I bit down on the insides of my cheeks to hold back a caustic retort. Because of course he saw no future between me and Pénélope.

“I know you hate this,” he said. “But it’s not enough for you two to walk up and down the promenade drinking sweet wine and eating pastries. She has an agenda, and so do you. That must always be forefront in your mind.”

“I take it you were spying on us then, too.”

“Anaïs was.”

Of course. Someone always would, whether it be for Tristan or for the Duke. No doubt Pénélope would realize that too, if she hadn’t already. We’d be spied upon as we played this game, our interactions souring and growing less genuine until all the affection between us had been burned away.

“Why can’t we tell her the truth?” I asked. “You know she’d help us.”

Tristan went very still. Then he said, “No. Absolutely not.”

“But–”

“This is the kind of secret that needs to be kept in a steel box, Marc. Not a wicker basket. You will not tell her.”

The analogy made me bite the insides of my cheeks with anger once again – as did his ordering me about – but I knew there was no dissuading him.

And I didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

“What of you and Anaïs?” I asked, changing the subject. “Have you put more thought to her proposal?”

It was Tristan’s turn to look uncomfortable. “It’s the only way I can think to meet with the sympathizers without risk of discovery,” he said, scraping a hand through his hair. “But already I ask so much of her. Too much. I don’t know how she sleeps at night.”

“It’s a good plan.” I searched his expression, trying to find clues to his intentions, but as always, there were none. “If you wish to take the reins with Tips and the rest, there may be no other way.”

“I know. But farce or not, it will be damaging to her.”

“Or not?” I lifted one eyebrow, then asked a question I knew he wouldn’t like. “Just what are your intentions toward her?”

He looked away. “In what regard?”

“Don’t be cagey. Do you intend to make her Queen one day or not?”

Silence.

“Do you love her?”

His jaw tightened. “In a way, I suppose. She’s my friend. She’s loyal. I trust her.”

“But not enough to risk the affliction in her family’s line?”

“It’s not that. It’s…” He gave a sharp shake of his head. “It’s a problem for a distant day.”

Which wasn’t at all what he’d been about to say.

“Unless you plan to make her Queen then keep it a farce,” I said. “Because if you let it go further than that only to replace her with another, it will break her heart.”

Anger filled his gaze. “I would never hurt her on purpose.”

“Then don’t let it come to that. Don’t let it go too far.”