If he thought for a moment that she would believe him, he might have lied and muttered something about the unexpected nature of love. Fitz, however, knew his mother better than that.

"Her brother forced the issue," he answered simply, his gaze still cool. "Matilda found us in rather a compromising position."

At the mention of his cousin, Fitz mentally thanked his lucky stars his mother had heard the news from him and not from Aunt Hermione. That would have been a thousand times worse.