Lady Exeter took her husband’s arm. “I am looking forward to hearing how the day went. Was there anything exciting?”
Nate held his arm out to Miss Stern and was pleased when she slipped her small hand in the crook of his arm. “I’m positive you had more excitement shopping than we did in the Lords.”
“I understand the only important order of business was to vote on a treaty.” She nodded.
“Yes.” He took a breath. “I saw Merton before the session, but he didn’t see me. By the time I was out of the room, he was gone.”
“Mrs. Perriman sent word about you assisting with the latest rescue.” Miss Stern grimaced, and he braced himself for bad news. “My sister voiced a desire to meet Mr. Meadows, and mentioned that Meadows sounded familiar.”
It wouldn’t be long before Merton worked out who Nate was. Truth be told, he welcomed it. But Lady Merton was the greater problem. Her wanting to meet him was an unexpected complication. “I see.”
Miss Stern—Henrietta—didn’t say anything, but her expressive eyes indicated that she agreed with him. “I tried to tell her that you might not be in our circle and she called me a snob.”
When Nate barked a laugh, she glared at him. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to laugh. Nothing could be further from the truth. You are not a snob.”
Her nose scrunched up. “No, I am merely hiding you from her.”
“I will make things right with them. I swear to you, I will.” He had spoken with more fervor than he intended.
Henrietta stopped walking and met his gaze. “I know you will.”
She trusted him. And, perhaps, she was interested in him. Nate let out the breath he’d been holding.
They had followed Lord and Lady Exeter into a small dining room where the footmen were laying out two more places and a cold collation had been set out on the table. He was pleased to see her ladyship sit next to her husband. Miss Stern was on Exeter’s other side and Nate took the chair next to hers. The talk soon turned to an act concerning children working long hours in factories that had first been proposed when he was last in London.
“I would have thought, because it was a Tory bill, it would have passed by now.” At least it should have. Theywerein charge of the government.
Exeter swallowed. “Not yet. We will try again this session.”
“Forgive me.” Miss Stern—Henrietta,—placed her fork on her plate. Her lips were pressed together, reminding him of his mother when she was extremely angry. “But it is almost as if the factory owners want free labor. Very much like the plantation owners do.”
He hadn’t thought of it quite like that. “That’s an interesting point.”
“It is,” Lady Exeter concurred as her husband nodded.
“I agree that everyone must have enough money to live, but they pay the workers a pittance for dangerous conditions. It is wrong.” He wasn’t at all surprised at her vehemence, even though he’d never heard her speak this way before. He had expected that to be her view. “The system must be changed. The only question is how one does it.”
“By chipping away at it one piece at a time.” The others stared at him for a moment. “If a large piece of legislation is introduced, there will be too much opposition.”
“But taken a little bit at a time, the bills will have more of a chance of passing.”
Miss Stern’s intelligent green gaze met his and he sucked in a breath. There was nothing he couldn’t do with her by his side. “That is a brilliant idea.”
Henrietta had known he was kind. Now she knew he could be an excellent politician. He was everything she had been searching for in a husband. Yet . . . there was still the difficulty with her family. But if they were supposed to be together, perhaps that would work itself out as well.
She felt a little better about her attraction to him. Surely fate would not be so unkind as to show her a gentleman who was perfect for her and snatch him away. And he had said that he would reconcile with her sister and brother-in-law.
“Thank you.” His eyes caught hers, and for a second neither of them could break their gazes away.
“Well, then,” Dorie said brightly, “now we know our way forward. I am sorry to end our luncheon, but we must spend time with our son. Henrietta, I will send a footman to walk you home if that is acceptable.”
“Of course.” She placed her serviette on the table and rose.
Fotherby offered her his arm again, and she tucked her hand in the crook of his arm, marveling at how right it seemed. “May I escort you home?”
“Do you think that is wise?” Lord only knew what would happen if her sister or brother-in-law saw him.
The lean lines of his face hardened as he raised a brow. “I am not in hiding.”
