No wonder he seemed so confused. No wonder he did not seek love. He probably considered his own future to be as bleak as his father’s had been.
Pulling Baby Bear closer to her shoulder, Natalie located her mother and excused herself for the night. It had been a long day. Of course, Garrett would not be looking for a wife.
As her feet carried her to her bedchamber, the horrible truth hit her. She was a lady. It had been unfair of her to act so recklessly with him. He could not dally with her as he might with a widow or a dancer…or—well, no matter. Gentlemen were to act toward a lady with honorable intentions, and she had made that impossible for him. What had she, in fact, been willing to give?
He’d been right to push her away. When she’d tempted him, he’d played along but not taken advantage of her. When things had gotten out of hand, he’d been the one to call a halt every time. She’d not acted like a lady at all. She ignored the urge to knock on his door to apologize as she’d done two nights ago. Had it only been two nights?
Instead, she entered her own chamber and found Tinsdale reclining on the loveseat with the mending on the floor. Her head tilted back, a low snore escaped from her open mouth. Her spectacles rested precariously at the very tip of her nose.Seeing Tinsdale this way made Natalie more aware than usual of how the woman had aged. She looked frail, smaller, and vulnerable.
Dropping to the loveseat, Natalie placed her hand upon Tinny’s shoulder.
“Tinny? I’d let you sleep here all night, but you’d wake with a dreadful crick in your neck.”
Mrs. Tinsdale blinked and sat up. “Just resting my eyes, m’dear.” Flustered, she searched for her needle and fabric.
While Natalie bent down and retrieved the garment, Baby Bear hopped onto Tinny’s lap. Chuckling, Tinny lifted him for a kiss. Speaking to Baby Bear, rather than Natalie, the nanny cooed, “And how did Baby Bear do? Was Baby Bear a good boy?” The puppy answered by licking her on the chin and behind her ears.
Natalie tilted her head and watched as her old nurse poured affection on the pup Natalie had been certain would behervery own. Tinny resided in a private suite on the ground floor toward the back of the house. It even boasted an entrance so the elderly lady could come and go from the house without using either the servants’ entrance or the main front door. It would be perfect for letting a puppy take care of business during all hours of the day and night.
“Tinny?”
“Yes, dear.” Mrs. Tinsdale took one of Natalie’s combs and began brushing it through Baby Bear’s short dark hair.
“Would you mind if you and I shared Baby Bear?” Tinny peered at her suspiciously. “You mustn’t think you have to, mind you. It’s just that caring for Baby Bear is much more work than I thought it would be.” She had been willing though,oh so willing. Natalie’s heart broke as she continued, “I think Baby Bear needs two mamas. Don’t you? And perhaps he might do better sleeping downstairs with you, so that he can go outside easier…”
Tinny held Baby Bear closely. “Well, that’s a good point, my lady. It’s mighty grown up of you to realize that Baby Bear may need more attention than you or I could give him alone.” She kissed the pup on the head again. “And I wouldn’t mind keeping him with me.” Was that a tear in the woman’s eye?
Natalie blinked away the extra moisture that had accumulated in her own. “I think Baby Bear would like that.” She reached forward and rubbed the dog’s neck tenderly. “I think he’d like that a lot.”
With that, Mrs. Tinsdale stood up slowly. “In that case, I better take this little man downstairs and show him his new room! Turn around, and I’ll unlace you before I go.”
Natalie allowed Tinny to unlace her and before she knew it was left alone holding her dress in front of her. She didn’t know when she’d last felt so empty. It seemed she’d not only lost a dog this evening, but perhaps a lady’s maid as well. She dared not think about what else she might have to let go of.
Unable to hold back the tears any longer, she fell facedown upon her bed. Maybe she didn’t want to grow up after all.
“Didyou enjoy your moonlit stroll with that young earl of yours?” Aunt Eleanor’s eyes twinkled as she asked the question. Natalie had hoped to slip into the room without being seen.
Oh dear. She and Hawthorne’s long absence had been noted after all. Had anybody else made the observation? Aunt Eleanor was more sharp-eyed than most. Shooting the older woman a sober look, Natalie did her best to refrain from blushing. “He excused himself after a few minutes. I spent most of the time walking Baby Bear—alone.”
Lady Eleanor’s eyebrows rose suspiciously. She must have sensed Natalie’s reticence, however, because she changed thesubject. “I have so been looking forward to seeing Cordelia’s work. I hope Lord Hawthorne has not forgotten.”
Garrett would not disappoint the lady. He had more honor in his pinky than most so-called gentleman did in their entire bodies. Natalie forced herself to smile. She did not feel amiable today, but shehadbeen excited to see the contents ofthe old crates.
She anticipated spending more time with Garrett Castleton as well. Even though she oughtn’t to—either anticipate it or spend more time with him. As she took a sip of her coffee, her gaze caught sight of his figure entering the morning room. Did her heart skip a beat? Was that even possible?
His hair disheveled and his eyes tired, he did not look well this morning. Acknowledging a few of the guests with a slight bow, he found a plate and approached the sideboard. When he’d loaded it up, Lady Eleanor beckoned him to sit beside her. She then pointedly set the coffee pot within his easy reach.
“Good morning, my lady.” He tipped his head toward Lady Eleanor as he dropped into the chair. “Lady Natalie.”
The other members of the room were involved in various random conversations, and his arrival went unnoticed by most. He set his napkin upon his lap, poured some coffee, and dug into his food.
Just when it seemed he was going to sit silently throughout the meal, he set down his fork and addressed Lady Eleanor. “If you ladies are still of a mind to see my mother’s artwork, I’ll be opening and inspecting the crate’s contents when I am done here. I want to get them resealed and loaded on my coach by this afternoon, however, so I can depart tomorrow morning.”
At that, Natalie’s heartdidskip a beat. She knew it must have, for why else would it suddenly hurt to breathe in and out?
Lady Eleanor responded for both of them. “That will befine. I imagine you are looking forward to beginning the renovations at Maple Hall.”
Nodding silently, Garrett went back to work on his food. He’d not spoken one word to Natalie, really. And he hadn’t even looked at her when he’d oh-so-casually mentioned his plans for an early departure.
