Page 125 (1/2)

"Careful, Gar," Rojer warned "I know she was a sight, but you don’t want to irls"

"Why not?" Gared asked

"Because the duke and his brothers will be laughing the whole time" Rojer made a face "Besides, you want to kiss a mouth that’s been on Rhinebeck’s pecker?"

Gared balled a ht up to Rojer’s face "True or not, don’t want to hear that kind of talk about her, Rojer Not if ya want to keep your teeth"

Rojer let out a lohistle "You really fell for it, didn’t you?"

"Fell for what?" Gared asked

"Jessa paraded that girl in front of you on purpose," Rojer said "I’ll bet she’s the irl did was ed "How’s that make her different from the others? Only with her, it worked"

"I’irls can be … jaded They get what they want from a man and make it think it’s his idea"

"My da said that’s what all e is like," Gared said "Sayin’ it’s different for you?"

Rojer stuck his pipe in histo answer

Rojer and his quartet stood in a sound shell behind Gared, who stood center stage with Duchess Araine The young baron looked veryat the altar

The ballroom was already filled with the cream of society, Royals, wealthy tradesmen and their wives, all in their finest dress But outside the great double doors on the far end of the roo to be announced

The duchess gave a few tugs to Gared’s collar "You ready, boy?"

"Think I ht be sick," Gared said

"I wouldn’t advise it," Araine said, brushing a fleck of dust from his jacket "But I doubt it would thin your dance card Not every bachelor has a barony in his pocket That’s worth ignoring a shirtfront of sick for"

Gared paled, and Araine laughed "A young bride to make children with is hardly a death sentence, boy Glory in it while it lasts"

She gave hi stick, and Gared jumped "All you have to do now is stand here while Jasin introduces the debutantes Once that’s done, you can go backstage and enaling Jasin to open the doors Immediately Rojer put his fiddle to his chin, mirrored by Kendall as they played the first entrance Each wo they requested on the dance card Rojer’s quartet had been practicing for days to learn thehter of Count Alen of Riverbridge" Rojer changed tune Kareen had chosen a slow song, both for the intimacy and the chance to saunter down the ay at a crawl,her time as the center of attention