She did not though.
“Do you have any plans for the summer?”
Nathanial sighed. “Not yet.” In fact, over the past week, he had enjoyed not thinking ahead. It had been a new experience for him; one that had proved beneficial to his mood. After all, thinking ahead only meant planning his return to Boston. He could not very well stay in England indefinitely. He had a company to think of.
His father’s legacy.
Now that Zach had become the Earl of Pembroke, his brother was expected to remain in England and see to the duties that went hand in hand with that title. He would not be returning to America.
Not permanently.
Nathanial sighed at the thought that they would, from now on, be separated by an ocean, both on different continents. Once, they had lived their lives together, side by side, and now? Now, in all likelihood, years would pass between occasional visits. Once Zach and Becca became parents, the distance would only increase.
Nathanial was certain of it.
“You look sad,” Charlaine observed. “Is it your brother?”
How on earth had she come to know him so well in no more than a week’s time? “Life will no longer be the same.”
“Is that good or bad?”
Nathanial shrugged. “For him, I suppose it’s good. He’s happy.”
“And you?”
Again, he shrugged. “I don’t know where to go from here.”
Charlaine smiled up at him. “Then don’t make any decisions until you do. Promise me.”
Nathanial nodded. “And what about you? Will you remain in England for good?”
“There’s no place I’d rather be,” she told him, conviction in her voice. Still, a deep sadness rested in her eyes that made Nathanial wonder what had happened to her. By now, he had pieced a few things together from what she had told him, but everything else remained a mere suspicion, far from certainty. She had lost her family, but how? And when? And how had she found her way to Lord Markham? Quite obviously, they were close and shared some kind of history. Nathanial could not deny that he…cared to know.
After all, Charlaine was his friend and he wanted her to be happy. Was that not what friends wished for one another?
Chapter Eighteen
An Engagement Celebration
The house was crawling with people, laughing and chatting and offering their congratulations to the betrothed couple. Caroline and Pierce stood together by the entrance hall, receiving their guests, now and then exchanging a look that whispered of their deep bond.
Charlaine watched them from behind a pillar, completely entranced by the way they communicated with barely a word. It reminded her of Amancia and Peter.
Every once in a while, Pierce would roll his eyes, forcing Caroline to fight to suppress a laugh. His hand would often move to touch her arm before he would lean in to whisper something in her ear.
Judging from the slight blush that would come to Caroline’s cheeks, Charlaine assumed it was something deeply shocking…but utterly tempting.
Charlaine sighed. “They look so very happy,” she mumbled to no one in particular. In fact, she was hiding out behind a pillar to avoid being seen, to steal a moment of reprieve from the ton’s judgmental gazes.
Today was a happy day, and Charlaine did not wish for anything to spoil the joy she saw in the newly betrothed couple’s eyes. Least of all her.
The moment Lord Ashhaven, Pierce’s childhood friend, stepped across the threshold, the rather indulgent look Pierce seemed to have reserved for the majority of his guests changed. All pretense vanished, and Pierce met the other man with honest delight.
Lord Ashhaven’s dark gaze warmed as well, offsetting the silvery glow of his cropped hair. Although he was about the same age as Pierce, his once dark curls had already changed to a prominent silver. Only here and there did a black strand peek through.
Unlike Pierce, he had a very reserved air about him, his features schooled to express precisely what he wanted others to see. Still, the moment the two friends embraced each other, Charlaine glimpsed a moment of uncensored emotion upon the other man’s face. Indeed, they were as close as brothers even though they had not seen each other these past few years.
Not until the night Pierce and Caroline had gotten engaged at the Hawthorne ball. It had been quite a scandal, and London was abuzz with this new piece of gossip.
As an agent of the Crown, Lord Ashhaven had been the one Pierce had turned to when he had managed to gather enough evidence to prove that Lord Coleridge had, indeed, been the one to kill Daphne’s parents in cold blood. Lord Ashhaven had arrested the man that very night, and Lord Coleridge was currently on trial for murder.
“Am I right to assume you’ll be leaving England again soon?” Pierce asked his childhood friend, a hint of regret in his voice.
Lord Ashhaven shook his head. “Not any time soon. There still is urgent business to attend to.”
Pierce nodded knowingly, then slapped the man’s shoulder in delight. “Well, you’re welcome to visit us any time you’re free.”
Lord Ashhaven nodded, then proceeded inside in order to give the next guest a chance to offer their congratulations.
Another half-hour passed, and then finally Nathanial arrived.
Charlaine could not deny that her heart skipped a beat or two when she saw him, for the thought of a kind pair of eyes looking into hers had made her all but yearn for his arrival.
Dressed in his finest, Nathanial still looked a bit uncomfortable as though he feared he would be shown to the door right away and asked to leave. Charlaine smiled, knowing the vulnerable heart that beat beneath his somewhat unapproachable exterior.
Offering his congratulations to Caroline and Pierce, Nathanial made to walk inside, but then stopped. His head rose and then turned…until his eyes settled upon hers. How on earth had he known she was hiding behind this pillar?
A deep smile claimed her face and, without another thought, Charlaine rushed forward to greet him. “Hello, Nathanial, it is so good to see you.” And it was. So very, very good.
Frowning at her, he offered her his arm, then glanced over her shoulder at her hiding place. “Were you standing behind that pillar?”
Charlaine nodded. “I was.”
His frown deepened. “Why?”
“So no one would see me.” Since Charlaine didn’t care to discuss the ton’s disapproval of her, she quickly added, “How did you know I was there?”
Nathanial shrugged. “That, I cannot say. I suddenly felt as though…someone was watching me.” His brows rose. “Were you…waiting for me?”
“Of course,” Charlaine exclaimed as they walked out onto the terrace where most of the guests were assembled. “You’re my dearest friend. Of course, I was longing to see you.”
His gaze remained on hers as he inhaled a slow breath, clearly overcome by her words.
“Does that shock you?” Charlaine asked with a grin. The dear man was so easily shocked!
Trying to hide a smile, he nodded. “I’m afraid it does. Few people express themselves in such a…frank manner.”
Indeed, Charlaine doubted it was her frank manner that had shocked him, but rather that which she had expressed. For a reason Charlaine could not fathom, Nathanial could not seem to accept that someone—anyone—would value his company, would long to see him, would feel saddened when he was not there. It would seem his former fiancée had broken him in more ways than one.