Hadrian drew a breath as if to speak, but remained silent. Of course he couldn’t deny it. The dissolute foibles of the British upper class were something she’d grown up hearing about. Hadrian was warm, attentive, kind, witty, and wonderful in so many ways. But if he lacked a deep, abiding love for her, then it simply wasn’t enough.

Though her heart felt torn in two, Natalie held her head high as she stepped away and picked up the plate of sweets. She couldn’t stay a moment longer for fear he’d see the tears that stung her eyes. “I’d better deliver this to Leo before people notice we’ve both disappeared from the ball.”

She turned on her heel and walked out into the corridor, leaving Hadrian standing in the study. But not for long. The sharp scrape of his footsteps echoed against the marble walls.

A harried expression on his face, he caught up to her at the back staircase. “Don’t judge me by the actions of other men.”

“Rather, I’m merely trying to be realistic about the mores of the ton.” She grasped her skirt and ascended the steps, and when he kept to her side, she went on, “Consider my situation if I were to marry you. Instead of returning to America and opening a school, I’d be embracing a new life here in England. I’d be a fool to give up my plans and everything that’s familiar to me without being certain of your steadfast love.”

“I am steadfast, dammit. A regular stick-in-the-mud, remember?”

As they reached a landing and proceeded up another flight of stairs, she steeled herself to say, “You’ve had mistresses, I presume.”

He appeared discomfited by the blunt statement. “Whatever I’ve done as a bachelor would have no bearing on my behavior as a husband.” Placing his hand at the small of her back, he looked at her with a penetrating gaze. “I believe in marital fidelity, I swear it to you, Natalie. I would never betray my vows to you. Would that I could convince you of my sincerity.”

Then tell me that you love me.

Her throat taut, she continued up the steps until they reached the top floor, where the nursery was located. She didn’t doubt Hadrian was smitten with her; he had displayed his interest in many ways over the past few weeks. But she still sensed there was a part of him she didn’t know. Just how deep was his attachment to her? Was it more than mere passion? Could he love her and comfort her, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, and remain faithful for the rest of their lives?

That was the nagging question.

As they entered the shadowed schoolroom, moonlight guided her path through the maze of miniature tables and chairs. She had a poignant vision of Hadrian here as a little boy, allowed to visit Clayton House for only two weeks out of each year. He would have been a well-behaved child, obedient to adult authority. That meant enduring many tearful good-byes from his mother when he had to return to Oak Knoll and Lord Godwin’s cold guardianship.