He inclined his head, and a chestnut curl dropped onto his forehead. Henrietta fought the urge to put his hair back in order. “As you wish.”
He held out his arm, and she carefully placed her hand on it. It felt much more comfortable than it had before. Instead of the disturbing, tingling feeling, it felt as if her hand belonged on his arm. This time she noticed how hard it was, as if he had been engaged in physical work. “Will you seek out Merton?”
“I haven’t decided. Part of me wants to do just that, as soon as possible, but another part of me cautions me to wait.” Fotherby grinned at her. “I would like him to see the changes I’ve made before meeting him again.”
“I can understand.” And the best place for the meeting would be in the Lords. “Perhaps you can discuss a bill that is already being drafted with Exeter and Turley.”
“You mean move formally, from the Tories to the Whigs?” Fotherby said lightheartedly.
“Yes. There is no better way to make the point than showing how you have changed.” They had almost reached her friends. “After all, Merton made the same transition.”
“You have a good idea.” Fotherby gave a slight smile, and she wondered what he thought about being drawn to her. Or rather if she was worth the trouble to him.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Henrietta and Fotherby reached the rest of the group, and she took a cup and plate from Dorie. He accepted another cup of tea and a plate with a slice of spice cake as well. As if planned—and Henrietta had no doubt it was—the gentlemen walked off with Fotherby, and Dorie and Georgie drew Henrietta between them.
“Well?” Dorie asked.
Henrietta had taken a bite of the cake so that she had time to think of her answer. She swallowed. “I like him. He has promise.”
“I thought so as well,” Georgie added. “He seems very taken with you.”
As Henrietta was with him. Still, it was much too early for that sort of talk. “You do realize this is something I cannot rush in to.” Henrietta grinned into her cup and drawled, “Not that either of you jumped into marriage.”
“I knew fairly quickly after meeting Gavin that he was the right gentleman for me. I probably would have been married much”—Georgie slid a look at her husband—“much sooner if he had not been so, er, confused.”
“That is one way to put it.” If Turley had not been so slow about declaring his love, they would have been married for almost a year.
“And I did not know what I wanted.” Dorie’s brows lowered. “Or I thought I did, but I was mistaken.”
Henrietta had put her cup on the low table in front of the sofa, and Georgie took her hands. “What do you want us to do?”
“I do not know.” That was the question that had begun to plague Henrietta. Despite the reassurances she had received from Grace, and the support of her friends, Henrietta was at a loss. Perhaps nervous was a better word. “This is such a quandary. One I had not ever thought to have.” On the other hand, this was her life, and she had to be happy with her choice of husband.
Georgie sighed. “This courting and marriage thing is much more difficult than one would assume.”
Dorie nodded. “I must say I agree.” She glanced at her husband and the other men. “Although displaying his rehabilitation might be the first step.”
“That was my idea as well.” If Henrietta was going to be able to dance with Fotherby, gaining permission had to be accomplished before the Season proper started. The Dowager Lady Merton had no love for him either, which might cause even more problems.
“Hmm.” Georgie pressed a finger in the last crumbs of spice cake on her plate. “There are a few new bills Turley has been working on and, of course, the old ones for which we never seemed to gather enough support.” She placed the tip of her finger in front of her mouth. “I think I will hold a soirée to discuss the bills.”
“What a brilliant idea.” Dorie looked down at her plate and frowned. “Most of the political sorts are already in Town. I could hold one as well.”
Henrietta had moved her plate to her lap and was slowly finishing the last of the cake. It was unusual for unmarried young ladies to be at political events, but these were her friends. “I would love to be included.”
Actually, she would give a lot to be present when Merton first saw Fotherby and recognized him. But she did not at all want to be there when her sister did. If she and Lord Fotherby formed even more of an attraction than they already seemed to have, something had to be done about Dotty. Before coming to Town last year, she had just been an older sister with whom Henrietta was not particularly close. She never thought she would have much in common with Dotty. But as they spent more time together, she and Henrietta had become extremely close. She would hate to lose that friendship. But if she and Fotherby fell in love, she did not want to lose that either. She blew out a huff of air. This whole situation was unfair. Why could she not have been attracted to a gentleman who did not have problematical relations with her family?
Dorie slid Henrietta a look, and she gave an imperceptible shake of her head.
Next to her, Fotherby moved. She could feel his gaze settle on her cheek. “Miss Stern. Is there anything wrong?”
“Oh, no.” She smiled at his troubled face. “I am simply thinking.”
“Henrietta likes to have things planned out,” Dorie explained. “Even when we go shopping, she will have a list of what she needs, and a logical way to visit all the stores.”
“I like order.” Henrietta took another bite of the cake and chewed.
“As do I.” He grinned at her. “Although you would never know it by the state of my desk. My secretary calls it ‘organized chaos.’”
Georgie waved an airy hand. “I always find that if I make plans, something will come along and toss them into the wind like flower petals. Therefore I rarely bother.” She smiled teasingly. “That is the reason I have friends who enjoy organizing.”
Nate chuckled when Henrietta and Lady Exeter cast their gazes to the ceiling. He was more than pleased about how his conversation with Miss Stern had gone. He’d tried to be as honest about the events as he could be and did not allow himself to blame anyone else. Still, she was cautious, and he couldn’t blame her. He would have to prove himself not only to her, but to her family as well.
“I always plan my day, but I am often interrupted by events that occur with my tenants or in the town. Although that is the way I wish it. I want them to know they can come to me with their problems.”
Miss Stern tilted her head slightly. “When my uncle was the baronet he kept a distance from his tenants. But when my father took over, he made sure everyone knew he was there to assist them. Was it like that before you came into the title?”
“It was. Though, to be honest, it took me some time to see the merits in becoming more involved with my dependents.”
She shifted on the sofa, enabling her to see him better. “What made you change?”
“A small child was injured by a roof falling in. The damage to the roof had been reported to my steward, but he failed to have it repaired.” Nate placed his empty cup on the round wood and marble table to the side of the sofa. “I was notified and went immediately, and sent for the physician who serves our area to meet me at the cottage. When I arrived and saw the damage it was clear there was no way the family could remain in the house with half the roof gone. The nearby market town has a thatcher, so I sent for him as well. While we were waiting for the doctor and the thatcher, I started talking with the child’s parents, and a few more of my tenants, who’d come to help, and discovered that for too long a time the viscountcy had not lived up to its duties. I was lucky. I knew a chum of mine from Oxford was looking for a new position as a land steward. My old steward was of an age to be pensioned. I did that as soon as possible.”