Matt handed her a glass.

“Montagu”—Matt’s tone was a mix of dryness and amusement—“if you do not watch where you are going in this house, you will eventually trip over a Great Dane.”

Montagu shook his head and looked around. “They are not here.”

“Not this time.”

Eleanor glared at her brother-in-law. “They are never allowed in the dining room during dinner.”

Matt shrugged. “It’s always better to watch where one is walking. I have almost tripped over them before.”

Eleanor could not argue with that. “With large dogs, it is amazingly easy to do.”

“That is very true,” Grace said with a cringe, and Eleanor knew her sister was remembering when she had been trying to hide from Matt and tripped over Duke’s paws.

Poor Montagu appeared lost. “It is part of their courtship story,” Eleanor explained. “I will tell you it later.”

Thorton entered the drawing room and announced dinner. Immediately someone plied the door knocker. “Who could that be?”

“Harry and Vivienne,” Madeline said. “They are joining us for dinner.” She told them about the twins being fussy.

After they dined, Eleanor and Montagu returned to the drawing room, and she went to a small desk in the corner of the room and took out a piece of foolscap large enough to enclose the other letters. Montagu followed her. First, she wrote to Matt’s steward, then to Charlie’s steward. After that, they began writing to the tenants and other people they had decided to approach with job proposals. She wrote the first part and Montagu added his firm offer at the end of each missive.

“Finished.” She leaned back in her chair.

“I hope this bears the fruit we wish it to.” He looked a bit worried, and once again she wanted to touch his hand.

“You must have faith in me.”

Montagu searched her eyes. His own reflected his worry. “You’re right. Everything will work out the way we planned.”

This was exactly the partnership she wanted with a husband. “It will.”

Eleanor was right. It would go the way they wanted it to because they had done it together. John had never believed a lady like this existed, or that he would find her. He’d heard other men—her brothers by marriage and their friends—comment that ladies ought to have more say in government, but he’d not taken them seriously. But Eleanor and ladies like her would be an asset to any political discussion or decision. “I wonder how long it will be before we hear from them.”

“It should not be long. I’ll have the packets sent by messenger.”

Of course she would. For a few seconds, all he could do was drink her in as they gazed at each other. “Yes, that would be best.”

“Eleanor and Lord Montagu, come have some tea,” Lady Worthington said.