Page 48

After greeting their hosts, her father found them.

She had to stifle a curse. They’d hardly gone a quarter of the way around the room. She had hoped she’d miss him, but there he was in front of her, resplendent in a new waistcoat that had certainly not been purchased with money he had received before her marriage, his smile laced with the oily warmth he reserved for anyone whose good opinion he needed. The sight of it made her nauseous.

“Your Grace.” He bowed low enough to look obsequious, and she flinched. “And my dear Laura, how well marriage suits you. I confess I always knew it would.”

“Father,” Laura greeted coolly.

“I had hoped we might discuss a small matter, Your Grace, at your convenience. You see, there is a business venture I’ve had my eye on. Nothing that would trouble you greatly, only a modest sum to see it started.”

“Now is not the time,” Nathaniel said, his tone pleasant enough on the surface, but with a sharp edge beneath it.

Her father’s smile faltered. “Of course! Of course, forgive me…” He bowed again, backing away with less grace than he’d used to approach.

Laura felt some of the tension leave her shoulders the moment he’d vanished back into the crowd.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, putting her hand on Nathaniel’s arm.

“You needn’t thank me for refusing to indulge a man who sold his own daughter.” Something dark moved behind his eyes before he reined it in. “I only wish I’d refused him more firmly at the time.”

Everett and Kitty found them shortly after, a welcome tide of easy conversation against the watchful eyes that had circled them.

“Ah! There she is.” Kitty seized both of Laura’s hands the moment she was within reach, and drew her away from the men. “How’ve you been doing? Tell me everything. I want the good parts and the scandalous parts.”

“Iris has named seven tulips Gerald, and she’s talked the poor gardener into letting her choose the next batch of bulbs herself.”

“Seven Geralds.” Kitty pressed a hand to her chest. “I have never been prouder of a child. What a funny little thing,” she giggled.

“She has opinions on colors that rival yours.”

“Then she has excellent taste, and you must bring her with you the moment we’re all back in town.” Kitty lowered her voice conspiratorially. “And how is the rest of it? Marriage, I mean. You look well. Suspiciously well.”

“I am well,” Laura said, and found that she meant it.

A few feet away, Everett had cornered Nathaniel at the refreshments table, one hand braced on his shoulder as if to prevent his escape. The sight made her smile.

Then she heard a most unique sound that caught her off guard. A small laugh, low and rough.

She had heard Nathaniel laugh before, in the garden, at Iris’s expense more often than not, but rarely like this. The sound was unguarded and easy, and for a moment, it was her favorite sound in the world.

“You’re staring,” Kitty whispered, leaning close under the pretense of adjusting her glove.

“I am not staring.”

“You are, and rather obviously. I find I approve. Upon closer examination, your husband is quite the catch.” Her eyes crinkled with mischief before she was pulled away into another conversation, leaving Laura to compose herself before Nathaniel returned to her side and noticed her astonishment.

He noticed anyway. His eyes found hers across the small gap between them and held, something warm and questioning in them. Only the swelling music broke the moment.

“Dance with me,” he said.

It wasn’t a question, and she liked that.

“I thought you disliked crowds,” she teased, holding her hand back in faux demureness.

“I dislike being watched by strangers.” He grabbed her hand and drew her toward the dance floor before she could protest. “I find I mind considerably less when the only person I’m looking at is you.”

He was not, she found on the first turn, a graceful dancer. Nor was she surprised. He held himself too stiffly, counted the steps with too much focus, and twice almost steered them into another couple before correcting course.

She could not hold back a giggle.