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“Over there.” He jutted his chin toward that portion of the garden.

They walked in silence, their shoes crunching on the gravel until they reached the arbor.

It was occupied.

A couple sat upon the bench, kissing. Well, more accurately, reclined and groped upon the bench.

Ah, another clandestine meeting. Except if one wanted to engage in a tête-à-tête, one ought to select a more discreet location.

Chasity slapped a gloved hand over her mouth, smothering a startled gasp. Her gaze shot to Aston’s. And rather than shock, revulsion, or condemnation, hilarity sparkled in her eyes. Casting her attention to the footpath, Chasity turned her head away.

“Ahem.” Aston loudly cleared his throat.

The man and woman jumped apart in a flurry of awkward elbows and legs.

At once, the gentleman scrambled to his feet and offered the scarlet-faced young woman his arm. They summoned stiff smiles and averted their gazes as they bustled past.

Chasity's shoulders shook with her suppressed laughter. Most women would’ve been scandalized, embarrassed, or curious. She, however, being Chasity, found the situation humorous.

“I’m sure they are hoping we don’t say anything,” Aston said with a wry grin.

She shrugged and looked behind her. “As I don’t know either of them, I cannot think why I would. Besides, who am I to judge when…here we are.” She made a sweeping gesture with her hand, indicating the small enclosure entwined with purple clematis.

“Ah, but we don’t intend to engage in a forbidden kiss,” Aston couldn’t help but tease. He waggled his eyebrows. “Do we?”

She raised that winged blonde brow in the starchy manner that seemed to say, enough of your foolishness, and prompted immediate contriteness in her students.

Her primness merely goaded the devil on his shoulder. It amused Aston and made him want to tease her more. Chasity didn’t laugh or smile enough. She might be excellent at teaching all manner of lessons, but Miss Chasity Noble didn’t know how to live.

To relax and enjoy life. To have fun. To love?

“No, we shan’t be kissing,” she admonished with the prudishness of a seventy-year-old virgin nun.

Because that was who she really was or because that was who she’d been trained to be?

Aston had begun to suspect the Chasity Noble, assistant headmistress at Balderbrook’s Institution for Genteel Ladies, was not the real Chasity Noble. That person had been stifled and subdued into submission by expectations and strictures.

Aston chuckled and indicated she should have a seat. “I was but jesting, Chasity.”

“I know.” She settled onto the bench and smoothed her skirts. A bird chirped above them, hidden somewhere in the tree’s foliage. “Now, what is this mysterious plan you have concocted?”

Aston took the seat beside her. Their shoulders and thighs touched due to the bench’s smallness. Lifting Chasity’s hand, Aston kissed her knuckles.

Her pink mouth went soft at the corners, and her gaze grew tender. “What…are you doing?”

“The truth of it is, I’ve decided a kiss is a rather grand idea after all.”

Her focus trailed to his mouth, and her tongue darted out for a fraction of a second.

“Why?” she whispered.

“Because I would regret it for the rest of my life if I did not kiss you.” Aston leaned nearer until his mouth was a mere inch from hers.

“But only if you want to kiss me too, Chasity.”

Her sweet breath, smelling of lemon and tea, fanned his cheek.

“I do, Aston. I really do.”