“Mr. Duke knocked me down instead. He saved me.”

Hero worship shone in his blue eyes, and Natalie felt a pang in her heart. She prayed that Hadrian would not disappoint the boy once she left here. Then she swallowed hard, not wanting to think about the future. “Well, you’re very lucky he was here. But you must promise never to run off like that again. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Miss Fanshawe.”

“Excellent. Let’s return to the nursery now. You’ll need a wash-up after playing in the dirt.”

To his credit, Leo didn’t argue as she rose to her feet and grasped his small hand. The route back to the house required them to walk toward Hadrian, who was still deep in conversation with his cousin at the edge of the stable yard. Nearing them, Natalie had the prickly sense of being watched.

And it wasn’t by the duke.

Her gaze fell on Bert, slouching against a fencepost. Arms crossed, the brawny groom was staring openly at her. He had curly black hair and a crude handsomeness marred by a crooked nose. As he caught her eye, his lips peeled back into a leering smile that made her skin crawl.

She pulled her shawl tightly around her and assumed a look of icy scorn before turning her attention from him. It was an expression that she had perfected to ward off sailors and other ne’er-do-wells who would take advantage of a lone woman.

Just then, Hadrian beckoned to her. “Lord Wymark wishes to say something to you and Leo.”

Judging by the sulkiness on the younger man’s face, she very much doubted that he wanted to speak to her at all. He turned and gave her a stiff bow. “I beg pardon for endangering you and the boy. It was not intentional.”

“Apology accepted. I know how difficult it can be to control a spirited horse.”

If anything, her response seemed to anger him, his frown deepening, and Natalie realized she oughtn’t have added a comment that a proud young lord would interpret as a veiled jab at his riding skills.

The duke, however, appeared satisfied. “Come,” he said, taking hold of her arm. “I’ll escort you and Leo back to the house.”

As they turned away, she had one last glimpse of Wymark’s resentful features. He seemed to begrudge their very presence here at Oak Knoll. Of course, the family suspected her of being an imposter, attempting to pass off her own son as Audrey’s. Nevertheless, Wymark ought to show at least some warmth toward Leo, who might be his nephew.

Perhaps, like his parents, he simply disdained the boy for being sired by a commoner and raised in the wilds of America.

Whatever the cause, his antipathy left Natalie deeply troubled. Wymark was a reckless young lord who had endangered a child—and he didn’t even seem to care. It was yet one more reason for her to feel reluctant to leave Leo with his only blood kin.