How to Turn a Frog into a Prince - Bree Wolf Page 0,43

know what you’re doing.”

Nathanial couldn’t help but chuckle. “I cannot say that I do.”

Lord Markham shook his head as he looked after her. “Peter warned me that she was headstrong.” He looked at Nathanial and chuckled. “He even told me to lock the windows. What does that tell you?” Again, he shook his head. “But she has a good heart.”

Nathanial could not help but agree. “Peter?”

“An old friend,” Lord Markham explained. “He was married to her sister, and before he passed away, he asked me to look after Charlaine.”

Another puzzle piece fell in place. Nathanial wanted to know more, but he did not dare ask. Not today. Not with a nosey crowd gathered around them. Not Lord Markham.

Perhaps one day, Charlaine would confide in him. Perhaps one day, he could repay her for her kindness. After all, she had given him the greatest gift he could have hoped for: the gift of distraction. For whenever he was around her, Nathanial did not worry. He did not overthink things. He did not contemplate the bleak future that awaited him.

Whenever she was near him, he lived in the here and now.

And it felt wonderful.

“Have you heard from your brother?” Lord Markham asked, jarring him from his thoughts.

Nathanial cleared his throat. “I have, yes. He does write the occasional letter, and at least one of mine seems to have found him before they moved on.” He chuckled. “He wrote to say that they’ll be returning in time for your wedding.”

Lord Markham nodded, clearly pleased by these news. “Where are they at the moment?”

“That, he did not say,” Nathanial replied, remembering his brother’s rather short letter. Apparently, the man was currently otherwise occupied. “He did not write much at all.”

Lord Markham chuckled. “I suppose that is a good sign.”

Indeed, living in the moment proved a wonderful experience, however new the concept was for Nathanial. Still, he was willing to give it a try. After all, what did he have to lose?

Chapter Twenty

White Lies

“Miss Hawkins is here to see you,” Albert announced as he stepped out onto the terrace where Charlaine sat with her charcoal drawings. The light was perfect this time of day, and the soft breeze reminded her of home, bringing with it a deep wistfulness she hadn’t been able to escape. “Shall I show her inside?”

Charlaine set down the piece of charcoal and wiped her blackened hands on a piece of linen. “Albert, please don’t pretend you don’t know what is going on,” Charlaine chided him. “You very well know that she’s here to see Pierce and not me.”

Albert cleared his throat. “That is not what she said.”

“To keep up pretenses.”

His lips thinned, and the muscle in his jaw tightened. “Shall I see her inside?”

Charlaine sighed. “Of course.” She lifted a hand when he made to leave. “You might as well make your peace with it, old man. We’re family, and we wouldn’t dream of hiding anything from you.” If she was not mistaken, a hint of red crept up Albert’s face that he sought to hide by spinning on his heel and walking away. “And please inform Pierce that she is here!” Charlaine called after him, unable to suppress a laugh. Oh, the dear man!

About a half-hour ago, Nathanial had arrived and the two men had disappeared in the library. This was a rather preposterous charade as far as Charlaine was concerned. Of course, Caroline visited to see her fiancé, not that Charlaine blamed her for it, and Nathanial had come to call on her, Charlaine—she was certain of it! Why was it so important to stand on ceremony? Indeed, the ton was insistent upon upholding a myriad of rather ludicrous rules!

After Charlaine exchanged a few quick words with Caroline, the two men miraculously appeared as though they had not been waiting for her to arrive all along. While Caroline and Pierce were instantly drawn to one another like two magnets, Nathanial slowly drifted to where Charlaine sat. His gaze seemed glued to the gardens beyond, however, Charlaine could not shake the feeling that his interest was merely pretense. Why could he not simply admit that he had come to see her? After all, had they not become friends? “It is indeed a beautiful day, is it not?”

Charlaine laughed. “When we agreed on brutal honesty, did that include you as well?” She rose from her chair and came to stand in front of him.

Nathanial frowned. “What do you mean?”

Glancing at the love-struck couple to their left, Charlaine sighed. “You might not