An old woman in a shawl coughed as she walked past them. The spell broken, Natalie pulled her hand out of Hadrian’s grasp. She stepped back and drew a deep breath to steady herself.

“See, that’s what I mean,” she murmured, irked more with herself than with him. “You’re forever bewitching me. That’s why I’d vastly prefer that Leo and I live with my grandfather.”

“I thought Sir Basil had refused your request.”

“He didn’t know of our passionate embrace.” She lifted her chin defiantly. “Perhaps I should tell him.”

Hadrian mustn’t guess that she’d sooner cut out her own tongue than admit such a thing to her grandfather, who might very well challenge the duke to pistols at dawn if he refused to make an honest woman of her.

He cocked an eyebrow. “I can’t stop you from leaving if that’s truly your desire. However, Leo should remain in my house.”

“But Audrey placed him in my care.”

“She charged you to deliver him to his family, a duty that you’ve fulfilled quite admirably. By the way, you’ll be happy to hear that my solicitor is petitioning the court to assign legal custody of Leo to me.”

Natalie felt as if she’d been poleaxed. “What?”

He frowned slightly. “I thought you’d be pleased. You did say that you wanted me to adopt him. You don’t want Godwin to be his guardian, do you?”

“Of course not!” She turned her stricken gaze to the boy, who was kneeling in the grass beneath an oak tree, building a tower out of the stones he’d collected. The thought of losing him wrenched her heart. She reminded herself that this was what she’d planned, for Hadrian to raise Leo. Yet she’d assumed that day wouldn’t come for many weeks, until the duke had affianced himself to Lady Ellen. “This means … I’m no longer responsible for Leo. He doesn’t need me anymore.”

“Nonsense, he needs you more than ever. You’re the only mother he has.” His voice low and rough, Hadrian caught hold of her hand again. “I never meant to distress you, Natalie. I want you to stay at Clayton House for as long as you wish.”

She swallowed hard, realizing that her reluctance to leave England was due at least in part to Hadrian. “It will take a little time, I suppose, to advertise for a governess.”

“And also for Leo to be completely settled into his new home. As you’ve said, he’s suffered far too many changes in his life—”

The approach of hoofbeats cut him off. Muttering what sounded like a curse, he released her hand as two gentlemen on horseback approached. They were the same pair of riders she’d spied earlier on Rotten Row. Both appeared to be of an age with Hadrian, one with fair hair and sharp blue eyes, the other stout with a bull neck and ruddy features.

“Ho there, Clayton,” the blond one called. “Where have you been hiding this mysterious beauty?”

“A fine one, indeed,” observed his companion. “It seems only sporting to make her known to the rest of us fellows.”