Fifty

For a moment Sloane looked as if he might defy the duke and stay, and Sebastien felt a warmth for the man that he rarely had for any of the members of his acquaintance. He inclined his head, and Sloane returned the gesture before walking away.

"Sebastien.

little stunt with the waif."

He turned toward the duke, who was resplendent in his London finery, gilded walking stick ticking an irritated beat against the grass.

"I thought you might admire my finesse."

"I didn‟t." The duke‟s tones were clipped. "You‟re a fool. You don‟t know that anyone would have run her over. You hardly needed to hurt your own standing for someone who could do nothing for you."

"I didn‟t realize someone had to do something for me in order to be saved."

But that wasn‟t entirely true either. He knew how society worked and had long played the same.