SHE DANCED ALONE IN THE EMPTY BALLROOM AFTER MIDNIGHT-UNAWARE THE DUKE WAS WATCHING

for nobody had ever said such a thing to her in her life. She thought of her aunt’s voice at breakfast: *Do keep out of his way.* She thought of Petra and Cecily upstairs, still asleep in their good beds, and she thought of her two dresses.

“Your Grace,” she said, “if my aunt learns of lines, I will be sent from lines house within the hour. I have continue reading …