“Or,” his brother responded, a grin on his face, “they might think sympathetically toward me, for I am the injured party, am I not? Literally, in fact?”
Nathanial could not help but chuckle, glad that his brother could see brightness where Nathanial himself saw only darkness. “You are quite foolish, Highcroft.”
“I am not. I am quite sober-minded,” came the reply. “Though I must say, I first considered Lady Amelia, I must now open my heart to themanyyoung ladies who will, no doubt, look upon me with kindness and sympathy because of what Lord Wilcox said.”
Something like joy shot through Nathanial’s heart as he looked back at his brother. “Oh?”
“I am quite serious!” Lord Highcroft chuckled. “I can promise you that there will be many young ladies approaching me now. You do not know how society works as I do given that you have not been a part of it for a particularly long time, but I can promise you that whileyoumay be darkened by these whispers,Iwill be the one considered with gentle eyes and soft smiles.” Spreading out his hands, he chuckled as Nathanial scowled. “And with that, I shall bid you farewell for the evening.”
As Nathanial watched, his brother stepped away with a broad smile on his face, no doubt ready to pursue whatever connections he wanted. Nathanial, on the other hand, was left wondering who exactly might be willing to come and talk with him or who he himself might be able to approach. Everyone he looked at quickly turned their gaze away and some turned their heads away entirely so as to make it clear that they did not want to have him join their conversation. His heart began to pound a little more, his breath catching as he meandered slowly around the room, wondering if he was going to be left only to speak with either his mother or his brother, should William deign to speak with him.
And then his gaze caught on one smiling face and Nathanial let out a slow breath of relief.
Lady Amelia.
“Good evening, Lady Amelia.” He took in the two ladies next to her. “Lady Charlotte, Lady Violet.”
“Good evening, Your Grace,” each murmured, dropping into a curtsy.
Lady Amelia smiled quietly. “It is good to see that you have not hidden yourself away for fear of what society might say.”
“No, I would not do that. Although,” he continued, a slightly rueful smile on his face, “I am a little frustrated that it is as difficult as it seems to be. This is not what I had expected despite what you told me, Lady Ameila.”
She offered him a wry smile. “I did warn you, Your Grace. This is not, unfortunately, something that can be easily removed from you, I am afraid.”
“And yet I do not regret speaking up for my brother.”
Her eyes flared. “No, indeed not! I do not seek to criticise you in that regard, Your Grace. I think it perfectly acceptable that you did such a thing. It is only a pity that thetonprefer to consider rumour and slander more interesting than the truth!”She let out a small sigh and shook her head. “I do wish that it would not be so.”
“You worry for me?”
She looked at him, her gaze steady. “I find that I do. Your brother may also be affected.”
Nathanial chuckled, making her eyes widen in obvious surprise. “He states that he will benefit, though I am not quite certain that I believe him.” Seeing the obvious confusion in her expression, Nathanial shrugged. “Highcroft believes that thetonwill feel sympathy towards him and the young ladies might, instead, look to him with consideration rather than rejecting him, as they will me.”
Lady Amelia did not smile and Nathanial’s spirits quickly dropped.
“They may do,” she agreed, quietly, “but though they may express sympathy, there will be caution there. After all, they must not only consider him but also the family he comes from and the reputation that comes with that.”
“You are concerned that no young lady would look at him with any genuine consideration,” Nathanial said slowly, seeing the worry reflected in Lady Amelia’s eyes. “I can understand that, I suppose.”
“Which is why,” Lady Amelia continued, taking in a long breath and letting it out again, “I had a suggestion I should like to make to you as regards all of this.”
Nathanial looked back at her, seeing how she bit her lip and then ducked her head and instantly, his stomach began to twist this way and that. Whatever this was, it was clearly substantial and a little nerve-racking for her to speak of.
“I – I wondered if we might begin a courtship.”
The moment those words came from Lady Amelia’s lips, Nathanial felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. Itwas so forceful, he took a step back, his breath hitching as Lady Amelia blushed so furiously, her face turned scarlet.
“It was only a suggestion and it is not based on anything other than the desire to be of aid to you.” She closed her eyes, her lips trembling. “Forgive me, it was perhaps a foolish endeavour and – ”
“Why should you give yourself up like that?”
Lady Amelia blinked rapidly and looked back at him. “Give myself up?”
“You are a young lady here for your debut,” Nathanial replied, his voice a little hoarse with surprise. “You are meant to be dancing and smiling and laughing with as many new acquaintances – and as many gentlemen – as you can so that you can find a suitable match, whether in this Season or the next. Why then would you place yourself uponmyarm?”
Lady Amelia did not pull her gaze away, as he had expected. Instead, she took in a breath, lifted her head and smiled. “Because it would be of benefit to you and to your brother,” she said, simply. “I am a lady of leisure for my mother and father have made it clear that I do not have any requirement to marry this Season. In fact, they would prefer it if I was to wait until next Season, truth be told, because that, they think, will give me greater clarity on the sort of gentleman I might wish to marry. Therefore, if I was to begin a courtship with you, it would assist you in regaining your standing in society and in addition, would bring nothing of significance to bear upon me. The courtship could come to an end quite amicably, society would look upon you a little better – for the daughter of a Marquess would not court ‘the Beastly Duke’ if he were truly so beastly – and we could also state quite clearly that Lord Wilcox’s words are entirely untrue. My sister and Lady Violet would do the same, as would my parents, I am sure. Therefore, it would be a perfectlyamiable solution, I think. But it would only be if you were willing.”
