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intelligent woman would have introduced some sense into the proceedings.
    â€œBecause his mother wasn’t there.” His mouth twisted. “The Duchesses of Hart are not known for their maternal feelings.”
    Oh, the poor baby! She didn’t wish to be a mother herself, but she couldn’t imagine a woman sending her infant off on such an errand with only a nurse and a stuffy old guardian in attendance. Mama would never have done so.
    â€œBut your mother came with you, didn’t she, when you were here as a child?” Had she seen a woman that day? She didn’t remember. Her attention had been all for the horses.
    No, that wasn’t quite true. Now that she thought more about it, she did remember a boy. Two boys, but she’d only focused on one. He’d been tall and thin and his back had been very straight and stiff. She’d thought him too serious and proud, and she’d felt a little sorry for him even though he’d got to ride in the beautiful carriage with the lovely horses. Had that been the duke?
    â€œNo, my mother did not come.”
    His face was as closed as his voice sounded.
    She had to force herself not to squeeze his arm. He wouldn’t want her sympathy.
    It was bad enough for a mother to send her baby with only a nurse and a guardian, but an infant wouldn’t remember who was holding him. A boy of ten? He’d remember all too well.
    â€œWas she ill? Is that why she didn’t come with you?”
    â€œMiss Hutting, my mother left me with my aunt—my father’s older sister—shortly after she gave birth to me. I have not seen her since.”
    He sounded very haughty, but she thought he was just putting up walls. She tried to study his expression, but the shade was too deep for her to see his eyes.
    â€œThat’s terrible.”
    â€œNo, it’s not. I’m sure I was happier growing up with my cousin and his family.” He stopped and frowned at her. “I’m surprised you don’t know all this. Can it be that the villagers don’t gossip about the Cursed Duke?”
    â€œNo, why would we? You’re never here, and few people care about what goes on in London Society. What is important to us is what you do in the House of Lords, and most of the villagers approve of that. In truth, I think they’re impressed you bother to take your seat instead of wasting all your time gambling and whoring.”
    His brows shot up. “You are very frank.”
    She grinned. “It is one of the benefits of choosing spinsterhood.” They had finally reached the end of the path, so she let go of his arm. “Randolph’s office is just up this way.”
    â€œSplendid.”
    â€œYou know,” she said, starting up the lane, “I never understood why your ancestor agreed to the Spinster House arrangement. I can’t imagine a duke feeling compelled to do anything a mere merchant’s daughter demanded.”
    He frowned at her, his voice rough with emotion. “I hope it was because the man had a modicum of honor.”
    Heavens, was he personally offended by the events of two hundred years ago? Perhaps that was what came from living in a house where generations of your ancestors stared down at you from every wall.
    He needed to join the nineteenth century.
    â€œThe man didn’t rape Isabelle, did he?” Though even if he had, it had still happened two hundred years ago.
    â€œGood God, no!” This present duke looked ill. “Or at least not that I was ever told. As far as I know, their, er, relationship was consensual. But that doesn’t excuse the fact that the duke got Miss Dorring with child and then married another.” He frowned. “Her heart was broken.”
    Cat snorted. Yes, that was how she knew the story.
    The duke’s eyebrow arched up. “You don’t believe in broken hearts, Miss Hutting?”
    â€œI have no patience with such romantic twaddle. Isabelle