Lucas smiled. “You want him to be happy and making friends and learning, but I suspect that there’s a small maternal part of you that regrets the fact that he doesn’t need you as much as he did.”

“You’re exactly right,” she said ruefully. “Christopher has been the center of my life since he was born. Now I’m trying to accept gracefully the fact that he’s moving into his own life and I am less important to him.”

“You’re his mother and will always be important to him. Don’t forget that he made his way half the length of Britain to find you,” Lucas pointed out. “And remember that as he becomes more independent, you will have more freedom to move into a new life for yourself.”

Yes, but what would her new life look like? She’d have a better idea after the Duchesses’ Ball. She studied Lucas’s calm, rather enigmatic profile and wondered uncomfortably if he would be part of her future. The first night they’d spent together she’d said she would like to have a child with him, which was true but perhaps something that shouldn’t have been said at that time. And during their second splendid night just hours ago, she’d asked if he’d ever considered living with her without marriage.

In the clear light of day, she realized that she’d said too much, too soon. For all his kindness and perception, she wasn’t sure what Lucas really thought of her. He seemed to enjoy her company and he was certainly attracted to her. She also knew that having committed himself to helping and protecting her, he’d stand by her no matter what the consequences to his own life.

But if she was never legally able to marry, would living with her be too high a price for him to pay? Since they had become lovers, he would probably consider himself honor bound to stay with her.

Yet doing so would mean he wouldn’t have a legitimate son to inherit his title. If Camden Keep was entailed, a natural-born son wouldn’t be able to inherit it.

He would also be depriving himself of the chance to find a woman whom he could love wholeheartedly, as Simon and Suzanne loved. There were many things that bound Kendra and Lucas together, but she wasn’t sure that a deep and lasting mutual love was one of them.

She bit her lip, reminding herself that once more she was worrying about things that hadn’t happened yet, and that might never happen. After the Duchesses’ Ball, she should have a clearer sense of her future.

She hoped so. And if that meant freeing Lucas to live the life he truly wanted—well, she’d try to have the strength to do that with grace and gratitude.