“We are acquainted,” he replied. “I lent my support to her petition when countless others were too afraid, or too outraged, to do so. As such, I have a lifelong invitation to any gatherings she decides to host.”
Leah’s eyes widened, her heart swelling in her chest as she gazed up at him. “Are you teasing me?”
“Not at all.” He frowned, his expression almost offended. “She had every right to that title. It was hers by marriage, and there were no heirs of any kind, so why should it be taken away just because her husband died? Goodness, he was a wretched man, too.”
Leah chewed her lower lip, thinking. “If it were not for my cousins, I might be tempted to petition the Royal Court. Although, the shock would probably kill my father if I even suggested it.”
“If you were ever to decide to be like your heroine, you would have my support,” he said, his smile returning.
Heat warmed Leah’s cheeks, forcing her to turn her gaze away. “I could never.”
“You never know,” he insisted. “Now, tell me more of this traitor.”
Her gaze snapped back to him. “Traitor?”
“You said one of your fellow spinsters is now married. How did that happen? Do not tell me she was forced into it, or I shall become quite angry.”
Leah furrowed her brow, struggling to make sense of the handsome, charming man walking at her side. Even for a pretend suitor, he seemed rather too good to be true, yet she could not find the flaw in him. Perhaps, his avoidance of marriage was the flaw.
“She married the Marquess of Bridfield. Olivia is her name, and she is not a traitor; she merely… fell in love.” Leah smiled, wishing she could see her friend and tell her everything about the strange events of the past day. “It was a surprise, but as long as she is happy, we will always champion her.”
Suddenly, Nathaniel burst out laughing. “Your friend is Evan’s wife?”
“You know the Marquess?” Leah blinked, wondering what on Earth was going on. Had the world shrunk?
He nodded. “Distantly.”
“Of course… you said you were friends with Daniel.” Leah could have smacked herself. “I did not even think to make the connection.”
He patted her hand gently. “It is quite all right. I did not think the world was so minuscule, either.” He chuckled, once again making her wonder if he could read her mind. “You are right, though—that marriagewasa surprise. I only recently found out about it, and I was astonished. I thought Evan was like me, a stout avoider of the entire thing.”
“I would suggest making your own club of bachelors, but I believe that is referred to as ‘society,’ so there would not be much use in it,” Leah suggested, somewhat emboldened.
Nathaniel snorted. “You are a wit, Lady Leah. I think we shall have a very entertaining season together.” He paused. “That is, assuming you are agreeable to the arrangement? We still need to write that contract. Did your hands recover?”
“My hands?” That defensive bristle ran through her again, her chest seizing. Was he looking at her hands, too?
He smiled. “They were soaked in ink the last time I saw you. I wondered if the ink had also soaked into your skin, and if you had managed to scrub them clean.”
“Well, you should not be wondering that,” she spluttered, tensing. “My hands are fine. A little smudged still, but otherwise fine.”
“I am pleased to hear it.” He hesitated. “I meant no offense, Lady Leah. You do not have to be nervous around me. My intention in this is very specific—to distract my mother for a while and nothing more.”
Leah sucked in an unsteady breath. “I apologize. Of course, I know that.” She took another breath for good measure. “But you must understand that I am… unaccustomed to the company of gentlemen. It shall take me some time to become comfortable with this arrangement, even though it is pretend.”
“Of course,” he said softly. “If I can, in any way, make it easier, do let me know. I could put on a high-pitched voice and imitate your friends if you prefer. I cannot wear a dress, I am afraid, as that might raise too many eyebrows, but I can be a friend to you.”
Leah laughed. “You are sillier than I thought you would be.”
“Because I am a duke?” He feigned a sigh. “It says rather a lot about the state of a society if a duke cannot also be a jester.”
Leah walked on, not quite knowing what to say to that. To fill the silence, she let go of his hand and crouched down to observe a small bee crawling across the colorful petals of a blue pansy.
“It is too late in the season for you,” she whispered, worried for the creature. “You ought to return to your hive before you freeze.”
She realized a moment too late that she had spoken aloud, her cheeks flaming with embarrassment. Nathaniel probably thought she was quite mad, cooing at a bee as if it were a cherished dog.
“The warmth of this past week must be confusing it,” Nathaniel said behind her. “It can happen, but I am certain it will return to the hive before it gets too cold. Do you favor bees?”
