“Seems rather impossible that the girl was in early pregnancy, then. Had you meddled with her over your lastschool break she’d have been well along and you did not have time to meddle with her when you arrived. You’re an Oxford man, I presume?”

“I am.”

“And your estate is in Suffolk. Quite the lengthy trip during term to meddle with a maid, unobserved no less. Had you been interested in such things, I suppose you might have located a lady more conveniently situated. You are not interested in such dalliances, I hope?

“No, Your Grace,” Roland said. He thought he knew what the duke wished to hear, which was nothing but the truth anyway. “I would never disgrace my future duchess in such a manner.”

“As I thought. Now, on to number two, the letter claimed to be from a lowly servant, but if so, that servant inexplicably attended Oxford or Cambridge, such was the sophistication of the language and composition. Three, that lowly servant either stole paper from his employer or spent all his wages on it, as it was very fine quality and sealed with good wax. Four, the top of the sheet was cut off, indicating a monogram had been removed. Five, I was just arriving to the house when the letter was delivered by a porter wearing livery from The Albany. And finally, six, and I did find this the most hilarious, this supposed lowly servant ended the letter noting that everyone wished that Charles, the second son, had been the heir.”

“That devil.”

The duke nodded. “I have not told Serenity, nor will I. Though, I have told her to avoid him when she can and that he’s not to be trusted. In any case, Lord Charles did not get anywhere with it.” The duke took that moment to punch his arm. “What about you? When are you going to get somewhere with it? Something to think about, Thorpe!”

With that, the duke grabbed a glass of wine off a passing tray and strolled off.