[ for now, he'll spare her the details: a cat lane whore for a mother and rash of murders driving him to join the army. disadvantage piled upon disadvantage.

only now does it occur to him that she'd likely seen the scars. bugger. sharpe feels a little less comfortable in his own skin. while unashamed, he doesn't want to alienate this new aquantence. ]

It's kind of you to say so, Miss Long. And although I have no grand family tree nor a fashionable name, I have my dignity. [ my honour. ] And as I understand it, there are many proper gentlemen who don't even have that.

So mayhaps I'm alright.