He should have set her back on her feet quickly, but instead he just held her for a moment. His heart was pounding, and to judge by her quick breathing, hers was too.
For a moment, he imagined what it would be like if he allowed himself to kiss her. How powerful that would be! And though he hadn’t known it was something he wanted, he suddenly found himself aching for it.
Then she pulled back and turned away from him. “We must be more cautious, Your Grace,” she said. “We can’t have your betrothed coming upon us in such a scandalous position.”
So she knew. She had heard about Lady Hannah. And he felt the most powerful compulsion to tell her that whatever she had heard was wrong, that there was no engagement, and that Lady Hannah was nothing to him.
But he couldn’t find the words, and the moment passed.
“I’ll leave you to your thoughts,” she said to him, offering up one last small and charming smile. “It truly was lovely to cross paths with you again, Your Grace. I hope that your day improves from here.”
“I hope yours does as well,” he managed. It was difficult to imagine that his day could possibly get any better than it had already been.
How quickly things could turn around!
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“There’s nothing happening this afternoon,” Jacob said. “I suggest a walk into town.”
Several of the party guests were still out on the grounds finishing their breakfast picnic or wandering around looking at the foliage. Others had gone for a late morning nap in their various bedrooms. Everyone who remained had gathered in the sitting room for a variety of pursuits. A few were reading by the fire. Lady Hannah was at the piano playing a piece that Nicholas could only assume she hadn’t practiced very much—she kept making mistakes in her playing. That didn’t stop her father from beaming proudly at her, though.
Lady Eleanor and Lady Marina were engaged in a game of chess, but Lady Eleanor looked up at Jacob’s suggestion. “I’d go for a walk into town,” she said. “I think that sounds very nice.”
Marina gave her a doubtful look and murmured something quiet to her.
“It’s all right,” Eleanor said dismissively. “Mother and Father would want me to accompany you, Marina. And you’re going to go with Jacob, aren’t you?”
“We’ll all go,” Jacob said, looking about the room. “Phineas, you’ll join us too, of course?”
“It might be nice to get out,” Phineas agreed. He set down the book he had been reading and got to his feet. “We have all been cooped up in here for a few days. And while it’s been an enjoyable party, I do think some fresh air would do me good.”
“It’s settled, then!” Jacob said.
Lady Hannah lifted her fingers from the piano keys. That was a mercy, Nicholas thought. He was tired of listening to her try and fail to get the composition right. But he had to admit that he might have had more patience if it had been someone else—perhaps Lady Eleanor—at the keys. His trouble wasn’t that he had no tolerance for weak musicianship. It was just that his tolerance for Lady Hannah had been exhausted.
“I’d like to come,” she said.
“Of course you should,” Jacob agreed, beaming at the fact that his suggestion had been so well-received.
That made up Nicholas’ mind. “I think I’ll remain behind,” he said.
The party moved toward the door. Nicholas noticed that Lady Eleanor looked over her shoulder at him, and he got the feeling she would have liked him to come along. It was almost enough to change his mind—how pleasant it would be to walk downtown with her!—but it would mean being in Lady Hannah’s company, and that was more than he cared to do.
Phineas lingered. “I’d like you to join us,” he said quietly.
Nicholas frowned. “You haven’t thought much of having me around as of late,” he said.
“I would like it if you and I could settle our differences.”
“I’m still unsure what our differencesare.”
“Please come. I know I’ve been rude. I’ve had it pointed out to me recently that it’s not worth destroying a friendship over.”
“Whatisn’t worth that? If I am to join this outing, I’ll want you to explain to me what you’re talking about.”
Phineas nodded. “I can do that,” he said. “It will give us time to talk to one another. Only please say you’ll come.”
“All right,” Nicholas agreed. “I’ll come.”