Page 144 of The Dueling Duchess

She felt the usual stab of fear that struck her whenever somebody wanted to ask her a personal question, but then remembered she’d already told him the worst.

“You can ask me anything,” she said.

“Your name. My understanding is that your real name is Manon Cecile Blanchet. Why do you use Cecile Tremblay?”

“Oh, that. I’ve always preferred to go by Cecile. As for Tremblay, I just chose to use that name so my cousin wouldn’t complain that I was soiling the Blanchet name—and him by extension—by working in a circus. Tremblay was my mother’s name, so it was an easy choice.”

“So your father named you Manon hoping you would follow in his footsteps?”

“Yes.” She smiled. “When I was younger, I hated the name Manon and insisted on being called Cecile. But now I rather like it.”

“Which do you prefer I call you?”

“Cecile.” Her lips twitched. “Or darling.”

He laughed.

Cecile bit back a yawn, but not very successfully.

“Let’s put you in bed, darling. You’re simply not up to dancing until dawn, are you?” he teased.

“No, it is much harder than I expected.”

“A person needs to work up to it.”

“I still want you to come to my bed tonight,” she said, her face heating at her shamelessness. “I might not be very entertaining, however.”

“Sweetheart, I can be entertaining enough for the both of us.”

* * *

As it turned out, by the time Guy ran down to the kitchen and heated some water, made a pot of tea, and then headed back up to Cecile’s chambers, she was fast asleep—still fully dressed—while sprawled out on her bed.

Guy was tempted to just remove her slippers and jewels and cover her with a blanket, but he knew she’d have a miserable sleep wearing all her clothing.

“Darling?” he murmured.

“Hmmm?” Her eyelids lifted only to slits.

“I’m going to help you get undressed, Cecile.”

She yawned and said, “You are very useful.”

Guy laughed. “Well, a man should have some skills.”

She smiled and her eyes drifted closed again.

“Just stay awake a bit longer, darling.”

She made it until she was down to her chemise before he heard deep, measured breathing.

Guy rolled down her stockings and then tucked her beneath the blankets.

He chewed his lip as he considered her hair. There were pretty brilliants sparkling in among the near-black tresses. With excruciating care, he teased the pins from her hair. It would be a tangled mess when she woke, but it was better than getting jabbed in the head.

He blew out the candle but when he turned away, she caught his wrist.

“You’re staying?”