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At the end of this house party, she was going to have to let him go. So, she needed to get past these unruly emotions or at least learn how to live with them.

Which is why she smiled at the younger Mr. Fenley’s approach. He beamed back at her, although there was a touch of concern in his expression as he looked her over.

“Miss Hu! Are you feeling better?” The concern was even more evident as he asked the question.

The smile on her face grew a little more sincere. He was very sweet.

“I am, thank you. A restful day was exactly what I needed.”

“Ah, just as well you stayed back then,” he replied cheerfully, his ever-present smile brightening even more. “It was a very enjoyable day but hardly a restful one. Though the ladies seemed to enjoy it. And I found some very nice gloves for myself.”

“That is good.” It was all she could do to suppress her laughter at his earnest sincerity. There was something very pure and bright about him, making him very engaging and enjoyable to talk to. She hoped nothing ever happened to dim that light.

He leaned in toward her, lowering his voice. Curious, Mei leaned in toward him.

“I also found some very nice beets in the market and delivered them to the cook for tonight.” He winked.

Delighted laughter burbled up. She was not entirely sure what his obsession with beets was, but it was highly amusing.

Something prickled along her neck, some kind of awareness, and she turned to look at what was causing the reaction in her body. The duke’s gaze locked with hers for a moment, burning with intensity despite the distance from across the room, and Mei yanked her gaze away. Her lungs felt as though they had just seized up.

Thankfully, Mr. Fenley did not seem to have noticed her momentary lapse. He had already moved on to describing the village market and the various produce that it offered. Mei listened with half an ear, still smiling, but the prickle of awareness did not die down, even though the next time she glanced at the duke he was no longer looking at her.

Apparently, being in the same room was enough. The back of her neck felt like it was tingling the entire time.

Sebastian

Despite knowing the house party had been put together for him, Sebastian was very much wishing he could remove the other guests from the household and leave it with just his friends and Mei. The younger Mr. Fenley would be the first to get the boot out the door if he had his way. Followed swiftly by Northumberland, who was currently clinging to Lady Isabella’s side, regardless of who else wished to speak with her.

It was not possible, of course, but it was a very nice fantasy to indulge in when he was being forced to engage in social niceties he no longer had any patience for. Talking to young ladies who were not Mei. Having to be a gentleman so he did not cause any scandal or undue talk.

All the while also feeling incredibly antsy to return to London and find Aaron Heywood.

He had been able to forget upon finding Mei alone in the backroom, but now that he was with the rest of the company and his fellow dukes, it was impossible not to think about. They all needed to know the update on the investigation. Tiffany and the wives, too, though Sebastian thought it unlikely he would be able to get all of them away from the party at once.

Instead, he was trapped in the drawing room where the company had gathered before supper, but there was still some time before the gong would sound. If he’d wanted more conversation with the young ladies attending the house party, this would be the perfect opportunity. Since he did not, it was a trial to be born.

Drake caught his eye from across the room, where he was speaking with Gregory and Nathanial, and Sebastian nodded.

“Excuse me, ladies, Ormonde needs a word with me,” he said, giving Lady Darcy and Lady MarcyAnne a small bow. Both of them gave him identical disappointed moues, which nearly made him laugh. While Lady Darcy had a small edge, Lady MarcyAnne had clearly spent the house party watching and learning. He had a feeling the two would take the ton by storm when they arrived if they decided to join forces.

“Perhaps we can speak later, Your Grace,” Lady Darcy said, waving her fan languidly, immediately changing her expression. She batted her eyelashes.

“Of course.” He would have to at some point; there were several days left to the house party, and it would be difficult to avoid the debutantes entirely.

Making his way across the room, he saw that Nathanial and Gregory had quit Drake’s side already and disappeared entirely. Drake was now speaking to Zachary, saying something low in his ear, and the other man nodded, one hand up on his shoulder to help keep Monkey Sinclair steady. The monkey clung to Zachary’s ear, turning his head alertly this way and that, as if ensuring no one approached to hear whatever Drake was saying.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sebastian saw Lady Astrid watching Drake with a frown she could not entirely hide. Tiffany had seen what was going on as well and looked curious, but she had her hostess smile on. Likely, she was secure in the knowledge that Gregory or Sebastian would share whatever information she needed to know with her later.

Because one of them certainly would.

If everyone left the room at once, it would be too conspicuous. Just them leaving would allow Tiffany to continue the gathering in their absence. Some might wonder why the Tragic Dukes needed some time alone, but they would not ask, and they would all come to their own conclusions. As long as they came to incorrect conclusions, that would be enough.

Zachary headed for the door only a few seconds before Sebastian reached Drake. Christian and Matthew were the only ones left still in their current conversations. Matthew was glancing over at Drake and flipping his coin—likely he would not come to Drake until his lucky coin said to. Christian, on the other hand, was engaged in what appeared to be a quiet but vehement argument with Miss Belle.

Which was very interesting, because Christian was difficult to get riled. Yet Sebastian had witnessed Miss Belle managing it on more than one occasion. Christian rarely cared enough about anyone else’s thoughts or opinions to bother with expending the energy to argue with them.

“How goes it?” he asked Drake in a low voice when he reached him, turning to face the rest of the room. Mei glanced over at them, curiosity in her gaze, which caught his for a moment before she quickly looked away.