His staunch willingness to defend her, even against a royal prince, held Natalie captivated. Under his unwavering gaze, she felt a rush of deep emotion that warmed her from head to toe. The truth came to her, not in a blinding flash, but with soft, steadfast certainty.

She loved him. She loved Hadrian.

Her heart overflowed with the richness of fervor. How could she have been so blind? These past weeks, she had been so distracted by her fixed views about the aristocracy that she had failed to heed what was most important. She had focused on his rank instead of on his character, his integrity, his honor.

But did he love her? He’d never said so, not even when he’d astonished her with his stated wish for them to become husband and wife. In the past weeks, she’d had the sense that he kept a part of himself closed off.

Was he drawn to her as a novelty because the ladies of society bored him? If she were to wed Hadrian, would he find the marriage less than exciting once the newness wore off? Would he turn to other women, then, as noblemen were wont to do?

Her heart urged her to trust in him. Yet her long-held beliefs made her cautious. Infidelity was the one sin she could never abide.

A sudden stir behind him interrupted her musings. Hadrian turned, keeping her at his side, as the throngs of people parted. Gentlemen bowed and ladies curtsied as the prince’s party strolled toward the duke and duchess.

Despite her antipathy toward the monarchy, Natalie watched Prinny’s advance with a sort of awed fascination. Though she had not known his nickname, tales of his lavish expenditures and many love affairs had reached even the shores of America. Parliament, she knew, had made him regent in his father’s place ever since old King George III had been declared incurably mad.

The prince’s features had a distinction that suggested he must have been a handsome man in his youth, though now his skin had a puffy, florid look. His dark locks must surely be dyed since he appeared to be past fifty. As a further sop to vanity, the feathery strands were brushed forward as if to conceal a receding hairline. His fancy blue cape revealed an overfed form in a black coat and white knee breeches, his cravat tied so absurdly high it surely must choke him. She suspected the style was meant to conceal multiple chins.

The duchess sank into a deep curtsy. “Your Royal Highness! My son and I are honored by your attendance.”

Prinny regarded her rather dolefully. “That is a relief, Duchess, as I’d greatly feared you might not welcome the royal presence at your ball. One does so dislike presuming to go where one has not been invited.”

“I understood you to be in Brighton this week,” Hadrian said with a respectful bow. “It would have been presumptuous to make you feel obliged to return early to London. Dare we hope your health is much improved?”