“Does this occur often?” he asked in a tone full of horrified wonder.
“All the time.” She tugged his arm. If they were lucky, they would be out of the house before anyone noticed.
She nodded to the butler, who had appeared out of nowhere to open the door.
“Patience.”
Sighing, she turned. “Yes, Matt.”
“Have a good time.”
“Thank you, I shall.”
He lifted Mary in one arm and Theo in the other. “Duke, Daisy, come.”
In mere moments, the chaos ended. Patience glanced at Richard. “Let us go quickly before anyone else decides to make an appearance.”
He handed her into the curricle, and was silent for several minutes as they made their way out of the square. Once they were on the main street to the Park, Richard remarked, “That was interesting.”
To put it mildly. “If the house is one thing, it is lively. Although, with ten children living in it full-time and one visiting on school holidays, that is to be expected.”
Under his tan, his face paled. “You had mentioned that, but I truly had no idea what it entailed. Are you responsible for all of them?”
“Good heavens, no. Matt and Grace, his wife, have most of the responsibilities. She is a wonder. Before they met, she had guardianship of her brothers and sisters. Fortunately, she is extremely organized, and the governess and tutor she hired are exceptional.”
“I would imagine you would rather live separately with your daughters, though.” Richard feathered the corner into the Park. “Do they not become lost amidst the other children?”
“Actually, it is quite the opposite. The children have become very close, almost as if they had been raised together.” This was the time to tell him how impossible it was for them to ever have a life together. “I would not remove them even if it was possible.” She gave him a wry grin and tried for a bit of humor. “You saw Matt with Theo and Mary?” Richard nodded. “The girls are inseparable. I do believe Theo would run away if I moved her elsewhere, and Madeline, my twelve-year-old daughter, would go with her. She has formed a close friendship with Grace’s twin sisters of the same age. It is as if we have triplets in the family instead of twins.” Patience slid him a glance, but he was busy handling the horses. “Do you understand?”
“I do.” Or at least he understood much more than he had before. This was not a case of taking Pae’s daughters off Worthington’s hands and being thanked for it.
As they made their slow way around the carriage drive, Pae waved to her friends and took the time to introduce Richard. When they had gone about halfway, he was forced to bring his carriage to a full stop.
Two barouches had pulled up alongside each other so that the ladies could more easily speak. A young buck shouted at them to move, and was pointedly ignored. That piece of impertinence would cost them several minutes at least.
Some may be in a hurry, but he was happy to be able to spend more time with Pae while he attempted to find some way of convincing her to be his. If she still loved him, surely they could find a solution that would work for him, her, and the children.
Ifshe still loved him. That was the real question.
She had always reacted to his touch, but being older now, he knew there were times lust had little to do with love. That then was his first task. He must discover if Pae felt for him as he still felt for her. Currently, she was staring off into the distance and not paying him any attention at all.
Another carriage rolled up, and after a few moments, the barouches were convinced to move to the verge.
He cleared his throat. “I have heard Richmond is lovely this time of year.”
“Oh.” She glanced at him, startled out of her reverie. “Yes, it is.”
“As I have never been, could I impose upon you to show me the sights?”
Her brows drew down, causing a slight line to form between her perfectly shaped blond brows. “I suppose I could. Better yet”—she smiled—“you could make up a party.”
That was not at all what he wanted. “If I knew anyone I could. The number of people I am on more than nodding terms with is pitifully small.”
“Do you know no one in Town?” Her tone hovered somewhere between irritation and incredulity.
“Only the Bellamnys and you.” She did not appear at all impressed by his social contacts, so he added, “It is possible that some of the older gentlemen I traveled with are about.”
Pae stared at him for several moments before responding, “You really must begin to meet more people.”
