Page 30 of To Have & To Hold

“Pardon?”

Emilia gestured towards the open door.

“A do-over,” she smiled. “If you’d please,” she shooed him from the room with a wave of her hand and then shut the door behind him.

Realization dawned, and Nathaniel laughed in surprise as he raised his hand to knock again. This time the door did not open until after he had rapped on the wood three times.

“Hello, sir,” Emilia said with a bright smile, holding out her hand with a dramatic flair he had not expected from her. “I am Lady Emilia Tal—”

Nathaniel cleared his throat, quietly raising his eyebrows in expectation.

“Oh, pardon me,” Emilia whispered. “EmiliaEaton. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Nathaniel grasped her ungloved hand, ignoring the butterflies that set flight in his stomach at the touch. “The pleasure is all mine, I assure you,” he said. “Would you care to join me for breakfast?”

Emilia curtsied. “I would be honored, Your Grace.”

Nathaniel bristled. “Must you call me that? I can barely tolerate the servants addressing me by my title in my own home, let alone my wife.” The term had slipped so effortlessly off his tongue that it almost startled him.

“What would you suggest?” Emilia asked.

“Nathaniel?”

Emilia shook her head and Nathaniel laughed. He had noticed her refusal to call him by his given name, but he hoped that was something that would change.

“What about Kenswick?” He suggested, offering his arm as they began to make their way down the hall.

Emilia scrunched her nose in distaste. “Oh, no. I am sorry. You may have to tolerateYour Gracea little while longer.” Hersmile turned into a lopsided grin. “Just until I am more comfortable.”

Nathaniel nodded. “As you wish,Your Grace,” he teased, emphasizing her new title.

“Oh no!” Emilia exclaimed in horror, as though the realization just dawned on her that she was now a duchess.

“I shan't ever get used to that.” She murmured under her breath.

Nathaniel chuckled as he stole a glance at the woman on his arm. He had once believed the same thing, though suddenly, it had become much more bearable.

∞∞∞

“I must take you to the shops!” Charlotte exclaimed in between bites of her breakfast. How one managed to summon so much energy so early in the morning before even eating was a mystery to Emilia, but Charlotte Eaton seemed to be a mysterious force even to her brother.

“Charlotte,” Nathaniel said without even glancing up from the cup of tea he was preparing. “You are aware that Emilia has lived in London for most of her life. She has been to the shops.”

“Well, yes,” Charlotte responded, her enthusiasm none deterred. “But not as a duchess. It is much more fun to visit theshops when you are carrying the weight of a full purse and a title.”

Emilia could not help but laugh, but Nathaniel groaned from his seat beside her. “Perhaps we should give the Ton time to come to terms with our arrangement, before you begin to parade her around town.”

The young girl rolled her eyes before taking a bite of a biscuit slathered in cherry preserves. “What fun is causing a scandal if you can not even enjoy the effects of it. I am sure Rotten Row is simply drenched in the tears of every young lady who has heard of your nuptials.”

Nathaniel pressed a hand to his forehead before leaning in closer to Emilia’s chair.

“I am sorry,” he whispered, his breath brushing against her cheek. “You may have agreed to marry me, but I did not properly warn you of all that the position entails.”

Emilia laughed again. She had yet to find Lady Charlotte anything but delightful, and despite the stern indifference the duke attempted to project, the twinkle in his eye and the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth betrayed how dearly he adored his youngest sister, and how earnestly he took his role as her guardian.

“Please do not apologize,” Emilia whispered in return. “You have not properly met my cousin. She would put Charlotte to shame.”

She leaned in closer to Nathaniel, lowering her voice even more. “We should ensure that they are never left together unsupervised.”