“Merciful heavens,” Lady Birdsall huffed. “Clayton, will you permit her to speak of such violence before these innocent young ears? Only look at how she’s horrified my sweet, lovely daughters.”

Everyone turned toward the girls. Despite their suitably shocked expressions, Lady Cora and Lady Eugenie appeared be enjoying the attention. They made little moues of distress and batted their lashes at Hadrian.

Natalie had been debating whether their hostility toward her had stemmed from her neglecting to curtsy to them, or simply because she was an American and not of their world. Now, the real reason dawned on her. Lady Birdsall viewed her as competition for her daughters in winning the duke’s favor. Nothing could be more ludicrous!

“Miss Fanshawe risked her life to save Leo,” Hadrian said. “I would rather advise the young ladies to admire her bravery.”

His cultured tone bore a hint of steel that silenced Lady Birdsall. She pursed her lips and slid a telling glance at her daughters.

“Hear, hear!” Sir Basil said, his fingers wrapped around the silver fob of his cane. “I was just enumerating my granddaughter’s many fine qualities to Millie. Few young ladies would have the pluck to cross an ocean in order to fulfill a promise to a dying friend.”

“We are delighted to have her as our guest,” the duchess added with a fond smile at Natalie. “My dear, you must never, ever feel that you aren’t welcome in our home.”

“Not welcome,” the duke repeated with a frown.

“A mere misunderstanding, Clayton,” Sir Basil said smoothly. “Natalie expressed a desire to reside with me since she feared she was imposing on your good will. But Millie has kindly assured me that is not the case.”

“I see.”

The keen stare that Hadrian turned on Natalie made her want to squirm. She’d been so anxious that her grandfather would blurt out his marriage scheme that she hadn’t even considered he might reveal her plan to leave Clayton House.

Not that she’d done anything wrong.

She coolly met the duke’s gaze. He must know that her purpose had been to put an end to the temptation they posed to one another. And now that her plan had been thwarted, the question was, what would be his next move?

She subdued a quiver of anticipation.

Chapter 20

Natalie didn’t find out the answer until two days later.

At ten o’clock in the morning, she headed downstairs with Leo, having received a note from Hadrian, written in bold black script and delivered by a footman. The message had been specific on the time, but vague on details. She knew only that they were to dress for an outing.

The prospect of an excursion to an unknown destination stirred a thrill in her. It wouldn’t be wise to examine how much of her eagerness was due to a desire to see Hadrian. Though she’d expected him to confront her about the attempt to live with her grandfather, she hadn’t laid eyes on him since then.