“A friend. She’s been kind to me. She wishes to move about in your world, and I want to make it easier for her to do so.” He didn’t particularly like the thought of other men taking her in their arms for a turn about the dance floor, but he wasn’t selfish enough to deny her what she wanted.

“Usually when a gentleman says a woman has been kind it’s because she spread her legs for him.”

The fury that rent through him nearly made him tremble. “Such talk is beneath you, Sylvie.”

Her cheeks burned red. “You’re asking me to put my reputation on the line.”

“I’m asking you to show a kindness.”

“Will you attend?”

“No.” He stood. “I don’t believe I’ll be staying for dinner.”

Rising, she placed her hand on his arm. “I don’t want to have a row with you. You’re my only brother. I’ll think about inviting her, if you’ll think about coming.”

He nodded. Perhaps by the end of the month, he would have won Fancy over to such an extent that he’d have told her who he truly was. In which case, he would claim every one of her damned dances at the ball.

Chapter 16

If Matthew wanted to keep distance between them, he’d certainly selected the perfect boat for ensuring his goal. It was long with a flat bottom. Holding a white lacy parasol that Mick had given her a couple of years earlier, Fancy sat at one end, while Matthew stood at the other, impressing her as he stayed balanced while dropping the pole into the water and then pushing it back, guiding the craft through the stream.

“I assumed we were going rowing,” she said. Matthew had been waiting in a curricle for her near the park entrance. It seemed this gentleman of leisure had his own conveyance available to him, but wherever he stored it made it inconvenient to retrieve on short notice. But he’d made arrangements to have it on hand for this planned excursion.

“I prefer punting,” he said.

“It’s such an odd-shaped rowboat.” He’d rented it from a gent who’d had several boats available. Occasionally they passed another spot where it appeared boats were being let or could be returned if one had enough of the river.

He grinned. “It’s a punt, not a rowboat. Hence, the punting, not rowing.”

“Oh. Have you ever fallen into the water?”

“Once, when I was first learning how to control the pole.”