“I didn’t say I didn’t care about her. She’s a perfectly good cat. But you see, there are kittens, and well, I couldn’t allow them to go hungry.”

“Why, Jane Lowndes, you are tenderhearted.”

Her eyes widened. “No. I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. You’re quite tenderhearted if you’re feeding a mother cat in order to care for her kittens.”

Jane glanced away but she couldn’t keep the smile from her face. “It’s just a cat, Upton.”

“If you say so.” Upton leaned back in his chair, the grin still on his blurry face. “I’m sorry your ankle is hurt, but you don’t fool me. The spill you took from that horse is merely your attempt at causing a scandal, isn’t it?”

She laughed at that too. Since when did Upton make her laugh? In a good way?

“If I had planned it, Upton, rest assured I would have won before I fell. Not to mention I would have planned a more graceful descent. That saddle was faulty, I tell you.”

“I don’t disagree. Lord Moreland has asked the stable master to look into the matter.”

Jane sighed. “As for a scandal, I’d say having a gentleman in my bedchamber is much more scandalous than falling from a horse.”

“Oh, no. Don’t involve me in your schemes. I’m merely here to check on you.” He leaned forward and his voice took on a more serious edge. “We were quite worried about you.”

Jane traced her finger along the top of the coverlet. “I know. Cass nearly cried. I hope my foibles don’t ruin her wedding. She’s pledged to have a team of footmen carry me to the ceremony upon a litter if necessary.”

Upton chuckled. “Don’t test her. She’s a determined bride.”

Jane smiled. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Upton appeared to be fumbling with his coat. “I brought you something.” Did his voice sound sheepish? Imagine that.

“Brought me something?” she echoed, blinking.

“Yes. I—I forgot you lost your spectacles and cannot read, but—” He placed something rectangular and hefty atop her lap. She touched it. Ran her fingers over its smooth surface. She’d know the feel of it anywhere. “A book?”

“Yes, a book.” There was humor in his voice.

“Which book is it?” She lifted it in front of her face and squinted at the golden title. She still couldn’t make it out.

“A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.”

Jane gasped. She hugged the book to her chest. “Mary Wollstonecraft? You brought me Mary Wollstonecraft?”

She blinked and blinked again. She had no idea what to make of it. Of course she’d already read this book. Read it and owned it and loved each and every page of it, possibly memorized entire passages, but the fact that Upton had brought it to her. Well, it just showed he’d been … paying attention.