“I did,” Lady Warrick said. “And you know how the cook feels about breakfast sitting on the table.”
Nick backed away from Nell, fully intending to go home, but Lady Warrick shook her head. “You’ll eat with us, and then you can go home while Nellie rests. We’ll come by for tea, and we can discuss things.”
Nick just nodded; it gave him an excuse to spend more time with Nell, and he wasn’t going to throw that out the window.
Breakfast was interesting. Earl Warrick was in a fine, cheerful mood, and it was only towards the end of the meal that he could see how tired Nell was. Which was sound, she’d been up all night.
But he took his leave, bowing over the hands of Lady Warrick and his new fiancée, returning to his townhouse where the curtains were drawn and there was black lying everywhere.
“Mama?” He poked his head into the drawing room where his mother was sitting in the light of one of their new lamps, stitching busily on her frame.
She immediately set the frame away from herself and bustled over to him. “Well, Nicholas?”
He nodded. “She said yes, Mama. Nell will come and see you for tea, and she’s bringing Lady Warrick to act as escort.”
“I suppose I should change then.” His mama popped up on her toes and kissed his cheek, patting the other. “I hope the two of you will be happy, Nicholas.”
“Thank you, Mama.” He bent to return the kiss on her cheek. “I hope so too.”
“Don’t just hope, Nicholas, you have to work for it.” She shook her finger at him. “Does she care for you?”
“I think so,” Nick said. “I care for her, and she was hurt that I went away for my father’s funeral and didn’t write.”
“I am going to go and change,” his mama sighed. “Let the kitchen know, please. I am going to hunt up a certain book for your fiancée.”
