“I wish I had met her,” Dominic said.
A thoughtful look crossed Dorothea’s face. “She would have liked you. I’m sure of that.”
He puffed his chest out theatrically. “Well, I am rather easy to like.”
She laughed, just as he had intended. “Aren’t you being cocky?”
“Come,” he said, offering his arm. “Let the gossips whisper all they like. I care not a whit for them. Let us go enjoy being together.”
Dorothea accepted his arm. “I rather like the sound of that.”
Wright stepped forward to open the main door, and Dominic led Dorothea to the carriage. Once she was situated, he moved to sit next to her, closing the door behind him.
The carriage gave a slight jolt as it lurched into motion, wheels crunching softly over gravel before settling into a rhythmic cadence on the road.
Dominic leaned back into the seat, letting his shoulders relax for the first time that day. The tension he’d carried with him—over Haverleigh, over the petition, over the gnawing uncertainty of what came next—eased in her presence.
He turned his head slightly to look at her. Dorothea sat with her hands folded in her lap, her eyes alight with curiosity as she watched the hustle and bustle on the street, and her lips curved into a soft, unguarded smile. A breeze lifted one of the loose curls that framed her face and sent it dancing across her cheek.
He stared longer than he should have, caught not just by her beauty but by the peace that radiated from her in that moment.How did she do it?How did she remain so poised, so hopeful, after all she had endured? Her resilience humbled him.
What was he feeling?
Was it… contentment?
The realization struck him, without warning, and yet with an undeniable clarity. He hadn’t felt anything like it in years—not since before the war, before the weight of duty had hardened him from the inside out.
And it was all because of Dorothea.
Dorothea sat nestled within the open carriage, her gloved hands resting lightly in her lap as they rolled steadily down the bustling road. The city was alive with movement—hawkers lined the edge of the pavement, waving ribbons, shouting out their wares with exaggerated cheer, while elegant ladies browsed stalls beneath parasols and children darted through the gaps in the crowd. The scent of warm bread wafted through the air, mingling with the faint aroma of coal smoke and horsehair, creating that familiar, chaotic perfume of London.
As she turned her head to glance towards Dominic, she found him already watching her. His expression was unreadable, but his gaze held a warmth that made her pulse skip.
“Is something amiss?” she asked.
He shook his head, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. “No. I’m merely enjoying your reactions.”
Dorothea smiled, turning her gaze outward once more. “I rather enjoy being outside—watching people, seeing the world in motion. There’s so much energy in the streets. So much life.”
Dominic gave a short, amused huff. “That is… unusual.”
She turned her head, brow lifted. “Unusual?”
“Most people of our class find it chaotic. Tiresome. But you seem to draw strength from it.”
“I suppose I do,” she admitted. “It reminds me that the world keeps turning, even when one’s own has come to a standstill.”
As the carriage curved past the crowded shops and turned into the wide, tree-lined lane leading to Hyde Park, Dorothea sat straighter in her seat, her eyes widening with something close to delight. “I haven’t been to Hyde Park in years.”
Dominic followed her gaze, his voice drier now. “It is a place to be seen. Nothing more.”
Dorothea glanced at him. “That’s a rather cynical view. It’s beautiful here. The trees, the lake… even the bustle of the park itself.”
“Not Rotten Row,” he muttered, eyeing the long, orderly line of fashionable carriages with clear distaste. “That stretch is nothing but a slow-moving parade. People lining up to observe and to be observed. They pretend to take in the scenery while measuring the worth of every gown and every companion.”
Dorothea tilted her head, amused. “If you dislike it so thoroughly, why did you suggest this outing?”
He looked at her then, a devilish smile forming. “Because I wanted to spend time with you. Alone.”
