The rat seems pretty eager to run straight into an obvious trap in his desperation. Gotta be smarter than that if you want to be the kind of noble that partakes of shady dealings to get what you want.
@SpacyRicochet Well, no. She isn't an equal in a sense that really could matter a lot for a personal relationship. There's a very evident power dynamic between the two of them that completely favors the Duke, because he's a Duke and even if she were to inherit her the entirety of her family's title and assets, she would be quite a few ranks of nobility shy of him. Now, Ebony herself is commenting on that difference in station.
The Duke would probably treat her like an equal regardless. But, that doesn't change the fact that her "equal standing" with him would be
given by him. He'd have significantly more power in their relationship whether he was exercising it against her or not.