“Unless you think we can keep the secret.” The full knowledge that they were actually going to marry hit him like one of Merton’s punches. Nate almost staggered. “I confess, I’m so happy, I have to tell someone.”
Her smile was at least as wide as his. “I feel the same way.” She took his hand in her much smaller one. “Let us see what they have to say.”
Their happiness and intentions must have shown on their faces. Lady Turley saw them first and motioned to the other three.
She was fairly bouncing on her toes, and he couldn’t leave her in suspense. “Henrietta has agreed to marry me.”
The ladies gathered around Henrietta, and the gentlemen around him.
After they were well hugged and he was slapped on the back in congratulations, Lady Exeter held up her hand for silence and glanced at him. “We are all on a first-name basis in private. As you are going to be joining our little group, we would like you to use our first names as well.”
“Thank you.” He gave a short bow. “Please call me Nate.”
Lady Exeter touched her chest. “I am Dorie. My husband is Alexander. Although for some reason the gentlemen never seem to use first names for other gentlemen.” She indicated Lady Turley next to her. “This is Georgie, and her husband is Gavin.” Dorie glanced around. “We must go back to Town.”
“There is just one thing,” Henrietta said. “You cannot tell anyone that we are betrothed. Nate must speak with my father or someone before it is official.”
“Merton?” Dorie asked.
“He knows how I feel about Nate, and he said he will not stand in our way. However, I cannot put him in a position that would set him against my sister.”
“That is one obstacle taken care of,” Georgie said. “I have faith it will all work out.” She rubbed her stomach. “Do you have any cheese and bread left? I’m a bit hungry.”
Her husband went toward the footmen, and Nate wondered what it would be like when Henrietta was breeding. He hoped it wouldn’t be long before he found out.
He escorted Henrietta to the barouche and helped her up. Now that she was his, he’d never let her go. The ride home seemed much shorter than the one to Richmond. Dark clouds were on the horizon, but if they did bring rain, they wouldn’t be here until sometime that night.
The carriage reached the Grosvenor Street entrance to Grosvenor Square, and he bade adieu to the rest of the party, before turning to Henrietta. He wished he could fetch her from Merton House. “I’ll see you this evening.”
She smiled at him, and he thought he saw the same wish in her eyes. “I will see you then.”
Nate rode the rest of the short way to his stable in the mews behind his house and handed the horse to a groom. He was almost halfway to the door when he heard a loud, mournful howl. Padraig. What the devil was wrong with him? He strode through the garden door and up the servants’ stairs. The howling faded slightly. Damn. He’d gone the wrong way. The dog had to be in his study. Retracing his way, he crossed the hall and down the other corridor.
All the servants appeared to be standing at his study door. “What’s going on?” The second he spoke, the noise stopped, and Padraig scattered the crowd of servants to get to him. The dog pushed his head under Nate’s hand “Are you all right, boy?”
“See, it’s just what I telled ye,” a small lad Nate had never seen before said. He crossed his arms over his thin chest. “All he wanted was to be stroked. I coulda done it.” Some of the younger servants rolled their eyes. “How long has this been going on?”
“About two hours, my lord.” Hulatt gave him a worried look. “I’ve never seen him act like that before. He wouldn’t allow anyone near him.”
“That doesn’t sound like him.” Nate continued to rub the dog’s head. Then again, he had been gone longer than usual today. Before coming to Town, he’d spent almost every minute with the dog.
“No, my lord. One of the grooms said he might have rabies and we shouldn’t try to get near him.”
“I didn’t think it, my lord.” The little boy’s chin inched defiantly higher.
“Sammy,” Hulatt said. “Go back to your duties.”
Nate put a hand on the lad’s shoulder, staying him. “What exactly are his duties?”
“He’s the shoe boy.”
There would be more times when he’d be away from Padraig for hours at a time. If it hadn’t been Styles’s half day off, he could have kept the poor Wolfhound with him. But he needed a more permanent solution. He looked at the boy. “How old are you, Sammy?”
“I’m eight years old. Old enough to have a position.”
What was it about the age of eight that some parents wanted to send children away? “I have an idea.” Hulatt had a look of long suffering on his stern face. “Am I right that you like dogs?”
“I like that dog.” Sammy stared at Padraig longingly. Much in the same way Nate probably looked at Henrietta. “He’s let me stroke him before.”
“Very well, then. You are to spend at least an hour a day with Padraig when I’m away.” Nate glanced at his butler. “I assume he will still be able to perform his duties?”
“Yes, my lord. It shall be as you wish.”
“Thank you. Sammy, you will start this evening. I must go out again.”
“Yes, my lord.” He was nodding his head so hard, Nate thought he’d dislocate it. “I’ll make sure he knows he is not alone.”
“Well, then, that’s settled. I must change. Hulatt, I require a bath. Padraig, come.”
Nate entered his chamber and had visions of Henrietta in his bed. He’d been harder than granite when he’d pleasured her earlier. It had been all he could do to keep from spilling. Even riding had been painful for the first mile or so. He wished they could be married tomorrow, but he’d be lucky if they were wed by the start of the Season. Even though their feelings had been resolved there were still hurdles to jump before they could wed.
Styles entered the room and pulled out the bathtub from a cabinet next to the fireplace. “The water will be here soon, my lord.”
His valet began laying out his kit for the evening. When Styles took out Nate’s jewelry box, it reminded him that he would have to select a ring for Henrietta.
Bloody hell-hounds!
He couldn’t give her anything until they could make their betrothal pubic. He undressed, placing the clothes he’d been wearing over the screen. What had him so fussed? He sank into the tub and, for some reason, thought of the way Merton had behaved after he’d become betrothed. “Drat it all. I’m doing the same thing. I just want to get married. I want her with me.”
“Did you say something, my lord?” Styles asked from the dressing room.
“No.” I’m just talking to myself.
No wonder Merton hadn’t wanted to talk to Nate. His friend had found the right woman for him and was not going to listen to anyone else. Not to mention having difficulties with Worthington, who was acting as Dotty Stern’s guardian. And Nate had taken it as anger because Merton had to marry her. “I was an idiot.”
Padraig padded over to the bathtub and put his head on Nate’s shoulder, prompting him to pet the dog. “I’m glad I brought you home with me.” Padraig licked Nate’s cheek. “I’m happy you’re glad as well. I suppose I can tell you that you are about to get a new mistress. I’m going to wed the lady with the mare. But it’s a secret. Not that I think you’ll tell anyone.”