Astonished, Natalie tilted her head to one side. How could that be? His announcement seemed too farfetched to be true. But she could think of no earthly reason why he would fabricate such a connection. Nor could she detect any sign of deception on his strong features.

All other thoughts vanished as she tried to work through the tangle of family relationships. “Then Audrey would have been…”

“Lady Audrey was my second cousin. Which would make Leo my second cousin, once removed.” One corner of his mouth curling in ironic humor, he regarded the boy at play. “Fancy that, the brat shares my blood.”

She was too rattled to chide him again for the name-calling. Besides, the duke’s expression showed a dash of the same amazement that captivated her senses. How extraordinary to think this lofty aristocrat was kin to her best friend. And to Leo.

“Then you’ve met Audrey,” she said, eagerly leaning forward. “You must have known her when she was a girl.”

“We grew up together at Oak Knoll. My father died when I was five, and Godwin was my appointed guardian. Being the same age, Lady Audrey and I were as close as siblings.”

So, the duke was twenty-nine years of age, as Audrey would have been. How strange that her friend had never mentioned the connection. Then again, she’d seldom spoken of her life back in England.

“She never called herself lady,” Natalie corrected. “Titles didn’t matter to her. She once told me how relieved she was to have left all that pomp behind.”

“It was her birthright, nevertheless. You’re in England now, where proper forms of address matter.”

“Not to me.”

“Then permit me to warn you,” he said with a darkening frown. “The Earl and Countess of Godwin will expect you to call them my lord and my lady. As well as to curtsy to them.”

“Bah. In America we bow to no one, not even to President Madison.”

“Here it is considered an obligatory sign of respect.” His face was set in hard lines. “Pray recall the old proverb: when in Rome, do as the Romans. I would strongly advise you, Miss Fanshawe, to heed that advice.”

Chapter 4

The journey to Oak Knoll took a little more than an hour. For that, Natalie was glad. After her expressed disdain of the class system, the Duke of Clayton had assumed the aloof façade of the aristocrat. His manner was polite but cool, indicating disapproval of her American opinions.

If she had a niggling suspicion that he had a valid point about heeding local customs, she set it aside. She had every intention of using her best manners with Leo’s grandfather; rudeness went against her nature. But then, so did genuflecting to people whom she considered to be her equals.

He’d asked no more questions about Audrey, and Natalie had offered no further commentary about her life in America. Instead, they’d conversed for the remainder of the ride on bland topics like the countryside and the weather. He also held a lengthy discussion with Leo about sailing ships, including the mighty English man-o’-war.