"What happened?"

"Oh, Buck was furious. He marched over, snatched the sword clean out of my hands before I could embarrass myself further, placed the blade against Watson's neck..."

He demonstrated the movement with one finger.

"...cut the tiniest sliver of skin imaginable..."

Eliza gasped.

"...then handed the sword back to the Head Master, turned around and said only one thing."

She waited.

"'Follow me.'"

"And you did?" Eliza asked.

"I've been following him ever since," Laurence admitted.

Something about the answer's simplicity made her heart ache.