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made if you were to undertake an apology to my brother."
    Sebastian's jaw tightened. Then his eyes gleamed with reluctant admiration. "A telling blow, Miss Merryweather. And very neatly exe­cuted, if I may say so."
    "Thank you, my lord. I merely pointed out a small truth. You could apologize to my brother and come away with your extraordinary reputation still intact. Those who learn of your act of generosity to­ward Trevor will view it as a kindness on your part."
    "I am not known for being kind, Miss Merryweather."
    Prudence smiled encouragingly. "You will be, after word gets out that you refused to meet my brother. Everyone knows that you could have lodged a bullet in him, had you chosen to do so."
    "It is an interesting and rather amusing perspective on the situa­tion."
    "I'm delighted you understand, my lord. I believe my little scheme will work very well. All you have to do is apologize to Trevor."
    Sebastian reflected on that for a moment. "I must confess I do not quite see any clear benefit to myself in all of this."
    "You will be spared the inconvenience of a duel at dawn," Pru­dence pointed out. "Surely that is a great benefit."
    "As it happens, I am generally awake at dawn, anyway." Some­thing cold flickered in Sebastian's eyes. "A duel would be no great inconvenience."
    Prudence stared at him in shock. Then she thought she detected a devilish amusement in his amber eyes. "My lord, you are teasing me."
    "Do you think so?"
    "Yes, I do. Surely you can have no great desire to fight a duel with a young, inexperienced boy. You have nothing to prove. Promise me you will end this with an apology before blood is spilled."
    "You are asking me to set aside the small matter of my own honor."
    "I am asking you to be reasonable."
    "Why should I bother to be reasonable?"
    Prudence was nearing the end of her patience. "My lord, I must insist you cease acting like a cork-brained idiot. We both know you are too intelligent to want to engage in something as foolish as a duel."
    "A cork-brained idiot?"
    Prudence flushed. "I apologize, sir, but that is how your behavior appears to me. I expected better of you."
    "I am desolate to know that I have not lived up to your expecta­tions. But then, I rarely live up to anyone's expectations. I am sur-prised you did not learn that in the course of your investigation this evening."
    "You enjoy confounding others," Prudence said. "I realize that you undoubtedly feel that you have just cause to carry on in such a manner. It is no doubt your way of getting some revenge on Society for the way it treated you before you assumed your title."
    "That's a very magnanimous attitude on your part."
    "However," Prudence said very deliberately, "I am asking you to rise above your inclinations in this instance and behave like the gener­ous, responsible, kindhearted man I know you are capable of being."
    Wicked laughter briefly lit Sebastian's eyes. "What in the name of the devil makes you think I'm capable of behaving in such a manner?"
    Prudence was exasperated. "You are a well-read man with an in­quiring mind, sir. I learned that much about you on the dance floor when we discussed my investigations into spectral phenomena. You asked perceptive questions and you displayed a keen intellect. I refuse to believe you cannot behave with some generosity of spirit."
    Sebastian rubbed Lucifer's ears while he considered that sugges­tion. "I suppose it might be a novel experience."
    "Just the thing to relieve your boredom." Prudence hesitated and then added gently, "I understand you suffer from ennui."
    "Who told you that?"
    "Almost everyone," she admitted. "Is it true?"
    Sebastian leaned his head against the back of the chair and gazed at the fire in front of him. His mouth curved without any real humor. "I don't know," he said quietly.
    Prudence stared at him. "You don't know what you are feeling?"
    He slanted her a strange look. "Much of the time I am not certain that I feel anything at all, Miss