Chapter 2

"Imust say, I am surprised you are not sailing toward foreign shores in pursuit of greater fame and fortune," Nathaniel Forbes said to the man standing at his side: Daniel Barnet, the Earl of Westyork. "Whenever I write to you, it is months before I receive a reply, and you always have a thousand outlandish stories to tell of where you have been. It almost makes being ignored worthwhile."

Daniel chuckled. "Since the wedding, I have decided to be more present with my family. I have put the care of my sister and mother in my cousin's hands for much too long, and it was high time I remedied that. As such, I have no intention of traveling outside the country for the time being."

"The wedding?" Nathaniel stared at his long-time friend. "You have a wife?"

Daniel pulled a face. "Not me, Forbes. My cousin."

"Evan has a wife?" Somehow, that was even more shocking. "What manner of woman would be foolish enough? I thought he was the most atrocious rake."

Nathaniel had never been close to Evan, Daniel's cousin, but they had been long-standing acquaintances ever since a summer introduction at the Westyork Estate some years ago.

Daniel raised a curious eyebrow. "Tell me, Forbes, do you perpetually live under a rock? You are worse than I am for missing society news, and I, at least, have the excuse of voyaging to the Continent for business." He smiled. "Evan has never been a rake. It was all false to keep the ladies away. I thought I had told you of that?"

"If you did, I do not remember," Nathaniel replied.

Daniel shrugged. "Well, a match was made, and though the pair tried not to like one another, and both attempted to sabotage the engagement several times, they ended up falling in love instead. Quite sweet, really. Now, they are blissfully—almost sickeningly, in truth—happy."

"Evan?"

Daniel laughed. "Yes, Evan. They are residing in what used to be the Dowager House at Westyork, and to look at them, it makes one think that marriage might not be so bad."

"Do not tell me that you are in pursuit of a wife?" Nathaniel shuddered.

"Goodness, no." Daniel echoed the shudder. "I am far too busy for such things, but when I am fifty and have amassed enough wealth to ensure my family's security for generations to come, perhaps I shall consider it. Until then, I am afraid I shall be married only to my work."

Nathaniel snorted. "Fifty? That is much too soon." He paused. "Goodness, I really cannot believe that Evan is married."

"Married and vindicated," Daniel replied. "You really have not seen the scandal sheets lately or even the newspapers? I suppose it was a couple of months ago, now, but there was a rather incendiary story about Evan's father that I think you would have appreciated. I shall have to find the papers and send them to you."

Nathaniel's stomach twisted, remembering something he had seen in the papers. "No need," he said firmly. "I do believe I did see the story you are referring to. I did not realize it was Evan's father it pertained to, though. My eyes tend to skim such things. I see the word "Duke", and it creates a sort of blindness."

"Why, are you worried you might see your own name there?" Daniel nudged his friend in the arm.

Having inherited his own dukedom eleven years prior, at the tender age of seven-and-ten, Nathaniel still struggled with the weight of responsibility. Sometimes, he wondered if he would be happier as a commoner, or if it might have been better if there had been a steward of some kind until Nathaniel was mature enough to take the reins. Either way, it had not been an easy decade to endure, and he was only just finding his feet.

"I am not interesting enough to have my name in any sort of publication," Nathaniel insisted, for he had curated his life to be that way, keeping to himself as often as possible.

Daniel flashed a pointed glance. "One day, someone will discover your secret."

"Nonsense. I am too discreet. I shall never be caught."

Daniel tapped the bridge of his nose. "What I mean to say is, one day you will encounter someone who shall ensure you cannot hide your secret from the world any longer."

"When that happens, I shall retire," Nathaniel vowed, wondering what on Earth he would do to amuse himself if the one thing that kept him sane was taken from him. It was the one thing that truly belonged to him, the one thing that even his mother did not know about.

Daniel nodded solemnly. "I imagine that will be a sad day, but I do worry for you. Then again, I suppose we all hide things from those we care for." He shook his head as if to dismiss the gloomy air. "So, have there not been any ladies to distract you from your dukedom, then? Perhaps, that is the solution—find something, or someone, equally as diverting."

"Did you not see my earlier shudder?" Nathaniel smiled. "If I had it my way, I would not marry at all, nor even entertain a courtship. But my mother, of course, has other notions. I believe it is the responsibility of all mothers to try and force their sons to wed, and she has become particularly determined of late."

Daniel set his empty cup on a passing tray and took a fresh one. "That is because you are nearing thirty, my good man. We might not suffer the same judgment as society ladies, aging into the realm of being unmarriageable, but we do become spinsters in our own way. I suppose ladies see us and wonder what is wrong with us if we are not married by thirty."

"I have two years!" Nathaniel protested. "Yet, Mother has been writing to acquaintances she has not spoken to in ages, asking if they know of any eligible young ladies who are in want of a husband. She wanted to join me this evening, so she could undoubtedly steer pretty prospects into my path, but I told her to remain at home. I would have one evening where I do not need to think of excuses to let these unfortunate creatures down gently."

Daniel shrugged. "Perhaps, you will change your mind about avoiding a match. If a really wonderful prospect were to cross paths with you, you might find yourself falling in love, like Evan. As you said, who would have expected him to find a wife and a wife he loves dearly at that?"

Nathaniel met Daniel's eyes and took a pointed sip of his drink. "You should know better than anyone that my mind will never change. Evan has been lucky, I think, but fortune has never been in my favor. That would have to change first."

"No, I suspect you are right," Daniel said, his gaze flitting toward something behind Nathaniel's left shoulder. "Goodness, you really are unlucky."

Nathaniel frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Did you not say that your mother was staying at home this evening?" An amused grin lifted one corner of Daniel's mouth, his eyes shining with mischief.

Nathaniel nodded. "I did."

"Well, my good man, it appears that she has defied your wishes," Daniel said, stifling a laugh, "and I do believe she has brought along one of those "pretty prospects" to throw in your path. They are walking this way, but there is still time for you to make yourself scarce if you wish. A sudden malaise, perhaps? A stomachache? I can vouch for your absence but, as I say, you must be swift."

Nathaniel clenched his jaw, refusing to turn around and see if his friend was just toying with him. If he turned and his mother was there, he would not escape whomever she had brought with her, sentenced to spending another dry evening on banal conversation and making excuses not to dance.

Instead, he looked toward the windows, using the reflection to figure out if he was being tricked or if his mother really had come to the ball against his wishes.

Oh, for pity's sake… He groaned inwardly, catching the reflection of the two women: his mother and a young lady he recognized all too well as Lady Kate. The young lady was his mother's latest obsession, whom he had encountered a fortnight ago at a dinner party. His mother had not ceased talking about her since, encouraging Nathaniel to call upon the girl. Considering he had not, he supposed he should have known that his mother would bring Lady Kate to him, one way or another.

"Nathaniel, darling!" his mother's all-too-familiar voice called out.

"Stomachache," Nathaniel whispered hastily to Daniel. "Make it as visceral as you please."

With that, he hurried toward the nearest door, hoping it would lead him as far from another unwelcome prospect as possible or at the very least, to his carriage.