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"So you ader at hihts There’s no need to prevaricate I knohat people are saying aboutthat I’ed "I’ve never understood that saying--no better than you should be Why would anyone want to be better than required? I only behave when it counts; I wouldn’t begrudge you similar conduct"

She stared at hih as it is He had no intention of outright lying to her "You don’t believe me," he said "I can’t help it--it’s my face It makes everyone think that I’m quite friendly, when anyone who knows better arn you off I’ave hi "Is that so? Well I’o looked upward "Drat"

"Drat?" She hid a smile "Surely a man as awful as you could conjure up a ‘damn’ in mixed company"

"I don’t swear," he explained "Not in any colanced at the sky in exasperation "I am aware that this fact in isolation hardly proves my point Which is this: If you wish to speak to me in confidence, if you wish to tell your tale without fear of judgossip with ," she said, in a tone that i but "But you are…what, an accountant? Someone who keeps the household books?"

He nearly choked "You could say that," he finally said "I suppose I ave hi nod of the head "All that ruthlessness, and only the books to balance Poor Mr Marshall" She se of character And you, sir, are safe"

Safe

It had been so long since sootten what it was like But here she was, dise of her bench

"Maybe I am safe," he said "I don’t swear I don’t drink spirits, either" He took a deep breath "You’re sitting here for a reason, though, Miss Barton, and I doubt it’s for your health Is it so wrong of me to want to help?"

All the latent humor bled from her face "Help," she repeated blankly "You want to help"

"This is no triviality before you A lady does not risk the wrath of a duke without reason I don’t want to see you hurt"

"Why not?" she asked "If you’re so ruthless"

He smiled in spite of himself "Ruthless doesn’t leefully choose the cruelest one It ood at that"

"And so out of the goodness of your heart, you’re offering--"

"No," he said, leaning in "You oodness into explain to you You are a problem It distracts me from my work to think of you here To wonder…"