“Yes. Yes, she is,” Nicholas told them warmly. “She said she’d be pleased to visit all of you and make your acquaintance.” He smiled proudly and shyly. His mother smiled too.
“I’m very glad,” she told him warmly. “Henry? I’ll send for the butler. He can tell the housekeeper we’ll be having a guest. And would you like tea?” she asked Nicholas.
“Yes, please.”
His mother rang for the butler and Nicholas sat down with his sisters to play cards.
He grinned to himself. He hadn’t played cards in years, and he saw Clarissa roll her eyes when he asked them to remind him about the rules.
“It’s not that hard,” Marcia told him gently. “It goes like this...”
Nicholas listened. He did his best to concentrate and after the second repetition of the rules he silently hoped that he’d understood. He accepted the cards they gave him and tried to play.
“I win!” Clarissa called out excitedly after a few minutes. Nicholas turned to her, confused.
“Yes, she does,” Marcia explained in a kind tone. “It’s like this...”
Nicholas listened to the explanation a little bemusedly. He wasn’t really focusing—he kept on thinking about Miss Rowland and imagining what it would be like to have her visiting in the next few hours. He blinked confusedly at his sister, who grinned.
“It’s all right,” she told him. “We’ll play another round, and then you’ll understand more.”
“Nicholas is distracted,” Clarissa commented. “Do you think he has something on his mind? Someone, perhaps?”
“Mayhap,” Marcia agreed warmly.
“Sisters, I...”
Nicholas drew in a breath and tried to think of some way to excuse himself, but his mother interrupted.
“Nicholas hasn’t had his tea yet, girls. Maybe we should let him sit and rest for a while. He can play another round later.”
“That’s not fair,” Clarissa protested gently, but Marcia nodded.
“We’ll let him rest now. Then he has to play later.” She fixed Nicholas with a playful look.
“Yes, I will,” he agreed, and stood, heading to where his mother and Henry were sitting. He thought his mother looked pleased and he wondered if it was the news about the upcoming dinner that had cheered her up.
“I say, young fellow,” Henry began as Nicholas helped himself to a cup of tea. “I don’t know about you, but I’m wondering seriously about this fuss in the rope trade...”
Nicholas listened to Henry’s words, as he discussed a recent slump in investments in rope due to the market being flooded with cheap hempen cords. He tried to comment intelligently, but he still couldn’t really focus on anything.
“I wonder if Nicholas could help me,” his mother began, cutting through the talk about investments and prospects. “I was wondering what the best menu would be for when Miss Rowland visits.”
“Oh.” Nicholas beamed. That was a much nicer topic, one closer to his current thoughts. “Gladly.”
“I thought perhaps we could have either fish, or roast beef, and for the first course, we could have...”
His mother listed two menus, and he was surprised by knowing exactly what he thought Miss Rowland would like. Even though they had only eaten one meal together, he felt he knew her taste. He chose a menu with roast fish as the main course, carrot soup to begin with, and, among other courses, a dessert of milk pudding. He thought it sounded more to her taste.
“Thank you, Nicholas.” His mother smiled warmly. “I’ll have the housekeeper informed as soon as possible.”
“Not at all. Thank you, Mama,” he added fondly. He felt a flush of gratitude for her. She clearly cared about what Miss Rowland might prefer. He glanced about the room, taking in his sisters giggling as they played at the table and Henry, contentedly sipping his tea. He felt grateful for his family, who seemed so happy and relaxed. Miss Rowland’s parents were nothing like that, and, while Grandmother and Grandfather were not exactly easy, he had grown up in a warm and loving house with his mother and father, and Henry was likewise relaxed and easygoing. He felt grateful for them all.
He stayed a while at the townhouse, then excused himself, recalling that he’d agreed to meet with Andrew at the club before midday. He hailed a Hackney coach to convey him to the club.
“I say,” Andrew greeted him as Nicholas strode in. “You look happy.”
“I feel like it too,” Nicholas said warmly.
