“Tell him to come in.”
The rooms had been redone in his mother’s favorite colors, pink and white. The windows looked out on the side garden, which faced south. His mother was sitting on a small sofa and a tea tray had been placed on the low table in front of it. “Fotherby, I thought you had work to do.”
“There was nothing pressing, but I realized that as soon as people know we are here, we will begin receiving invitations. And we have never discussed what I want in a wife.” He didn’t quite know how to bring up the lady he’d assisted. There was always the chance his mother knew her family. He might as well just say it. “While I was at the workhouse, fetching Miss Odell and her baby, I discovered that there are charities that save children. That is something I would be interested in. Do you know any of them?”
“Please stop looming over me and have a cup of tea. We shall address the requirement of a wife first. Then I shall give some thought to the charities.” He selected a chintz-covered chair, and she handed him a cup. “What do you want in a wife?”
“I want her to be practical and not pretentious, and”—he wanted to say “courageous,” but how to explain that?—“and be equal to me.” He’d seen that in the Odells and some other couples. “But not stuffy or too serious.” He wanted her to love him, not who he was. He’d heard Merton had found that and was happier for it.
“Well, that is an interesting combination.” She sipped her tea. “Do you want beauty and grace?”
A pair of light eyes—he wished he knew the color—under long, thick, black lashes passed through his mind. “Some beauty. I do like the combination of black hair and light eyes. I suppose most ladies are graceful.”
“Yes, most are.” His mother turned to her maid. “Bring me my pocketbook.” Once it was handed to her, she began making notes. “Is there anything else?”
He thought about the lady again. “Someone not in her first Season. I want someone who has maturity, if not in age, then in behavior.”
Mama drew her lips under as she wrote again. “Very well. I shall see who is here for the Season.” She put the pocketbook on a side table. “Do you know anyone who meets these criterion?”
Nate felt heat rise in his neck. “I did, in a loose meaning of the term, meet a lady.” He supposed he’d now have to tell his mother where. “When Mr. Odell was in speaking with Miss Bywater—although she is now Miss Odell—I saw a lady in need of assistance.”
His mother pursed her lips. “And you were able to render it?”
“Yes.” Damn, he never should have said anything.
“You are certain she is a lady?”
“Absolutely certain.”
Her brows rose. “And would this have anything to do with searching for a charity?”
“Er. Yes.” He downed his tea. “I believe she is working for a charity.”
“You do know that if she is working, she will not have a dowry.” Mama’s face was a mask, and he wished he knew what she was thinking. Still, he did not think she disapproved.
“That does not matter to me. What I want is a lady of character and compassion.” After all, he was the one who would have to live with her.
She met his gaze and seemed to study him for a long few moments. Finally she nodded. “Very well. I shall make inquiries. I hope for your sake that sheisa lady.”
“Sheisa lady.” He almost growled the words. He did not have to hope at all. He, like everyone else, knew when a female was a lady. Nate rose. “I am well acquainted with the breed. I’ll see you in the drawing room.”
CHAPTERFIVE
Merton arrived home from seeing about the man she had shot as Henrietta was taking off her gloves. Even if the blackguard deserved to have a hole put through him, she did not like the idea she might have killed a man. Taking a life was rarely a good thing. Although there were times it was necessary. Strangely, she had not had the delayed reaction she thought she would. It bothered her a little that she had few if any sensibilities about the ruffian or the incident in general. “What did you discover?”
“There was no body, but the blood was being washed away as I arrived. I asked the shopkeeper who was cleaning the pavement what he knew. He lives above his business and told me that he heard the commotion and the shot. When he finally looked out the window, no one was on the street.”
That was most likely all she would be able to learn. “Thank you for looking into it.”
“You Sterns are a great deal of work.” He gave a rueful grin. “Before last Season I thought it was just my darling wife, but it appears you have the same traits.”
Henrietta grinned. “You can blame our parents. Well, mostly Papa.”
Merton raised a haughty brow. “I know exactly from where your compulsion to save the world comes. Speaking of Sterns, have you seen my wife?”
“Earlier in the breakfast room, but she was tired and went back to bed. I had a modiste appointment and have just returned. She might be awake by now.”
“Tired?” He had that ominous tone that crept into his voice when he was worried about Dotty.
