And that was the thought that had kept him awake last night. That, and the hunger he’d felt seeing her again. He hated himself for the weakness but could do little about it. He’d wanted her for his wife. Loved and worshipped her. A man didn’t simply get over something like that.
“A note has arrived, my lord.” Fairfax, the Deville butler, entered the room.
“Abby told me to ask you what ‘nudiustertian’ means, Fairfax,” Nathan said. “She will visit tomorrow for your answer.”
“Are we still doing that now she doesn’t live here?” Gabriel asked.
“You say no to her,” Nathan said.
“Thank you, sir, I will endeavor to find its meaning,” Fairfax said, unperturbed by what Nathan had thrown at him.
Abby and their butler had been exchanging words for years. Nathan rarely knew how to spell any of them.
Gabe opened the note, then met his brothers’ eyes. Nathan knew that look.
“We are needed,” Gabe said, rising.
“By whom are you needed at this hour?” Forrest asked.
“I sometimes forget you’re here,” Gabe muttered. “And we can’t tell, so don’t ask.”
“I’m not sure if that was an insult or a compliment?” Forrest looked at each of the Deville brothers. “Am I now part of the furniture?”
“You are now one of us,” Zach added. “Therefore, we will ignore you as we do each other.”
“My mind is relieved,” Forrest drawled.
“It’s a compliment, I assure you,” Gabe said, “and when I marry Dimity and we move to our own townhouse, I shall count on you to be the voice of reason in this household.”
They’d debated with Gabe about him leaving after he and Dimity were married, but he’d insisted upon it. The townhouse they would take was not far from here, but he would rather move than uproot everyone in the family, even though he had more rights to their current abode than anyone.
“Excellent; my mind is relieved. Does that note encourage you to commit a heinous crime?” Forrest asked.
“Not today.” Zach smiled at Ella, who Michael was handing to her father.
“Is it dangerous?” Forrest’s voice was now serious.
The brothers hesitated.
“No,” Nathan said. “But it must be done, and one day we will tell you all.”
“Very well, but if you are not back soon, I will eat all your portions of pudding and flirt with your fiancée, Gabe. I understand she is coming to share our evening meal?”
“She is, and bringing Lady Yardly with her,” Gabe drawled.
“Dear Lord, why? That woman is… Well, there are no words.”
“Try to hold it together until we return, cousin,” Nathan said, clapping Forrest on the shoulder. “Goodbye, sweeting.” He bent to kiss Ella. She kissed him back, and his heart sighed. “Let Ella entertain her; she’s the only one the duchess seems to like.”
He needed nothing more than this, Nathan reminded himself. He had a nephew he adored, Abby and Daniel’s son, and a niece. He did not need the love of a woman who did not love him back.
When they left the house, darkness had fallen even though the hour was not overly late. They climbed into the carriage. All had on their cloaks, hoods raised.
“I need a new cloak,” Zach said. “This one has a hole there.” He poked a finger through the side of the hood.
“Such an infant,” Michael sighed.
“Did you know that Mary Blake told me last night I was the Deville brother least likely to form a rational sentence?” Zach said, rather unwisely to Nathan’s mind, as it gave them more ammunition against him.
