She raised an amused eyebrow, immediately recognising the tone of voice that accompanied his compliment. Apparently outside of life and death situations he was also quite the flirt, though Belle couldn’t say she was especially surprised. He was, after all, a handsome young man from a…reasonably good family and she doubted he struggled to find young ladies willing to entertain his company.

Especially given the attention they were enduring at the moment. It wasn’t at all to her tastes but he seemed to be enjoying it quite a bit more and she supposed there was a novelty to being popular. She had managed about a fortnight of it after she debuted before her marriage to Henry had saved her the awkwardness of being so on display: unlike certain of her sisters she had never flourished under attention.

“The world can keep it,” she retorted with a chuckle, taking a grateful sip of her champagne, enjoying this aspect of the party a great deal more than others. Her job being the way it was she so rarely got a chance to enjoy herself, but all was well at the moment, she could afford a little indulgence. “Or you can have my share. You seem to have all the young ladies hanging on your every word.”

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Lady made me sexy <3