Merton had come by every day after Nate had opened his eyes. At first the visits were not long, mostly due to him being unable to remain awake for more than a half hour at a time if that. Today, Merton was bringing the settlement agreements he’d had drafted. Nate was looking forward to signing them. It would make his and Henrietta’s marriage so much more real. Thus far, he had not been consulted on anything. It appeared that his only duty was to make the short trip to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s offices at Doctors’ Commons for the special license.
A light tap came on the door, and Hulatt ushered Merton in to the room, followed by two footmen carrying tea and large plates of biscuits, tarts, spice cake, and sandwiches. Nate smiled to himself. Cook was on a mission to put more flesh on him again.
He rose and held out his hand. “Merton.”
“You still look a little shaky on your pins.” He shook Nate’s hand, then took a seat in front of the desk. “Are you certain you’re ready for this?”
“Quite sure.” Nate sat back down. “The days in bed seem to have weakened me some, but I am well on the mend.” He grinned. “Tomorrow, I am being allowed to ride again.”
Merton barked a laugh. “Thank God I have never had to go through that. Is it because it is a head injury that Daintree is being so careful?”
“It is as you suppose.” Nate pointed to the tea and his friend nodded. “He wants to ensure that I am steady on my feet and do not injure that area again.”
Merton took the cup of tea. “What happened to the scoundrel who attacked you?”
After pouring a cup Nate shook his head. “I don’t know. I heard shouting and a shot. But no one has said anything about it.” He shrugged. “I could ask Henrietta, but, to be honest, I don’t care what happened to him. There might be a way to find him and have him arrested, but I haven’t decided whether I want to do that or not.”
He and Merton drank their tea and sampled the offerings.
Nate bit into a piece of spice cake. It wasn’t Cook’s usual cake. It must be the one Henrietta told him about. He was glad she was already starting to take over as the mistress. He poured another cup and reached out for the documents Merton had set on the desk. “Try the spice cake while I read this.”
The contract was much more modern than Nate had thought it would be. All Henrietta’s property was to remain with her in a trust. Perhaps he wasn’t the only one who had read Wollstonecraft. Not that he agreed with everything the woman wrote, but once he’d thought about it, there was no reason a woman had to lose all her property simply because she wed. He also agreed that if he predeceased her, she would have a choice of living in the Dower House or another house of her choosing. That made sense. His mother had never wanted to live with his grandmother. The only thing that truly surprised him was the amount of her dowry. Even knowing her grandmother was a duchess, he had not thought it would be so much. The rest were provisions about children and property given to her by him. If anything did happen to Nate and they had not had a son, she would have nothing about which to be concerned.
Nate reached out and picked a pen, then pulled the stopper out of the inkwell, and began signing the documents.
“Wait!” Merton’s hand shot out a second after Nate had finished. “Is there nothing you wish to change?”
“No.” He poured sand on his signatures. “Nothing at all. I find it extremely fair.”
Merton leaned back in the chair and stared at Nate. “You have had a serious head injury. Perhaps you should have your lawyer look at it.”
He fought the laughter wanting to escape. “There is nothing wrong with my cognitive abilities. I read the document, and I agree with all the provisions.” Nate frowned. He should have shown them to Henrietta before he signed them. “Perhaps I should have Henrietta read them.”
“She already has,” Merton said as he pulled the documents toward him. “She found nothing to change.” He took the pen Nate handed him and signed the contract.
There was one thing he wanted to ask his friend. “Do you have any idea why Sir Henry and Lady Stern have decided to stay here instead of with you?”
Merton leaned back in his chair again, placing one leg across the other. “If you’re allowed, you might want a glass of wine for this.”
No one had told Nate he couldn’t have wine. In fact, he’d had a glass at dinner last night. Rising, he went to the sideboard and poured two goblets of claret. He handed one to Merton. “Go on.”
“When I decided I would wed Thea, Worthington was furious about it. But there was nothing he could do—”
“Because she had been compromised?” Nate asked.
“Because she had agreed to marry me.” Merton took a sip of wine. “That’s excellent. You’ll have to let me know where you buy it.” He took another drink. “She had enough people helping her that if we’d had a long betrothal, another scandal would have come along and ours forgotten, allowing her to jilt me. I was determined that was not going to happen. My mother and I came up with the idea of inviting Thea’s parents to stay with us. Thus enabling her to stay with me as well.”
Nate drank some of the wine. “I still don’t understand.”
“Sir Henry enjoyed seeing how I treated my betrothed and how the servants treated her. He later told me that he was glad he had seen me in my own home. He had been prepared to take her back with them if he had not liked what he saw.”
“I am to be inspected.” Nate wasn’t sure if he liked the idea or not. But he was positive he wanted Henrietta to remain in his—their house.
“You are.” Merton smirked. “And do not expect him to respect your rank. He called me ‘boy’ and ‘son.’”
At that Nate did laugh. His friend had never been treated like that in his life. “Your future father-in-law might be a baronet, but he’s a Radical.”
“That explains a lot about how Henrietta thinks and acts.” It also meant that she fit perfectly into his new life.
“And my wife as well.” Merton tossed off the rest of his wine and stood. “I will get these to my lawyer to be copied.”
Nate rose as well. “Is there any chance your wife will speak with me? I know it is hurting Henrietta that her sister is against our marriage.”
Merton rubbed his forehead. “Unfortunately she has not yet softened toward you. It will take time.”
“Thank you for telling me.” Nate didn’t know what he could do to change her mind if she wouldn’t speak to him. “Let me walk you out. I will go buy the special license while I am thinking about it.”
If he could bring Lady Merton around, that would be the best present he could give his betrothed.
Once Merton had gone Nate called for his carriage. It shouldn’t take that long to get to Doctors’ Commons and back. “Come, Padraig. You can go with me.” The dog rose slowly and wagged his tail as he nuzzled Nate’s hand. “After I’ve finished my business we will walk part of the way back.
Just over two hours later, he had the special license. The coach turned on to Berkeley Street, and Nate knocked on the roof of the coach. “Stop here. Padraig and I will walk the rest of the way.”