It was on the tip of his tongue to comment that was how it ought to be, but he stopped himself – he had no particular interest in this young lady, charming though she seemed to be, beyond keeping her company for the time it took him to recover from his last encounter with that woman and feel ready for the next skirt Miss Valentine was going to direct him towards. The life of a bachelor… He had no intention of inciting another young woman into hating him and having to defend his position, really and truly he just wanted a drink and his need was far more important for the time being than his belief that women, unless they were whores or not much better, had no business being near a bar.

“Then I shall have to be the go-between for you,” he offered her his arm, noting as he did that more than one person was looking in their direction. Curious. It wasn’t so very extraordinary for him to be speaking to her was it? Or was it?

“You have me at a disadvantage Miss, I insist on knowing the identity of all my drinking partners.”

Dear Merlin, she wasn’t notorious he hoped – the last thing he needed was to be seen with a jade after escaping the shrew.

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Indecently attractive set by MJ