“I will not hold it against you,” Jane replied. “A mother, after all, is not a goddess—you cannot help what your children do.”
“I am right here!” Blake exclaimed, glaring at them both.
If you had told me that my own mother and this woman would spend the morning engaged in conversation and pleasantries at my expense, I would have said you were mad.
“You know, I am rather surprised that he did not think of honey himself. It seems the most obvious solution,” Jane continued as though he had not spoken.
Blake growled. “Not if it compromises its efficacy.”
“Well, I would say not taking a medicine already compromises its efficacy, would you not agree?” Jane looked at him with another dagger-sweet smile.
Blake had to admit that she was right. He forced himself not to scowl at her, not wanting to seem as petulant as he felt.
“Sometimes when one is too close to a situation, the most obvious of solutions escapes us,” the Dowager Duchess remarked, shooting Blake an unreadable look. “Would you care to join us for a walk around the gardens, Miss Pembleton?”
Jane opened her mouth, hesitated, and then shook her head. “I am afraid I have kept you long enough. I have some errands I must run—will you be staying with the Marquess?”
Blake felt unexpectedly disappointed as Jane declined his mother’s invitation.
What is wrong with me? Do I really want to endure more of this?
“No, I only stopped here on my way to see some friends in the North. It has been a while since I saw Blake, and I have missed his company.” The Dowager Duchess laid a gentle hand on his arm, affection clear in her voice.
“Then I would not wish to intrude on your time together,” Jane said. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace.”
“And you, Miss Pembleton.” The Dowager Duchess surveyed Jane thoughtfully, and after a moment, she said, “I hope our paths will cross again.”
Jane blushed slightly but did not say anything as she curtsied and left.
“What an interesting young woman,” the Dowager Duchess remarked as she looped her arm through Blake’s.
“That is one word to describe her, yes,” Blake admitted, glancing at Jane’s retreating form.
She happened to be looking back at the same time. Their eyes met, and they glanced away quickly.
Hopefully, Mother did not notice.
“And she is quite the botanist it would seem.” His mother gave him a sidelong look that he could not quite read.
“She is a woman of many talents, as I am frequently discovering.” Blake smiled, thinking of some of his most recent encounters with Jane.
“You sound as though you admire her,” the Dowager Duchess said.
“I do.” Blake caught his mother looking at him with that same odd look on her face. “What?”
“Nothing.” She gestured vaguely and smiled to herself.
“You have a look in your eyes, Mother. Tell me what you are thinking.” Blake leaned towards her.
The Dowager Duchess sighed. “I like her. She seems rather lovely, and I would not see her hurt.”
“I have no intention of causing anyone hurt, you know that.” Blake tried to keep his confusion from his voice.
“She is very unlike your usual… pursuits,” his mother said.
Blake laughed. “That is because I am not pursuing her.”
“Why not?”
