[He doesn't resist when she snatches her hand back. Much as he'd like to comfort her, he doesn't want to make matters worse.] I know that! That's why I'm offering you my power.

[It's why he bothered to attain such power in the first place. If he doesn't use it to make things better for those without any real options of their of their own, what was the point of it all? He's just like all the nobility and royalty content to maintain the status quo in their favour.

But she still doesn't believe he can help, probably still sees it all as an idle fantasy. He pauses and decides to change tack.]

...And while we're being honest, my name isn't Claude. I stopped using that name when I stopped being Duke Riegan.