Duke Alistair thought about her words for a while with his brows furrowed. A moment later, he let out a sigh that sounded defeated, and his shoulders seemed to slump slightly.
Ashelia watched him with worry as her heart pounded a little harder in her chest in anticipation of what he was about to say.
"I understand your reasoning, Shelia," the Duke answered, glancing at Edward briefly. "But I chose Edward to accompany you because I thought he was responsible. Taking you to an empty street is not an act of responsibility, even if his intentions were good."
Ashelia clasped her hands in front of her. If she needed to kneel to plead with him, then she was going to do it without hesitation!
Edward did not deserve such a severe penalty. Obviously, he had not thought things through when he took her to such a place, but it was also partly her fault for letting him lead her there.
