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“I will never get through this if you keep interrupting me.”

Tiffany pressed her lips together and glared at him. He could not help but smile. Being married to Gregory truly had been good for her. Sebastian liked that she felt comfortable and confident enough to glare at him when she was vexed.

“We both had the thought to go to the library when we could not sleep. I happened upon her there… by chance.” He stressed the last two words, giving Tiffany a stern look. She narrowed her eyes at him. “We spoke. About the ladies she suggested for the house party. And… I realized that I felt more of a… connection with her than with any of my potential duchesses. The kind of connection that you and Gregory have. That Kalina and Nathanial, that Matthew and Johanna have. The kind that Sinclair and Isabella had. And… I do not want to be Zachary.”

Tiffany’s expression softened as he spoke.

“No one wants to be Zachary.” She sighed. “Poor Lady Annabelle. Though at least her heart does not seem to be caught up in him. But how horrible to be married to a man who so clearly loves someone else.” Tiffany pressed her lips together again and met Sebastian’s gaze. “Are you saying you love Mei?”

“I am saying that I desire her.” He said the words very slowly, thinking carefully about each one. “Perhaps more could come. But I do not know how she feels about me. And we have not been given much chance to be alone together.”

“Other than last night. In my library.” Tiffany scowled at him. “I should insist you marry her on principle alone.”

“If you think that would work,” he replied amiably, and she huffed at him.

They both knew it would not work. Miss Hu was no lady of Society with a family to insist upon it. Her reputation would not be regarded the same way by the ton. Absolutely no one would expect it of him because of the difference in their positions. The most that would happen was that others would refuse to work with her or her grandmother because of her ruined reputation.

There would be no repercussions for Sebastian unless he wanted there to be.

“It is not fair at all,” Tiffany muttered.

“It is not.”

“What do you want to do?” Tiffany asked. “Are you saying you want to propose to her now? Here? Should you not speak to her grandmother first?”

“I… want more opportunities to be able to speak with her. I know that privately may not be possible, but you are in charge of the seating arrangements and such. So, I need your assistance.”

“You will still have to spend time with the ladies,” Tiffany said immediately. “They will not take it kindly if they are all suddenly supplanted. But I have noticed that Lord Owen has been paying some attention to both Lady MarcyAnne and Miss Fenley. And now that Northumberland is here, I can put both him and Christian forward as alternate prospects, so it does not all fall upon Christian.”

Sebastian made a face at Northumberland’s name, but it was true. He was a duke, and the ladies would not mind being paired with him. Besides, that might keep him away from Lady Isabella. It was not a bad idea.

“Thank you.”

“Of course.” Tiffany got to her feet, and Sebastian stood as she did. “But Sebastian, you must promise me that you will not seduce nor dishonor my friend.”

“I will not seduce nor dishonor Miss Hu,” he promised. It was an easy promise to make as he had no intention of doing either.

He had not lied when he said he would not ask her to be his mistress.

His wife, on the other hand…

19

Mei

Whatever Tiffany wished to speak with her brother about, it took the whole time the gentlemen were enjoying their after-supper libations. They were the last through the door of the drawing room. Mei ducked her head as soon as they entered, determined not to look at the duke.

She swore she felt a prickle on her neck, but when she peeked again, he was not looking at her.

“Would anyone like a game of charades?” Tiffany asked brightly, clapping her hands together.

The room quickly sorted itself into those who wanted to play—mostly the younger set—and those who did not—the elder set. Several of who excused themselves to go to bed rather than stay and watch the younger set play. Because there were so many of them, Tiffany sorted them into two groups to play.

Mei found herself seated on a couch between Lady Juliette and Miss Fenley with the Duke of Bolton, Northumberland, and Lord Hayworth standing behind them, facing off against Astrid, Drake, the younger Mr. Fenley, Lady MarcyAnne, Rose, and the Duke of Montagu.

It did not take long for the scrips of paper to be written out and put into two large crystal bowls. Tiffany deviously switched the bowls between the two groups amid much laughter and just a bit of consternation.

“But I wanted to act mine out!” the Duke of St. Albans protested, as his wife laughingly hushed him.