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"Exactly Just like me" His lips twisted "They called Rosalind a whore, said I’d debauched her, that Pocket was a bastard and Ethan a cuckold"

She asped

He turned to her, his eyes pained, his voice finally strained "Why do you think we haven’t attended any London balls or parties or damned musicales, for God’s sake? Rosalind’s reputation was ruined Absolutely ruined She hasn’t been invited anywhere in three years An impeccably virtuous lady and she was cut dead on the street by married women who’d had too many liaisons to count"

Lucy didn’t knohat to say What an awful thing to do to a family, to do to brothers Poor, poor Rosalind

Simon took a deep breath "They left him no choice He called out Peller, the one they’d chosen to talk the loudest Ethan had never fought a duel, barely kne to hold the sword Peller killed hihter"

She drew in her breath "Where were you?"

"Italy" He raised the razor again "Seeing the ruins and drinking" Stroke "And wenching, I’ll admit as well" Wipe "I didn’t know until a letter was sent Ethan, steady, boring Ethan--Ethan the good son--ht it was a joke; I came home anyway" Stroke "I’d wearied of Italy by that time Fine wine or no, there are only so h fa the blade this tiaze was averted from hers, but she could see his Adam’s apple move as he sed

"It inter and they’d preserved his body for my return Couldn’t hold the funeral without , only Rosalind, nearly prostrate with shock and grief, and Pocket and the priest No one else was there They’d been shunned Ruined" He looked up at her, and she noticed that he’d cut himself under the left earlobe "They did more than just kill him, Lucy, they destroyed his name Destroyed Rosalind’s reputation Destroyed Pocket’s hopes of everto know that yet" He frowned and finished shaving without saying anything else

Lucy watched him What was she to do? She could understand his reasons for wanting vengeance only too well If so to David, her brother, or to Papa, she, too, would seethe with indignation But that still didn’t ht And what of the cost to Siht all those duels without losing a part of himself Could she sieance for a dead brother?

He washed his face and dried it off and then walked to where she sat "May I join you?"

Did he think she’d refuse him? "Yes" She scooted backward to make room

He shucked his breeches and blew out the candle She felt the bed dip as he climbed in She waited, but he didn’t ainst him He hesitated, then put his arm around her

"You never finished the fairy tale you were telling ainst his chest

She felt his sigh "Do you really want to hear it?"

"Yes, I do"

"Very well, then" His voice floated to her in the dark "As you recall, Angelica wished for another dress even more beautiful than the first So the Serpent Prince showed her a sharp silver dagger and bade her cut off his right hand"

Lucy shivered; she’d forgotten that part

"The goat girl did as he told her, and a silver dress triht" He stroked her hair "And she went off and had a jolly good time at the ball with pretty Prince Rutherford and returned late--"

"But what about the Serpent Prince?" she interrupted "Wasn’t he in great pain?"

His hand paused "Of course" He resuelica wanted"

"What a selfish girl"

"No Just poor and alone She couldn’t help de beautiful clothes anyscales It’s simply the way God made them"

"Hmm" Lucy wasn’t convinced

"Anyway" He patted her shoulder "Angelica returned and told the Serpent Prince all about the ball and pretty Rutherford and how everyone adown, and he listened silently and s she wanted a new dress for silly Rutherford"

"Yes"

He stopped and she listened to his breathing in the darkness for a few minutes

"Well?" she prompted

"But of course it must be even more beautiful than the last"

"Of course"

He squeezed her shoulder "The Serpent Prince said nothing was easier He could get her the most beautiful dress she’d ever seen, the most beautiful dress in the world"

Lucy hesitated This didn’t sound good for some reason "She hed wistfully in the dark "His head"

Lucy jerked back "That’s awful!"

She felt his shrug "The most beautiful dress, the ultiirl and presented his neck Angelica was appalled, of course, and she did hesitate, but she was in love with Prince Rutherford How else could a goat girl win a prince? In the end, she did as the Serpent Prince instructed and cut off his head"

Lucy bit her lip She felt like weeping over this foolish fairy tale "But he coain, doesn’t he?"

"Hush" His breath brushed across her face He must’ve turned his head toward her "Do you want to hear the story or not?"

"Do" She snuggled against hiain and was still