His mother looked up at him. “You have become the man your father and I always thought you would be.” Tears glazed her eyes when she mentioned Father. She must still miss him. It occurred to him that even if their marriage hadn’t begun with love, they must have grown into the emotion. What was it like to love someone so much? “Good night.”

John waited until she had reached the first landing before heading back to the morning room and his sketch. Now that he had been much closer to Lady Eleanor, he could refine her other features, as well as her hands. By the time he’d finished, he was having trouble keeping his eyes open, but he was proud of the result. He had captured her. At least what he knew of her now.

John crawled into bed, knowing he’d dream of Lady Eleanor.

* * *

“My lord, do you plan to ride this morning?”

Pickerell’s voice interrupted John’s dream of Lady Eleanor, or what they were doing. Really, it was unlike him to be so interested in a lady. “Yes. What time is it?”

“Past seven. Lord St. Albans just arrived.”

Damn. John had forgotten he’d wanted to wake up early enough to ride with the ladies. “Tell him I’ll be right down.”

His valet stepped to the door, said something to someone, probably a footman, in the corridor, and began to lay out John’s riding kit. He splashed water on his face and cleaned his teeth. His cravat was not a masterpiece, but it would do for a ride.

He hurried downstairs to a small parlor off the hall. “Sorry I’m running late. I had meant to send a note around to you so that we could go earlier.”

“Earlier? Why?” St. Albans strode to meet John.

“Let’s get our horses and I’ll tell you all about it.” John’s gelding, Aramus, was just being brought around. St. Albans’s gray was being walked by a groom. They mounted and made their way toward the Park.

“Well, then. What did you want to write to me about?” St. Albans asked.

“Last evening Lady Bellamny held a soirée for the young ladies making their come outs. But they are not the only ones who attended. Many matrons did as well. My mother and sister went. M’sister let it slip that although gentlemen were not invited, they were allowed in during the last part of supper to fetch the ladies.”

His friend frowned. “Why do they have to be fetched?”

“I have no idea. It’s just what they do.” That was a good question. John had not even thought to ask. “In any event, I saw Worthington, and he was there with his sisters, who are the three ladies we have seen riding.”