“Indeed.”
“Then I will find a way to walk with you,” Nora replied, aware that there was not only a desire to be of aid to Lord Hampshire and Miss Longleat, but also the strong desire to be alone with Lord Hampshire for even a short while. “Let me speak with my mother.” Hurrying towards the carriage, praying desperately that her mother would be willing to let her step away for a short while, Nora looked up at her. “Mama, I have been asked to accompany Lord Hampshire for a short walk through the park. I will not be more than a few minutes. Might I go? I am sure Louisa would stay with me.”
A look of delight had begun to spread over Lady Somerset’s face, only for it to fade away at the mention of Lord Hampshire. “But he is already engaged, Nora. Why would you wish to walk with him?”
Nora licked her lips. “Because I wish to.”
Her mother sighed and lifted her shoulders. “If your sister will go with you and you will not be overly long, then yes, I suppose that you may attend,” she said, wearily. “Do return quickly, my dear. Spending time with Lord Hampshire is somewhat worthless, given that he is already engaged.”
With a word of thanks, Nora hurried away, grasping Louisa’s arm and quickly explaining to her what Lord Hampshire had asked. Willing, Louisa came with her at once, and Nora returned to Lord Hampshire’s side, putting a light smile on her face. “I am permitted to walk with you, Lord Hampshire. Louisa will join us.”
Lord Hampshire nodded but did not smile, his expression grave. “I thank you. Let us go with all haste. I cannot be sure that he is still present.”
As Nora fell into step beside him, she glanced up at him, taking in his stern expression, the way his brow furrowed, and eyebrows dropped low. His jaw was tight, his eyes fixed to thepath ahead with a determined resolve in every step. She did not think she had ever seen him like this. He was more severe in his demeanor than she had ever known.
“You say that Frederica will say nothing about this man?” she asked, praying that her tone did not sound in any way accusatory. “She says all is well?”
Lord Hampshire glanced at her. “Yes, that is so. The reason I ask for you to confirm this gentleman’s identity is that I am certain I know who he is.”
Nora almost stopped walking, her steps faltering. “You are already aware of his name?”
“No, strangely enough, I am not. That sounds contradictory, I know, but what I mean by that is, I am sure I have seen him already. He came to Frederica’s townhouse to call on her but found only me present instead.” He grimaced. “Now that I think back to it, the conversation was short and clipped, but he did not ever once give me his name, as a fellow might do. Nor did Frederica.”
“And have you not asked her?”
His jaw flexed. “If I find out that this man is the very same one who threatened her in the park, then yes, I shall demand to know his name at once,” he declared. “There is something unusual here in all of this, Nora. I am sure of it.”
Before Nora could respond, Lord Hampshire halted his steps and then turned his whole body to face her, swinging around so that they stood face to face. Nora’s breath hitched, her eyes catching his. She forgot all about Miss Longleat and the strange gentleman, forgot about her sister near to them and the others all about. All she could see was him.
“Can you see him? He should be behind me, on my right.”
Lord Hampshire’s voice was soft, whispering towards her and forcing her back to the present situation. Swallowing hard, Nora centred her attention on the man in question, seeing abroad-shouldered man speaking earnestly to another. Her eyes fixed on him, seeing the brown hair that swept across his forehead, the stockiness of his build, and the tight pull of his lips.
A chill curled itself about her spine. “Yes, that is the very same,” she murmured, as Lord Hampshire’s eyebrows lifted. “I am quite certain of it.”
He let out a hard exhale, his eyes closing briefly. “Then it is the very same man who came to call upon Frederica,” he said, quietly. “She told me that he was her father’s solicitor; that is all I know of him.” Setting his jaw tight, his hazel eyes grew dark as he looked back at her. “Thank you, Nora. You must excuse me now, I think.”
She put out one hand, catching his arm for only a moment. “Where are you going?”
“To speak with him,” he said, determinedly. “To demand to know what it was he was doing in frightening Frederica so. Thereafter, I intend to make my way to the solicitors to speak about these affairs. Whatever matters this fellow has to speak with Frederica about, he can now speak to me with them as well. I will not let him frighten her any longer.”
The way he spoke of Frederica, the resolve in his voice and eyes, and the clenching of his fists — something in Nora snapped.
“Do not,” she said, and the word came out sharper than she had intended, sharp enough to make him turn. “Do not speak to me of protecting Frederica as though I cannot see what you are doing. You will stride off to confront this man, you will throw yourself into danger for a woman you do not love, and you will not even think to tell me before you go.” Her voice was low, fierce, trembling with something that was not tears but was very close to it. “You broke my heart with a letter, Hampshire. Four lines. You could not even face me. And now you would leave me again without a word?”
He stared at her. The astonishment in his expression might have been gratifying if she had not been so furious, so suddenly and completely furious that her hands were shaking with it.
“I am sorry,” he said, and the words were not the automatic, courteous apology she had come to expect from him. They were rough and raw and inadequate, and he knew it — she could see him knowing it. “You are right. I should have —”
“You should have done many things.” She exhaled. The anger was already subsiding, leaving behind something that ached more deeply — not less — than the fury had. “But you can start by telling me the truth now. All of it. Whatever you find from this man, from the solicitors, from Frederica — you will tell me. You will not decide what I can and cannot bear.”
A long silence. Then, quietly: “I will tell you everything.”
“Swear it.”
“I swear it.”
She held his gaze for another moment, searching for the lie, finding none. Then she nodded once and released his arm.
