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Philip felt a sudden warmth in his face. “I might—”

“No, you would not. Nor would you tolerate any disrespectful form of your family name. You would be too quick with your fists to make that correction.”

Philip stared at her. “How would you—”

Cassandra tapped her knuckles. “You box.”

Philip slumped back in his chair. “Vicar.”

With a short laugh, she bounced in her chair, then tucked her feet beneath her skirt. “That is brilliant! It suits you. You feel that sense of honor in everything you do.”

“Of course! I’m going to be a duke someday. My father has raised me to put our family first, along with the responsibilities I have been born to. To approach everything we do with honor. To acknowledge and respect the privilege we have been born with.”

“Is she lovely?”

“Beautif—” Philip stopped, growling beneath his breath.

Cassandra showed no signs of relishing her success. Instead, she sat quite still. “But she is not of your status, or your father would already know about her.”

Philip did not respond, and for a few long moments, Cassandra watched the fire. They both waited.

Finally, Cassandra whispered, “Tell me about her.”

And the words rushed out, a torrent released from a broken dam, filling the silence Philip had maintained since that first moment with Emalyn in the garden more than four years ago. Her wit that constantly probed him, the growing wisdom and intelligence spurred on by her studies and travel. Her beauty, with her black curls and eyes set off against the rich brown of her skin. Watching her blossom from a child into a young woman.

Cassandra listened, as if rooted to her chair. “Do you want to marry her?”

He swallowed. “Yes. I—I was not sure until right now. But yes, I do. We must wait, obviously. But... yes.”

“You think you will be able to overcome your family’s objections?”

“I have to. I must.”

Cassandra paused, her voice now almost a whisper. “And if you do this magnificent thing for the woman you love, would you not want to make her wedding night one she will never forget for all the right reasons?”

Philip fell silent, watching this calm, sophisticated woman, whose appearance was so far beyond anything he had imagined for someone in her profession. The answer seemed obvious—Ofcoursehe did!—but at what cost would the solution come? “I do not think—”

“What if I could show you what to do in a way that would not require you to touch me? You could still go to her with confidence, with skill.”

“Without touching you?”

“Unless you want to.”

Philip shook his head. “I did not think this was possible.”

Cassandra smiled as she stood and reached for his hand. “That, my lord, is why men need teachers.” She urged him to his feet. “Will you let me teach you?”

Philip stood, realizing that he had completely relaxed. All his tension had drained away, just by being with this woman. He inhaled deeply and nodded.

And teach him, she did.

Chapter Four

Saturday, 27 February 1792

Prague, Bohemia

Four in the afternoon

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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