“Better than yesterday.” He went to the sideboard and found baked eggs topped with bacon and cheese. “At least I didn’t come home soaked.”
“Very true. I noticed the knocker had been put up.” A question lingered in her tone.
“Yes.” Nate added ham to his plate, took his seat, and pulled over a fresh rack of toast. “I had a visit from Lord Exeter. After that, I decided there was no point in not having it put up. Were you aware that his father, Papa’s acquaintance, had died?”
“Yes, I was. It took some time for the lawyers to find the new Lord Exeter. He had been on his Grand Tour. He arrived shortly after the last year’s Season began. I had the pleasure of meeting the new Exeter. He married Lady Dorcus Calthorp. The daughter of the Marquis of Huntingdon. It was her second Season, but I think it was worth the wait.”
Naturally, as the mother of three daughters who married well, Mama would think of the status of the gentlemen involved. A mother could easily forgive a daughter for not marrying in her first Season when her second or subsequent Season was so successful. He had been too young to remember much about his sisters’ Seasons. Yet, he thought he remembered that one of them had taken more than one Season to wed.
Nate thought about the look Exeter had on his face when he mentioned his wife. “He seems much taken with her.”
“It was one of the well-known love matches last spring.” Mama spread marmalade on a piece of toast and ate it.
Nate’s jaw almost dropped. Was this his mother? He remembered a time when she disapproved of love matches. “They don’t bother you?”
She waved another piece of toast in the air. This one, fortunately, did not have marmalade on it. “Not at all. I have come to understand the value in them. Provided, of course, the couple has fallen in love for the right reasons and to the right sort of person. It would not do, for example, for a lady to marry a man from the middling class or for a gentleman to marry a woman from St. Giles, for example. Unless there is an issue of money.” She gave him a pointed look. “That is a difficulty we do not have.”
“No, we do not.” Once Nate had found his way, he’d made sure that the viscounty was on firm footing. Something that neither his father nor his brother had done. “And we will not.”
“From what I have seen, many of the love matches are doing quite well.” She ate another piece of toast and some of her baked egg. “I do like the eggs prepared this way.”
While she’d been talking, he’d had a chance to finish one of his eggs and start on the other. “As do I. The bacon is particularly good.”
“I am glad you like it. It was a gift from a friend.” She tapped her fingers gently on the newssheet. “You do know that since the knocker is up, it will be reported that we are in Town.”
No. He’d not thought of that at all. “Perhaps people will think you are here by yourself, as you have been lately.”
She gave him a sardonic look. “Are you planning to become a hermit?”
Even if he tried, he couldn’t hide forever. Exeter had already found him. “No. I just wish I knew how to approach certain people.”
“Ahh.” She took a sip of tea. “I am sure you will work it out somehow. When you finally meet Miss Stern, and if the two of you get on well, Merton will have to come around . . . eventually. Especially if the duchess approves of you.” Mama studied Nate for several seconds. “You have changed immensely. I do not say it enough, but I am very proud of you.”
“Thank you.” A lump formed in his throat, and he coughed to clear it. “That means a great deal to me.”
“Yes, well, now it is up to you to show others how much you have matured.” His mother finished her tea. “I shall see you later. It is time for me to discover who is holding morning visits this early in the Season.”
“I’m going to Exeter House for tea this afternoon.” Nate took a breath. He had originally decided to wait until after the visit before telling his mother. “Miss Stern will be present.”
He’d never seen his mother’s face show such pure joy. “I am delighted. You will tell me how it goes?”
“Of course.” Even he felt a smile tug the corners of his lips. “I am a little nervous. Well, perhaps a bit more than a little. For all I know, she is coming to berate me. Or because Lady Exeter has not told her who I am.” He shook his head. “All I can do is see what happens.”
His mother was still beaming. “I have some acquaintance with both Lady Exeter and Miss Stern. They are very close friends. I have a strong feeling that Miss Stern knows exactly who you are, and that you will be there.”
“But to what end?” Despite having tried to bury his worries, all his fears about the meeting came rushing back.
“Unlike many young ladies I have known, neither Lady Exeter nor Miss Stern is cruel.” His mother rose. “I wish you luck.”
“Thank you.” He watched his mother leave the breakfast room. When she could no longer be seen, he muttered to himself, “I wish I was as confident.”
He half expected to be sent away with a flea in his ear. What would he do then? The easy answer was to return to the country. Yet, he did have to find a wife. His cousin was currently Nate’s heir, and the boy was still in the schoolroom.
Padraig wandered into the breakfast room and nudged Nate’s arm with his head. “Finished with your breakfast already?”
The Wolfhound eyed his plate. “No. You’re not going to join me at meals here. That would be a bad habit to start.” He stroked the dog’s head as he finished his egg and the last two pieces of toast. “Come. You can take a nap while I work.”
Nate wondered if Miss Stern liked dogs, and hoped she did. It could be a problem if she did not.
* * *
“There he is.” Henrietta and Dorie were cooling down their horses from a gallop when she pointed to the gentleman riding with a Wolfhound. “It is such a pity we cannot simply introduce ourselves.”
Henrietta stared at Fotherby’s back, then at his profile as he glanced down at his dog. “That would be so much easier.” But rules must be obeyed. Even her sister would send her back home for such a breach in conduct. “Then again, I will meet him this afternoon. I must remember to thank Exeter for arranging it.”
“Yes.” A dreamy smile dawned on Dorie’s face. “He is wonderful and exceedingly helpful. I could not have married a more perfect gentleman for me.”
“I agree.” Henrietta stifled a laugh. Her friend had fought so hard to not even like Exeter, but just when she realized that she was in love and thought she’d lost him, he’d declared his love for her and proposed. More or less. “I think everyone has done stupendously well. I could not think of a better gentleman for Adeline than Littleton.”
Dorie pulled a face. “And I almost caused the match to never happen.”
“You had your reasons.” Henrietta let her smile show. Dorie had thought Littleton was going to make her an offer when he left Town two years previously. She had been so angry and hurt that she spoke against him to Adeline. “I suppose we can thank the rules for making it impossible for her to refuse to dance and ride with him.”