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One of the women from the shelter had moved out and married a carpenter, and in order to support her, Victoria had ordered a few small items for herself. These included a side table, a writing desk, and a couple of ornate shelves for her books. She didn’t want to keep walking back and forth to the library when she could have a little stack in her bedchamber instead.

William had helped her put the furniture in their new designated spots and was now in the dressing room getting ready to leave for another of his clandestine outings while Victoria rearranged the items atop her new furniture.

Ever since the morning of passionate baking, Victoria had been deep in thought about her future. What did she want it to look like, and could she see her life without William? The one concern she kept circling back to was William’s secrets. His constant absence from the house, his avoidance of the truth, and even this small metal trunk she was currently moving to a new place. She had never seen him open it. It wasn’t terribly heavy either. What did it hold inside?

He had been right when he’d said she struggled to reconcile her feelings for him, but he was mistaken when he assumed it was because of his past. She had accepted his past without question. What she worried about was whether the past was a reflection of his present.

William exited the dressing room in simple trousers and a coat over his shirt. No cravat in sight, no buckskin breeches, and not even a waistcoat. She had to admit he looked quite dashing with his tousled hair, not like a lord at all.

A common man. A thief.

“I have to visit… uh…”

“An acquaintance?” She finished his sentence with a raised brow.

He smiled. “You know me too well.”

She licked her lips. “Do I?”

His brows furrowed, creating a crease between them. “I am not sure I know what you’re asking.”

“For instance”—she waved at the metal trunk by her side—“what’s inside this trunk?”

“Important, valuable papers.”

“Important for blackmailing purposes?” she inquired carefully.

He straightened his spine. “If you’re asking me whether I am continuing to blackmail people then the answer is no.”

Victoria let out a breath. She had upset him. “That is not what I am asking. I think I just want to know more about you.”

“You know everything you need to know.”

“Need to know? What does that even mean? I am your wife.”

He stepped closer and brushed her cheek with his forefinger. “You are.”

Chills ran down her back, and her knees buckled, but Victoria refused to be charmed so easily. “A-and as your wife, there shouldn’t be a part of you I don’t need to know. I have to know everything about you.”

He chuckled. “Is that so?”

“It is so! As a spouse, I am supposed to know you like my five fingers!”

William pursed his lips in thought before a hoarse chuckle left his lips. “Do you mean like the back of your hand?”

Victoria blushed, realizing she had simply translated the Russian saying into English instead of using the appropriate equivalent. “It means the same thing!”

William’s smile softened. “I am touched that you want to get to know me better, but knowing everything about me… I am not sure it’s the best thing.”

“If I have to decide whether I want to continue living with you after our arrangement ends, I need to have all the information.”

He raised a brow. “Are you considering staying with me? Indefinitely?”

Victoria licked her lips and stepped away, her fingers tangled in her skirts. “You must have realized that I started wavering in my convictions.”

“Is that because of yesterday?” His face became grim.

“No!” she hastened to reassure him and then grimaced. “Yes? Partly? I don’t know. I would be lying if I said I hadn’t been considering it from the start. However, our physical attraction certainly helped to push me farther in this direction.”