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The boat tapped the dock, and a footman helped them to disembark.
Once Nora’s feet were safely on the ground, she fully relaxed, giving her shoulders a little shake as the tension seeped from them. She turned to Mr. Dawson, who was adjusting his hat. “This is much better,” she said.
“Agreed.” He offered her his arm, and they strolled back toward her blanket. “I think I shall keep my feet on terra firma from now on. Unless someone else is steering the boat.”
“An excellent notion.”
He cast her a quick glance. “I hope you managed to enjoy yourself despite my ineptitude.”
“I had a lovely time—you are not inept. You acquitted yourself far better than I would have.”
“Only because you haven’t practiced.”
“And you have?” she asked, looking at him askance.
He chuckled. “Not really. Perhaps youwouldhave done better.”
They arrived at Nora’s blanket, and she thanked him again for the boat ride.
Lady Satterfield put her hand at the edge of her bonnet brim for additional shade as she looked up at them. “Did you enjoy yourselves?”
“Yes, quite,” Nora said as she sat down beside her.
Mr. Dawson executed a bow. “Until next time, Miss Lockhart.” As he straightened and turned, his toe caught the edge of Lady Satterfield’s plate, flipping it so the contents, including a large dollop of jam, landed against Nora’s skirt.
His face creased with distress. “Oh no! I am absolutely graceless. My sincerest apologies.”
Lady Satterfield dabbed at Nora’s skirt with a napkin. “You should get some water on that.”
Nora’s dress, like her entire wardrobe, was new. She didn’t want to think it might be ruined, not after the trouble and expense Lady Satterfield had gone to. She also didn’t want Mr. Dawson to feel bad. She smiled brightly up at him. “It’s quite all right. Accidents happen all the time. I once spilled an entire glass of ratafia down my front.” During her first Season. It had ruined the ball gown, much to her cousin’s dismay. “I’ll just take a quick trip to the retiring room.”
Mr. Dawson offered his hand to help her up.
“I’ll come with you, dear,” Lady Satterfield said, and Mr. Dawson also assisted her to stand.
“I do hope you won’t think poorly of me after this,” Mr. Dawson said earnestly.
Nora smiled at him. “Of course not.”
He offered another bow—causing no damage this time—and took his leave. Nora departed with Lady Satterfield toward the house.
“I daresay a courtship might be in the offing,” Lady Satterfield said when they were out of earshot of the blanket.
“We scarcely know each other.” For some reason, Nora thought of Kendal. She scarcely knew him either, and yet he occupied so many of her thoughts. She wished he hadn’t left the picnic.
Lady Satterfield started up the short set of stairs to the back patio. “I’ve been around a long time, and I’d say Dawson is definitely interested in you. He danced with you last night and sought you out today. That’s interest.”
Again, Nora’s mind summoned Kendal. He’dalsodanced with Nora, and he’d also sought her out today. Perhaps the latter wasn’t precisely true—she had no evidence that he’d come to the picnic in order to see her. Really, that would be absurd. But why had he come, particularly when it was common knowledge that he didn’t, as a general rule?
Why did her thoughts keep going back to Kendal? Was it because he’d been the first to pay her attention or because he was…Kendal?
What does that even mean?
It meant he was extraordinary. Definitive. The Forbidden Duke. Whether he’d come to the picnic to see her or not, he’d paid her special attention—not this once, buttwice. The realization sent a delicious shiver up her spine. She’d thought they might’ve shared a connection at Lady Satterfield’s ball, probably because of the way he’d looked at her at Lady Satterfield’s tea—as if he’d wanted to know her.
You are being entirely ridiculous.
Just because he made her heart race and he’d been nice to her on a pair of occasions didn’t mean he wanted anything more than an acquaintance. He was the Forbidden Duke—he wasn’t interested in anyone. He was likely only paying her attention because Lady Satterfield had taken her in.
