“Thank you, my lady. I will.”

Less than an hour later, Eleanor was pacing the parlor when Alice and Madeline entered.

“Good morning.” Alice took a seat on the small sofa. “You should be happy, not agitated.”

“I am merely a little concerned. I know what is in the agreements, but I do not know what I will do if Montagu balks.”

Charlotte strolled in through the open door. “Is that what this is about?” She hugged Eleanor, then leaned back and looked at her. “I do not think you have to worry. It is clear he loves you, and the contract is part of being able to wed you.”

“What are we discussing?” Dotty asked from the doorway.

“Eleanor is concerned Montagu might have a problem with the settlement agreements,” Charlotte replied.

“Dom did.” Dotty shrugged. “Not that I knew about it until later. Matt is extremely firm about the agreement. Dom wanted to marry me, so he signed it.”

“You see?” Alice said. “I told you that would happen.”

Louisa must have been lingering in the corridor for she strolled in and said, “Gideon insisted on increasing what the contract gave me.”

Dotty’s eyes widened. “Could he afford it?”

“I have no idea.” Louisa shook her head. “And I never asked. A man has his pride.”

“Especially a duke.” Madeline chuckled. “If this is settled, may we break our fast? I am starving.”

“We may. I am hungry as well.” Eleanor took Charlotte’s arm. “Is there anything else I should know about the meeting?”

“Let Matt do the talking. This is his way of protecting your future.”

“And your children’s future,” Louisa added as they walked up the corridor to the main staircase. “Really, Eleanor, you have nothing about which to be concerned.”

Then why was she still nervous? “You are right. There is nothing to worry about at all.”

Con came to Charlotte when they entered the breakfast room. “Is anything wrong?”

“No.” She shook her head and smiled. “Eleanor was just a bit anxious about the settlement contracts.”

He glanced at John, who had been talking with Hugh and Gideon and had just noticed Eleanor and her sisters entering the room. “Everything will be fine.”

“Good morning.” John took Eleanor’s hands and raised them to his lips. “I was just assuring the boys I would take good care of you.”

She took in Gideon’s solemn mien. “Ever since he found out Alice, Madeline, and I would most likely wed this year he has been concerned.”

John squeezed her fingers. “He made that quite clear.”

“He would have. He takes his future role seriously.” He had always been the serious one of the cousins.