Several servants in neat dark garb waited with square-shouldered posture. Natalie was glad Hadrian remained at her side. If truth be told, she did feel a trifle intimidated by this splendid house and the array of staff members, especially the distinguished middle-aged man in black who came forward, accompanied by a hatchet-faced older woman with a ring of keys jingling at her stout waist.

“Welcome home, Your Grace,” the man intoned, bowing as his female counterpart bobbed a curtsy to the duke.

Hadrian introduced them to Natalie as Winkelman and Mrs. Darrow, the butler and the housekeeper. “My guests have recently arrived from America,” the duke told them. “Master Leo Bellingham is a cousin of mine, and Miss Fanshawe is his temporary guardian. She was a friend of Leo’s mother, my late cousin Audrey.”

Blinking in surprise, Mrs. Darrow glanced at Natalie, then back at the duke. “Forgive me, Your Grace. When we received your message yesterday, I presumed Miss Fanshawe to be the boy’s governess and would stay in the nursery. Shall I prepare a guest bedchamber for her, then?”

“Yes, please do,” he said, handing his gloves and greatcoat to the butler, who then passed the items to a footman.

“Please don’t,” Natalie dissented. “I’ll be perfectly fine in the nursery. Mrs. Darrow, you really needn’t go to any trouble on my behalf.”

“Nonsense,” Hadrian said crisply. “You’re not in my employ. It would be remiss of me to give you accommodations designed for a governess.”

“Might I suggest the daffodil suite?” the housekeeper said, siding with her master while giving Natalie a commiserating look. “You won’t be terribly far from the lad, miss. The stairway to the nursery is directly beside the bedchamber. ’Tis a mere hop up one flight of steps.”

Natalie turned her gaze to the little boy, who had wandered to the far end of the entrance hall. He stood with his head tilted back, studying a gigantic painting of some ducal ancestor wielding a sword and mounted on horseback.

“But … my place is with Leo.”

Hadrian’s warm fingers wrapped around hers, lightly squeezing. “Never fear, the brat will be perfectly safe. My staff will keep him well supervised whenever you’re unavailable. During the day, you’ll be free to spend as much time as you like with him. We both will. Besides which, it would be good for him to become familiar with his new station in life.”

Natalie opened her mouth to protest, then closed it.

When he put it so reasonably, with that subtle reminder that she’d be leaving eventually for America, she felt foolish for objecting. Was she being overly protective? She might not approve of the way servants raised the children of the aristocracy, but once she was gone, this would become Leo’s world. Perhaps she ought to allow him the space to adjust to it without her hovering over him too much. Oh, but the prospect did rip at her heart!

Winkelman coughed discreetly. “Your Grace, the duchess returned from Bond Street not half an hour ago, along with Lady Elizabeth. She requested that you bring your guests to her suite straightaway. She, er, mentioned having something to give the child.”