“Do not forget the incidents with my brother and father too.”
“Basil climbing a statue naked and your father throwing up on Lady Beaumont’s shoes? No that is not easily forgotten.”
“Basil was frightfully drunk, and Papa had eaten bad fish.” She repeated the excuses as she had done many a time over the years. “But my point is, I’m one of the only Musgraves who can just about show her face in Society. It is up to me to remain beyond reproach.”
“And if one is caught with a known rake, one’s fine reputation will most certainly be sullied,” he finished for her.
Duke was no fool. He knew how the world worked and how women could not behave in the same way as men did. Even the slightest whisper of scandal could ruin a woman, even if from a maid with no substantial proof.
“So you see, you must go.”
“What if I do not wish to leave?”
“Duke, that is not possible.” She shook her head. “You are meant to be a clever man. Did you lose all your wits overnight?”
Whilst he had to admit he had perhaps not been in the right frame of mind since sharing a kiss with Violet all those months ago, everything seemed crisper, sharper, as though the world had been brought into stark relief by being with Violet. For the first time since he’d started practicing law, he knew what he wanted.
Or who he wanted.
She tilted her head. “Do you really want to cause yet more scandal for the Musgraves?”
“No, but there will be no scandal.”
Violet wriggled her fingers from his and put both hands to his shoulders, screwing up her nose as she attempted to push him from the bed. He latched both hands around her wrists and swiftly moved her underneath him, pinning her with his body. She wriggled for a few moments then gave up, relaxing with an annoyed huff.
“That is unfair,” she complained.
“There will be no scandal, Vi, because if someone sees me leaving your room, there will be a simple explanation.”
“I do not think a bachelor leaving an unwed woman’s bedroom in the early hours ever has a simple explanation.”
“Unless, of course, that bachelor is leaving his fiancée’s bedroom.”
She froze and blinked rapidly.
“Vi?” he asked when she failed to say anything after far too many moments.
She laughed. “That’s hardlyun-scandalous. And, besides, you are not my fiancée.”
“No, but I could be.”
“Be serious, Duke.”
“I am serious. I’m being serious. We should marry, Vi.”
Her smile dropped. “This isn’t funny.”
“I’m not trying to be.”
She began to squirm underneath him again.
“Vi, listen to me.” He firmed his hold upon her wrists. “Listen to me.”
“You’re being nonsensical.”
“I’m making more sense than I ever have done in my life.” Duke waited until she met his gaze to continue. “You are my best friend, and you have to admit, we are an excellent match in every other way.”
“Well, that’s not really a good reason—”