Page 124 of Lord Hartwell’s Refuge

“How long has it been going on?” He was still glaring at the ceiling.

What a question. “I could not possibly know.”

“And Lyness?” He spoke his brother’s name the way he would a traitor to the crown. “He is aware?”

That was not a question she could answer. “You would have to ask him.”

“Does everyone know?” He seemed somewhat insulted by the idea.

How to answer this one? “I doubt everyone knows.”

“Tamsin.”

She surrendered. “Matilda knows. Likely a few others who saw them together today.”

Roman closed his eyes. A laugh escaped her. His eyes opened immediately, frowning at her, but without any true disapproval. “You find this amusing.”

“A little,” she admitted.

“My mother is being courted, Tamsin.”

“Yes.”

“By Conyers.”

A grave nod accompanied her answer. “Well done. We have established the principal facts.”

He gave her an unamused look and Tamsin smiled into her muff.

The carriage continued another several yards before Roman’s expression altered—the astonishment remained, but something more thoughtful settled beneath it. “Is she happy?”

The question softened Tamsin immediately. “I think so.”

He looked toward the window at the buildings they passed as they turned onto Castlegate. “She has been alone a long while.”

Tamsin said nothing. He rubbed one thumb over the edge of his glove.

“I suppose I have never thought of her as...” He stopped.

“As a woman?”

His mouth twisted. “That sounds remarkably stupid when you say it.”

Goodness, she was fond of him. “Most sons probably prefer not to think of their mothers in romantic terms.”

“Most sons have excellent instincts.”

She could not help but laugh at that.

Roman reached across her lap and took one of her hands from the muff. His gloved fingers were warm around hers. His eyes darkened, his tone grew more serious. “Do you approve of him?”

Tamsin blinked. “Why are you asking me?”

“Because you notice things.” There was no jest in it. He looked at their joined hands, then back to her eyes. “And because I value your judgment.”

The words struck more deeply than they had any right to—perhaps because he had once valued her for her usefulness.

This was entirely different.