last look in the mirror, she smoothed her dove grey skirt.
“I had to let that trollop Bessie go.” Florence stood tall and determined. “I hope you don’t mind, or think I’m taking advantage of the trust you’ve put in me, Miss Douglas.”
“Did she steal the brooch?”
“Aye, it was in a secret pocket in the bottom of her skirt.”
“Then you did the right thing.” Nicola heard the long case clock on the landing strike three times. From outside came the muted crunch of carriage wheels on the gravel drive. “I’m going out for a few hours with Miss West and her brother. But when I return I need to talk to you.”
“Oh?” Florence followed her out of the room. “Is it bad news? Have I done wrong?”
“No, it’s an offer for you. A position.” Nicola smiled. They descended the stairs together and at the bottom Nicola collected her parasol from the stand by the door. She turned to Florence. “If you are willing, Mr Belfroy has accepted my proposal to pay you a wage and be second in charge here.”
“Oh my.” Florence gaped in surprise.
“I’ll talk to you later about it, but it’ll give you something to think about.” Nicola patted the other woman’s shoulder and opened the door to reveal Mr West.
“Afternoon, ladies.” He bowed.
Nicola ignored the way her chest tightened at the sight of him and, after saying good-bye to Florence, accompanied him outside. She stared in confusion at the waiting transport. “A gig, Mr West?”
“Yes, Miss Douglas.” He helped her up onto the seat and then ran around the other side to climb aboard. With a flick of the reins the horse trotted down the drive.
“Where is Frances? Are we to collect her from somewhere?”
“Unfortunately, my sister has business elsewhere and cried off. She sends her apologies.”
Nicola held onto her straw boater and parasol when the horse picked up speed as they left the city behind. “So it is just the two of us?”
“And the horse.” He grinned.
“Mr West—”
“Please don’t fret, Nicola. I promise you’ll come to no harm.”
She swallowed with difficulty. That he’d called her Nicola affected her more than being alone with him on this drive. What were his plans, his intentions, by doing this?
He glanced at her before concentrating on driving again. “Have you ever been reckless? Done something that raised people’s eyebrows in surprise?”
“No.”
He laughed. “You haven’t lived then.”
“People can be happy without having to test the boundaries of what is right or wrong.”
“Only someone as good as you would say that.”
“Which shows how different we are, Mr West.” Her shoulders sagged. Why did he continually accentuate the differences between them? Why couldn’t he, just for once, be charming and attentive without any hidden undertones? Hilton managed it, why couldn’t Nathaniel? Was it so hard to do? Was he simply unable to have a polite conversation? “Please turn the horse around, Mr West. I wish to go back.”
“Come, Nicola, don’t spoil the afternoon.”
“You already have by—”
“By wanting you to myself for a moment?” He shot her a quick glance. “Is that so appalling?”
“If you wanted to talk to me alone, we could have stayed at the house and walked the lawn.”
He laughed. “You, alone at that house? Impossible.”
“Mr West—”
“Nicola, please, allow me an hour of your time, I beg you.”
Once the dirt road narrowed and became no more than a rutted track in the middle of dense bushland, Nat slowed the horse to a walk. The wheels creaked over the uneven path. “I have broken social laws, I know, but—”
“But you’ve always done what you please, yes?” she snapped. “You may not care what people say, but I do, Mr West. I have a position of trust and respectability. I have a reputation!”
“Nicola.” His eyes sent a message of apology.
She took a breath, her anger wilting under his tender gaze.
Reining the horse to a halt, they sat quietly. His hands dangled between his knees, holding the reins loose in his fingers. “Frances tells me Mr Warner proposed marriage to you.”
She remained silent, knowing he didn’t need her to confirm it.
“It felt like someone had stabbed me in the heart.”
Staring at his profile, she didn’t know what to say. Was he sincere? Words were so easy.
“Will you marry him?” His voice was barely a whisper.
“No.” She closed her eyes against the knowledge of what her heart already knew. She couldn’t marry Mr Warner, not while Nathaniel West affected her such as he did. “I doubt I’ll ever marry.”
“What a stupid thing to say.” He scoffed,