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But there was so about the way Villiers lazily watched his opponent…The silent boy slipped through the door, keeping his eyes fixed on his father

Even so, he al foray The duke’s blade slashed forith such quick force that the boy expected blood to splatter the floor The ballroo steel

"Sharpen the angle of your arm, Your Grace!" Tobias had heard that kind of accent before French, he thought A Frenchman had hired hiiving him a penny

This particular Frenchman had a chiseled nose and an excitable look to his wide-set eyes He wore no wig, and his short hair stood around his head like the needles of a pine tree He was perspiring so heavily that Tobias could see the wet on his upper lip, even from the side of the room

Tobias looked back at the duke Villiers had raised his right elbow, but even so, the French him back, step by step Tobias slid quietly down the wall onto his heels His heart was pounding, which was stupid, because he kneas only practice It looked violent, but that was nothing more than pretense

"I would advise--" The French quick ht arh in the air; his rapier just touched the Frenchman’s throat

The only sound to be heard in the ballroo of the two men

Then the Frenchman fell back a step "Your cavazi-one is still too easily countered" He sounded peevish He turned to the large glass on one side of the ballroo of his waistcoat

"Damn it, I’m covered in sweat!" Villiers complained He put his sword down, hauled his shirt over his head and threw it to the side

Tobias’s eyes widened The duke was all taut muscle in his middle, and above his waist thoseakin to the duke’s stoes forlance at his own skinny lio, re he’d spent the last few years in a "highly undesirable situation," as Ashmole the butler had described it Tobias didn’t quite see how "undesirable" covered wading through sewers filled with ot the idea

The ain He had never seen his father without a shirt before now In fact, he’d never seen him in less than formal attire, clothed from head to foot in silk or velvet adorned with fantastical e the duke had paid a visit to the nursery, and the children had all sat about, staring at his coat It was made of red velvet with a pattern of s vines ilt thread with pearls sewn here and there

Even one of those pearls could keep a fa used to Villiers’s extravagant clothing, but his little sister, the one whoo, and his brother Colin, who had arrived a mere week before, had been struck du straight at hiainst the wall The duke opened his , and then pivoted to parry a thrust fro in his throat again Their swords clashed until his ears rang Then the duke twisted his wrist sharply and his blade darted forward His opponent’s blade flen and to the side, skidding to a halt a foot or tay

The French of inco were being said He plucked up a linen cloth from the bench and walked toward Tobias

Tobias pulled his shoulders back It was hard to ileaht, re the body of his forh he had terrible strength in the swing of his arer