His frustration rose again, though this time without anger. Was she really this naïve? He was honest? He had told her his story? Perhaps he had. Or perhaps it had been the pretty talk or the tragic background story to make a vulnerable girl like him. Pippa didn’t understand the world. And he couldn’t shield her from it.

“I’ll come with you,” he almost immediately snapped when she began about seeing the lad again and bringing a chaperone if he couldn’t make time. Hell, he didn’t have time, but he would make it to keep an eye on that boy. This whole looking for a husband to claim the child plan seemed like a bad idea to him, but Pippa seemed determined. It seemed the best he could do was to prevent her from marrying a complete scoundrel. “Actually, let him come here. You can use the drawing room upstairs.”