I must say something.
The moment that thought came to him, he snatched it up and threw it away. What was it that he thought he could say to his brother? He could not tell him to stay away from Lady Amelia, could not suggest that he should look to someone else, not without William asking him for an explanation – and what then would he say?
With a groan, Nathanial forced himself to walk forward, walk to the door and down towards the waiting carriage. He did not want to have to attend this soiree any longer, he realized, pulling out his handkerchief to dab at his forehead. He did not want to be in any place where his brother would be in prolonged conversation with Lady Amelia… and where he would have to witness it.
***
Scowling, Nathanial kept himself to the back of the library, watching the other gentlemen and ladies as they sat to play at cards. He had entered the house, greeted their hosts and had then stepped away from everyone, including his mother and his brother, choosing to retreat into solitude rather than watch the moment his brother found Lady Amelia and sought out her company.
“Your Grace!” A young lady beckoned to him, her eyes alight with interest. “Might you wish to join us?”
Nathanial’s scowl remained, noting how Lady Katherine sat next to this particular young lady. No doubt Lady Katherine had shared with this young lady – whoever she was – that Nathanial was not as much of a beast as was said and therefore, this young lady was reaching out to him in the hope of his company.
“I do not think we have been introduced.” Clearing his throat, Nathanial lifted his chin, seeing the smile on the lady’s face begin to fade. “Forgive me, I do not think I can join you.”
The young lady blinked. “We… we have been introduced, Your Grace. Else I would not have asked you to join us. I am not at all improper.”
Nathanial heart twisted and he cleared his throat, recognizing that he had not only embarrassed the lady but was in such a dark mood that to continue on in this vein would only bring him more difficulty. One single remark by his brother had been enough to push him back into a dark state, he recognized, and that was not acceptable. Besides which, it was not fair on this young lady who had been bold enough to reach out to him.
Nathanial coughed and then stepped forward, attempting to smile though it did not spread easily across his face. “You must forgive me for forgetting our introduction. There have been many new acquaintances and though I am a Duke and used tomeeting a great number of people, it is still rather difficult to remember everyone. Might you remind me of your name?”
The young lady glanced to Lady Katherine, worry now shining in her eyes. “I should not have called out to you, Your Grace,” she replied, not doing as he had asked and Nathanial silently cursed his own foolishness in acting as he had done. “Forgive me.”
“There is nothing to forgive,” he replied, growing suddenly desperate to make amends to this young lady. No doubt he had also given Lady Katherine a worse impression of him. Lady Amelia’s good work was already being broken down – and he was the one doing it. “Please, do remind me, if you would.”
“You have not forgotten the name of an acquaintance, have you?”
A light, bright voice broke through Nathanial’s desperation and he looked directly into the twinkling eyes of Lady Amelia, seeing her give him a tiny nod, obviously aware of what was going on. “Goodness, that is quite unforgiveable, Your Grace!”
The teasing manner in which she said this had both Lady Katherine and her companion glancing at each other, though a tiny smile began to touch the edge of the lips of one.
“I am afraid I have. As I have explained, I have met so many new acquaintances of late that not all of them linger in my mind.”
“Which I suppose, is a reasonable excuse.” Lady Amelia laughed and shook her head at him, before turning her attention back to the two ladies. “You shall have to forgive him, I think. After all, the Duke of Ashbourne has not been in London very often these last few years and as such, is unused to being required to recall a good many names, such as we are!”
The second young lady glanced again to Lady Katherine before finally, looking back at Nathanial. There was a hint of asmile there and her expression was certainly less concerned than before .
Once again, Nathanial recognized, he was in debt to Lady Amelia.
“I think I shall forgive you, Your Grace,” the lady said, making Nathanial let out a breath of relief as he bowed his head to express his thanks. “I am Lady Violet. My father is the Earl of Blithe.”
“Of course.” Were he to be truthful, Nathanial would tell the young lady that alas, he still did not recall being introduced but he chose not to say such a thing. He had upset her enough already. “What is it you asked of me, Lady Violet? It is to play cards?”
As Lady Violet nodded, Nathanial glanced to Lady Amelia, seeing her smile and then immediately step away. His hand reached out of its own accord but he quickly pulled it back. He could not ask her to linger, could not ask her to stay, not when she had done exactly as she had said she would do and had helped him, once again, to have a better standing in society. How remarkable was that, with only a few words, she had managed to repair what he had managed to shatter.
“Will you sit with us, Your Grace? Even if you will not play, you might advise me for I am quite sure that I have forgotten exactly how to play!”
“As have I!” Lady Katherine added, her cheeks a little pink. “I am sure we will both require your help.”
Nathanial forced a smile and nodded, taking the seat proffered. The truth was, inwardly, he had absolutely no desire to be sitting beside Lady Violet and advising her on what card to play or what the rules were. Instead, he wanted only to be in company with Lady Amelia, finding her so very different to him that it was as though she were the only solution to his darkness. Turning his head, he glanced to where she was standing, onlyto see his brother step forward and, inclining his head, smiling at Lady Amelia as she bobbed a quick curtsy towards him. Nathanial’s stomach cramped and he turned his head away, pulling his gaze in the opposite direction from his brother and Lady Amelia. All the same, however, he found his thoughts tugging towards them, unable to concentrate on the cards being dealt.
“I have it!”
Getting to his feet, Nathanial forced a quick smile as he looked to his brother again. “I think it would be just the thing to have my brother join us. What say you, Lady Katherine, Lady Violet? After all, it would be rather difficult for me to advise you both, would it not? What if my brother, the Marquess of Highcroft, came to join us? He might sit with one of you and I might sit with the other. That way, you will both be given the aid you require.”
The two ladies glanced at each other but, much to Nathanial’s relief, nodded with eagerness in their expressions. A thrill of relief ran up Nathanial’s spine as he strode across the room to his brother, seeing how William’s gaze ran to his.
“Highcroft,” Nathanial began, once Lady Amelia had finished speaking. “Might I be so rude as to steal you away?”
