He gave his image in the mirror a hard look. The dark-green jacket and breeches still looked well. He had been able to wear his new waistcoat. He no longer had the tan he’d had last summer, but neither was he pale. He wondered what the lady had seen when she’d looked at him. Padraig rose. “You cannot come down this evening. Her ladyship specifically asked that you wait until after dinner.”
“I’ll bring him down when you send the word,” Styles said, holding onto the dog’s collar.
“Thank you.” Normally, the hound went everywhere with Nate, and lately he hadn’t been able to. This week must have been particularly hard on Padraig. First, Nate had left home without the dog, and now he was not allowed in the dining room. “The transition to Town life will not be easy for him.”
“It is a shame you can’t find some other dogs for him to play with,” his valet said.
“That’s an excellent idea. I’ll ask around.” He attached an emerald tie-pin to his cravat. At least he wouldn’t put his mother to shame. “I won’t be late. Darragh arrived not long ago, and I want to take him for a gentle ride in the morning.” When no one would care how he dressed or if he was accompanied by a large dog.
Nate joined his mother in the drawing room, and several minutes later his butler announced Lady Fitzwilliam. He had propped himself up against the fireplace and had a perfect view of their guest as his mother rose to meet her. Lady Fitzwilliam was a short, neatly built lady. One might say almost dainty, but she gave the impression of being much taller than she was. Her silver hair was piled on top of her head in an elaborate design, making him think that she was older than his mother, even though she had very few lines on her face. But what struck him were her black brows, which rose in a graceful arch over arresting, bright moss-green eyes. Her demeanor was such that he straightened immediately and strode over to be introduced. She reminded him of someone, but at the moment he could not think of whom.
“Ah, Fotherby, my dear.” His mother took his arm.
“Er”—she paused, and he wondered why—“Lady Fitzwilliam, may I present my son to you?”
“A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.” The lady held out her hand. “You mother has told me much about you.” Nate bowed.
He straightened. “I am pleased to meet you.”
She looked at him as if she was memorizing his features. “I am happy to meet a young man who does not dress to extremes. I have a nephew whose shirt points are so tall they will poke his eyes out one day.”
Nate chuckled, as he was meant to. “I believe many young men fall to the excesses of fashion when they are young.” Or not so young.
“I cannot believe you did such a thing.” One of her brows rose as she ended the sentence.
“Much to my chagrin, I spent several years as a Dandy.”
Her gaze was steady as she said, “But you have learned your lesson.”
He had the feeling she meant more than his clothing. Who was this woman? “Indeed I have.” He stepped back. “Would you care for a glass of sherry or wine?”
“A sherry if you will be so kind.” His mother led the lady to the sofa upon which she had been sitting when Lady Fitzwilliam arrived.
He poured a glass and handed it to her before lowering himself into one of the cane-backed chairs across from them. He was being kept in the dark about something, but he wouldn’t embarrass his mother by asking now. That would wait until after their guest had departed. “Do you spend much time in Town, my lady?”
“Oh, not so very much.” She took a sip of wine. “I was here several years ago, but this is the first time I have been back since then. After Napoleon was once more tucked safely away, I decided I would visit the Continent. It had been too many years since my last trip. The damage from the war was, as one would expect, appalling. And in France there were not many of my old friends left. Austria and Germany were more pleasant experiences.” She turned to his mother. “You really must travel more, my dear. I recommend you do it by boat. The roads from Calais to Paris were so horrible I forsook them after that.”
“I remember you mentioning that to me,” his mother said. “Your letters were most vivid.”
The two ladies talked of travel until they were called to dinner. Yet despite the fact that neither of them had paid the least amount of attention to him after Lady Fitzwilliam’s initial greetings, he had the feeling there was something more to this visit, and that was making his shoulders tense.
They dined in the family dining room, where the table had been reduced to seat four. He and his mother sat at either end of the table and Lady Fitzwilliam was between them.
After the first course had been served, she turned her attention to him. “I understand you have not been in Town recently either. What have you been doing to entertain yourself?”
“There was a great deal to keep me busy at my estates.” Nate felt his fingers curl tightly around the stem of his wineglass and loosened them. “I was, unfortunately, not up to the task when my brother died, and he allowed stewards to advise him instead of going around himself. I have come to realize that is not a satisfactory way to run estates and care for one’s dependents.”
“I understand you have decided to look for a wife.” She pierced a piece of fish, but her sharp gaze stayed on him.
“I have. Now that I have things in order, it is time for me to find a helpmate.” He took a drink, willing himself to sip his wine slowly.
“A helpmate.” The lady’s brows shot up, again, reminding him of someone else. “Am I correct in assuming from that remark that you wish to have a partnership with a lady?”
“Yes.” He was absolutely certain about that. “I have discovered the value of a woman’s opinion. Much of the time you ladies, and others of your gender, have different ways of looking at things than we gentlemen have. At first I was surprised, but I should not have been.” He inclined his head toward his mother. “After all, I had an excellent example of the common sense a lady can bring to a matter.” And in the Odells a good example of how a couple working together can accomplish what they want.
Her ladyship swallowed a piece of fish. “Are you seeking a love match?”
Nate felt as if he was taking an examination for which he had not studied and did not know the correct answers. His normally healthy appetite was rapidly deserting him. “I would prefer one.” From the corner of his eye, he caught his mother’s surprised expression. It was not something he’d have wanted before. Yet he’d heard that Merton had benefited greatly from his love match. “I believe there are good arguments to be made for them.”
