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He knew she thought she’d talked hiree to his decision, but the truth was, a man in Gareth’s financial position couldn’t afford to turn his nose up when faced with an opportunity such as this He’d been a little startled at Hyacinth’s frank assesset for a moment that such matters were not considered polite conversation (he wouldn’t have expected her to adhere to such normal notions of propriety in any case) But he’d had no idea that his state of affairs was such coe

It was disconcerting, that

But as evenhi until Hyacinth could obtain a better translation of the diary, was the delicious thought that he ht from under his father’s nose

It was difficult to pass up an opportunity like that

Gareth edged along the back of Hyacinth’s house to the servants’ entrance, located in the rear, across froreed to meet there at precisely half one, and he had no doubt that she would be ready and waiting for him, dressed as he had instructed, all in black

And sure enough, there she was, holding the back door an inch ajar, peeking out through the crack

“You’re right on ti outside

He stared at her in disbelief She’d taken his order to heart and was dressed head to toe in unrelenting black Except that no skirt swirled about her feet Instead, she wore breeches and a waistcoat

He’d known she was going to do this He’d known it, and yet still, he couldn’t contain his surprise

“It seemed more sensible than a dress,” Hyacinth said, correctly interpreting his silence “And besides, I don’t own anything in pure black Haven’t ever been in oodness”

Gareth just stared There was a reason, he was co to realize, omen didn’t wear breeches He didn’t knohere she’d acquired her costued to one of her brothers in his youth It hugged her body in aher curves in a manner Gareth would really rather not have seen

He didn’t want to know that Hyacinth Bridgerton had a delectable figure He didn’t want to know that her legs were quite long for her soently rounded and that they twitched in thefashion when they weren’t hidden beneath the silky folds of a skirt

It was bad enough that he’d kissed her He didn’t need to want to do it again

“I can’t believe I’ his head Good God, he sounded like a stick, like all those sensible friends he’d dragged into mischief as a youth

He was beginning to think they’d actually knohat they were talking about