Emily

Chapter Nine

When Nate had seen Emily that night, he knew just why she'd stolen his heart so easily. She wasn't wearing anything fancy nor was she trying to appear beautiful, she just was.

When he'd noticed the ribbon she'd tied, his hopes had risen significantly. It was a tiny gesture, but one that still affected him. He'd been bluffing through his teeth in the shop. The pink ribbon did look pretty on her, but Allie had been far more right than he had. Still, she'd chosen his suggestion and was even wearing it. It was silly, but that was enough for him to begin to become hopeful.

Unfortunately, the moment they'd entered, he was called over by a young gentleman who had taken a small estate from under Somerhall. He had wanted to keep an eye on both Allie and Emily, but it was quite clear that that wasn't going to happen, especially when Emily insisted he go to the man.

"Ah, Your Grace." The man, whose name was Mr. Milton Randall, greeted with a short bow. "How are you on this delightful evening?" Normally, Mr. Randall was amusing enough company but, once he was in a social situation where alcohol was available, a single glass of wine was enough to make him rather more exuberant.

"Quite well, Mr. Randall. How do you do?" Nate inquired politely, but the gentleman was far too intoxicated to respond and instead addressed his next few statements to a nearby chair.

With a sigh, Nate approached the refreshments table for a glass of something that would get him through the night. There were a few ladies standing by the table, each holding a glass of wine as they conversed in hushed tones, most probably discussing the latest county gossip. Although he wasn't interested in the least, Nate couldn't help but hear.

"She has just returned." One woman said. She was, to put it mildly, rotund and certainly past middle aged, yet wore a dress of the brightest pink and enough rouge to supply an entire finishing school. "She travelled alone, is what I heard. No consideration at all for her parents, who are in fact a Marquess and Marchioness. In fact, she left them entirely and even said that she would never marry."

"I heard that she is a very odd girl, indeed." The second added, and Nate quickly realised who they were referring to. The thought of it made his blood boil. He was about to butt into the conversation and defend Emily, but the rational side of him made him stay still and listen a little longer. "Her parents have all but disowned her. They've provided her with her dowry— which is thirty thousand pounds, mind you— and allowed her to keep the family name but have refused to see her or assist her further."

"As should be done." The third agreed firmly, with a nod of her head. "If it were my daughter, I wouldn't let her have a single shilling. Her parents are very kind indeed for letting her have so much. The titled certainly work in mysterious ways."

"She's a spinster in the making, to be sure." The fourth lady commented, making her friends laugh loudly and making Nate clear his throat loudly, and their eyes fell curiously upon him.

"Is it Lady Emily Carter to whom you are referring?" He asked clearly and, upon receiving a nervous nod in response from each of them, continued, "I have it on good authority, and by that I mean mine, that she is a most wonderful person whose independent spirit is to be admired, and that she will not be a spinster for much longer at all."

And, leaving them astonished with a new bit of gossip to spread, Nate walked away, regretting his words even as he did. He should have complimented her character and left it at that. Instead, he'd gone ahead and implied that the two of them were soon to be married. That was one of the most foolish, impulsive things he'd ever done. He'd have to tell her.

He made his way across the room, only to find that Emily was alone with Allie nowhere to be seen. When he found out exactly where his sister was, he decided to use it as an opportunity to dance with Emily and to confess to her exactly what he'd ended up doing.