“So he decided to stay out of it and instead turned backto Lady Bridgerton, who was, as it happened, the closestperson to him, anyway. “And how are you this afternoon?”he asked.Lady Bridgerton gave him a very small smile as shehanded him his cup of tea. “Smart man,” she murmured.“It’s self-preservation, really,” he said noncommittally.“Don’t say that. They wouldn’t hurt you.”“No, but I’m sure to be injured in the cross fire.”