Enchanting the Duke - Lana Williams Page 0,28

within. Her lips joined in, and the sudden urge to kiss her nearly overwhelmed him. “You are welcome.”

She tightened her hold on his arm, and they continued along the shop fronts.

He waited for her to lecture him, to dwell on the topic overlong as so many people did as if one hadn’t understood their point the first time.

“Oh, isn’t that pretty?” She stopped before a window and admired a colorfully woven blanket. Then she moved to the next window and admired a porcelain figurine. No coy glances were cast his way. No not-so-subtle hints that he should make a purchase for her. And certainly no lecture. Then her attention shifted to the village itself, admiring the greenery and other decorations that gave the shops a festive appearance.

“Everyone is so friendly in the village, and the decorations are quite festive.” Then she commented on the weather, declaring it perfect for this time of year.

Her ability to find something good in the smallest, simplest moment was refreshing. No wonder Lady Elizabeth and her negative remarks affected her so deeply. Eleanor took time to enjoy the present, something he rarely did. Her optimism was a good match against his tendency to focus on the tasks ahead along with what could go amiss.

Not that she ignored the darker side of life. Three older men stood on a street corner at the far end of the village and appeared to be looking for handouts of one form or another. Their clothing was worse for the wear and their grizzled faces suggested it had been some time since they’d had use of a razor or water.

“How terrible to have so little, let alone at this time of year,” she murmured at the sight of them.

“I’ll mention their presence to Burbridge, although they might be professional beggars.” Douglas studied the trio. “We have some pass through our village every so often.”

“Professional beggars?” Her brow furrowed at the term.

“Those who make their living by relying on the charity of others. They might not be true beggars, but they have no desire for employment for one reason or another. The issues with helping the less fortunate are a challenge, especially in London.”

“I suppose I didn’t realize how serious the problem has become.”

“More and more people move to London each year, resulting in many concerns. Charity is a wondrous act, but it’s important to make certain that those with their hands out aren’t doing it to take advantage of the system put in place to help those truly in need.”

“Nothing is simple these days, is it?” She shook her head.

“Burbridge gave me a copy of a book called The Seven Curses of London where the author shares what he considers to be the worst problems London is facing. While the author tends toward the dramatic, the issues are certainly ones to be taken seriously. One of those is professional beggars, though I think their numbers are smaller than suggested.”

“Lillian mentioned the book as well. She said reading it made her even more convinced that finding solutions to the ills of our country starts with helping the children. Based on what I’ve learned, I agree, and that is one of the reasons I wanted to help with the orphanage. There’s much to learn about all the problems as none of them are easily resolved.”

“True. The nobility needs to take more of an active role in social reform rather than ignoring what is happening a few streets away from where we live. Some improvements have been made, but there is more work to be done.”

Eleanor stopped to study him, bringing him to a halt as well. A question lingered in her eyes but she hesitated as if uncertain whether she should ask.

“What is it?”

“I saw you in London when I was out shopping. Just off Bond Street. You spoke with a young girl then waved at a woman in an upper window.”

“Spying on me, eh?” He smiled, warmed by the thought that she cared enough to ask. “That was Mrs. Dawson, my former nanny, and her niece, Amelia. I delivered a monetary gift with the hope it would brighten their holiday.”

The tension in her expression eased. “How kind of you. I admire you greatly for not just your thoughts but for the actions you take. So many gentlemen speak favorably of reform until the time comes to do something. Thank you for that.” She smiled at him again.

His heart grew a little bit bigger as they continued their shopping. Here he’d thought