How could there be any love? He’d only met the girl a few times, all when they’d been much younger. But including her made the story about his difficult year all the more compelling.

Brow creasing, Vice’s expression softened, compassionate, almost sad.

Knigh’s chest twisted. She felt sorry for him? The matter of his family’s difficulties—surely to her it would just be a sign of how wealthy they’d been in the first place.

So perhaps it was the wayward fiancée that touched her. Hadn’t she said at the ball that she was widowed? Something about how the story had come so quickly and a brief look that had crossed her face had made him wonder and now this … Maybe there was a vein of truth in it.

Who knew that the route to Vice’s black heart would be through tragic tales of romance? It was almost enough to make him laugh.

He tried to soften his own expression, look like he genuinely was sad. He couldn’t plumb his feelings towards Father—that was a dangerous box to open—but perhaps he could summon something from the distant memory of Lady Avice.

Although she hadn’t broken his heart, the news she’d eloped with another man had been a slap in the face. In those few meetings, he’d clearly made a bad impression. Bad enough that she’d rather run away from her entire life and marry some penniless younger son of a baron than stay and marry him.

To think he’d been naïve enough to believe that would be the worst thing to happen that year.

Vice pursed her lips for a moment before she bowed her head and removed her tricorne. From the inside band, she pulled a folded piece of paper and tucked it in her pocket. “Disappointing fathers, eh?” She gave a sardonic smile, but there was something still sad in her eyes as she slid the hat onto his head. “That works,” she murmured to herself and nodded. “What about your mother? How did the two of you manage?”

Knigh blinked. So it was the family that struck her more? Disappointing fathers—that sounded personal. Fine, he could follow that angle, as long as he didn’t think too much about the man.

“Four of us—I have a brother and sister, too.” He pushed the tricorne on more securely, angling until it felt comfortable. He could give a few details. It wasn’t as if he were sharing naval secrets and he couldn’t see any way she could use this against him. “We had to sell our whole estate, and I thought I might have to leave the Navy. I’d not long made Lieutenant and expenses rack up quickly when you’re first promoted. Thankfully, my mother’s sister was able to take us in, and she lent me the money to stay in the service.”