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He blinked, genuinely taken aback by her request. “You want me to steal something?”

Victoria nodded confidently. “Yes. You want me to learn the real you, the side of you I haven’t seen before, and that’s something I’m curious to explore.”

“Hmm…” William couldn’t hide his astonishment. “But why?”

With a delicate shrug of her shoulder, she simply said, “It’s a significant part of who you are, isn’t it?”

William released a deep breath. “Very well. If that’s what you want, then that’s what you’ll get.”

Chapter 12

Victoria didn’t know why she’d challenged William to steal. She wanted to unsettle him, perhaps, to remind him why they were at odds, to remind him of the difference in their stations, to remind herself of who he really was.

However, a part of her truly wanted to see him do it.

She’d heard it said about him all the time: he was a criminal, a thief. Perhaps, the best thief this world had ever known. And all those talks had piqued her curiosity.

William scanned the glittering ballroom, eagle-eyed. He grimaced and turned in a different direction a couple of times, and Victoria wished she knew what he was thinking. He glanced toward her with a raised brow. “Are you certain this is how you wish to spend our evening?”

Victoria wasn’t certain at all. But her stomach fluttered in excitement. “Absolutely.”

“Very well.” He rubbed his hands together, his gaze thoughtful. “See Lady Carlyle?”

Victoria searched the ballroom until her gaze settled on the gorgeous, young blonde widow, bedecked in expensive jewelry from head to toe. “Yes.”

“I am going to… um… borrow her ruby choker.”

Victoria raised a brow. “How are you going to do that?”

William shrugged and offered his arm. “Come and see.”

Victoria took his arm and they moved in Lady Carlyle’s direction. As they reached her side, the ostentatious widow greeted them with a smile. “Princess Victoria, a pleasure! And William!” She turned toward him, and her gaze turned undeniably lustful. William! She’d called him by his Christian name. Of course, nobody had ever called him anything else, except when calling him a bastard. But hearing Lady Carlyle address him so familiarly, Victoria felt a visceral feeling of jealousy forming in her belly. Her fingers tightened on William’s forearm, and she suddenly wished they were very far away from the gorgeous widow.

William bowed low, his eyes never leaving Lady Carlyle’s face. “My Lady Carlyle. I am most pleased to see you again.” Again. So, they were definitely previously introduced. They’d probably spent some time together in the past. The widow was known for her numerous liaisons.

Why would he choose Lady Carlyle as his target at all, if not because she was at ease in his presence?

Something boiled within Victoria, and she wished she could yank her husband back. Instead, he dropped her arm and sidled closer to the lady in question, his gaze caressing her body. “You look exceptionally lovely tonight, although I shouldn’t be surprised as your beauty rivals that of the sun.”

Lady Carlyle fanned her red cheeks, her eyes hooded. “Oh, dear William. You should save your flattery for your wife.” Then she leaned in close to William, her bosom conveniently pushed directly into his line of sight and whispered loudly. “I can be charmed without words.”

Victoria couldn’t bear that blatant disrespectful flirting, if she could even call it that, for it was not flirting; it was open coupling! And now William placed his hand on the small of Lady Carlyle’s back! And he whispered something in answer.

“Lady Carlyle!” Victoria snapped, then cleared her features as the woman turned toward her. “I have to admit that the gown you are wearing is the top of fashion.”

“Thank you,” she said, then let out a giggle, as if from being tickled, and threw a lascivious glance toward William. How rude!

“I admire your bravery in trying the newest designs, as it is always a risk wearing something designed for a person with a much smaller waistline. It isn’t flattering on any figure to wear clothes that seem to be coming apart at the seams, yet somehow, you make it work.”

Lady Carlyle’s jaw dropped at Victoria’s pointed insult. She closed her mouth and opened it once more, trying to find an appropriate retort, but ended up staying silent.

William visibly swallowed a chuckle and bowed low. “Lady Carlyle, always a pleasure.” Then he placed his hand on the small of Victoria’s back and guided her away. Victoria struggled not to shake his hand off her, remembering how he’d touched Lady Carlyle in much the same way.

“That was brilliant,” he said with a boyish smile that made it difficult for her to stay angry at him. She persevered still.

“Did you have to be so openly flirtatious with her?” she snapped.

William raised a brow. “Is it jealousy you exhibit?”