not cold.” She looked away from him, but probably not quickly enough to disguise the nature of her thoughts from his all-seeing eyes. “And returning to Her Grace’s invitation to dine, I think it will be impossible for us to accept it.”
“But it is not your grandfather’s unpredictability that most concerns you?”
Busy examining her folded hands, Nia’s head jerked upwards. “What do you mean?”
“I think you know.” He briefly placed one of his own hands over hers, and as quickly removed it again. “You are worried about exposing my mother to the company of an ex-courtesan.”
“How did you know?”
He chuckled. “I did not, but by not denying it you have confirmed my suspicions. You like your grandfather’s paramour very much, and are not prepared to put her in a situation where you think she might feel disadvantaged.”
She acknowledged his statement with a brief nod. “I could not manage without Sophia. Whatever she was forced to do as a younger woman, was done with her own survival in mind. She could have left Grandpapa when he started to lose his wits; most women in her position would have done so, but Sophia is not most people. She is loyal, loving, patient and kind, and cannot help the circumstances that made her what she is.”
His smile was a warm caress. “You cannot protect the entire world, single-handed.”
“I only want to protect my grandfather and Sophia.”
“And the boys, and your brother.” He tilted his head and sent her another of his devastating smiles. “Did I forget anyone?”
Not anyone, but a great deal of anythings. Just for a moment, Nia was tempted to unburden herself by telling him absolutely everything. The real reason for Sean’s visit to London and her fear that she would be unable to cope with the aftermath. But common sense prevailed. It was enough that he was her friend, or appeared to want to be. She would not exploit that situation.
“I do hope you will change your mind about dining with us,” Lord Vincent said when Nia remained silent, consumed by her own thoughts and fears. “Sophia will be as welcome in our drawing room as you are. I also suspect she will make a lively addition to it.”
“Oh yes, certainly she will be that.” Nia searched his face for signs of derision, but found none. “You really mean it, don’t you?”
“I never say things I do not mean.”
“Then thank you. I promise to speak with Sophia, but I cannot promise that we will take up your invitation.”
“Then you have at least provided me with the perfect excuse to call upon you tomorrow and see if you have reached a decision.”
“Don’t you have funds to manage, or criminal gangs to control?”
“Are you being flippant, Miss Trafford?”
She smiled at him. “I believe I am, Lord Vincent.”
Once again their gazes locked and Nia was conscious of awareness stretching between them like an invisible bond. His presence affected her on every possible level, bringing her body alive in previously unimagined ways. Her tangled reflections were brought to a premature end by the sound of the boys calling to them, which she considered to be just as well. They moved slightly apart, even though a respectable amount of daylight already separated their bodies, and smiled at the twins as they barrelled towards them.
“Aunt Nia, we had the very best time…”
“That was a stallion. Did you see us?”
“Yes, I saw you.” Laughing, Nia stood and tousled their heads. “I hope you expressed your thanks to Lord Amos. It was very good of him to make time for you.”
“We did.”
“I think he was grateful for our help, as well.”
Nia observed the brothers share an amused glance. “I dare say he was. But now, gentlemen, you must excuse us. I think we have outstayed our welcome.”
“Not a bit of it,” Lord Amos replied. “The boys are always welcome, as are you.”
“Please don’t tell them that, or you will never be rid of them.”
A short time later, Nia
“But it is not your grandfather’s unpredictability that most concerns you?”
Busy examining her folded hands, Nia’s head jerked upwards. “What do you mean?”
“I think you know.” He briefly placed one of his own hands over hers, and as quickly removed it again. “You are worried about exposing my mother to the company of an ex-courtesan.”
“How did you know?”
He chuckled. “I did not, but by not denying it you have confirmed my suspicions. You like your grandfather’s paramour very much, and are not prepared to put her in a situation where you think she might feel disadvantaged.”
She acknowledged his statement with a brief nod. “I could not manage without Sophia. Whatever she was forced to do as a younger woman, was done with her own survival in mind. She could have left Grandpapa when he started to lose his wits; most women in her position would have done so, but Sophia is not most people. She is loyal, loving, patient and kind, and cannot help the circumstances that made her what she is.”
His smile was a warm caress. “You cannot protect the entire world, single-handed.”
“I only want to protect my grandfather and Sophia.”
“And the boys, and your brother.” He tilted his head and sent her another of his devastating smiles. “Did I forget anyone?”
Not anyone, but a great deal of anythings. Just for a moment, Nia was tempted to unburden herself by telling him absolutely everything. The real reason for Sean’s visit to London and her fear that she would be unable to cope with the aftermath. But common sense prevailed. It was enough that he was her friend, or appeared to want to be. She would not exploit that situation.
“I do hope you will change your mind about dining with us,” Lord Vincent said when Nia remained silent, consumed by her own thoughts and fears. “Sophia will be as welcome in our drawing room as you are. I also suspect she will make a lively addition to it.”
“Oh yes, certainly she will be that.” Nia searched his face for signs of derision, but found none. “You really mean it, don’t you?”
“I never say things I do not mean.”
“Then thank you. I promise to speak with Sophia, but I cannot promise that we will take up your invitation.”
“Then you have at least provided me with the perfect excuse to call upon you tomorrow and see if you have reached a decision.”
“Don’t you have funds to manage, or criminal gangs to control?”
“Are you being flippant, Miss Trafford?”
She smiled at him. “I believe I am, Lord Vincent.”
Once again their gazes locked and Nia was conscious of awareness stretching between them like an invisible bond. His presence affected her on every possible level, bringing her body alive in previously unimagined ways. Her tangled reflections were brought to a premature end by the sound of the boys calling to them, which she considered to be just as well. They moved slightly apart, even though a respectable amount of daylight already separated their bodies, and smiled at the twins as they barrelled towards them.
“Aunt Nia, we had the very best time…”
“That was a stallion. Did you see us?”
“Yes, I saw you.” Laughing, Nia stood and tousled their heads. “I hope you expressed your thanks to Lord Amos. It was very good of him to make time for you.”
“We did.”
“I think he was grateful for our help, as well.”
Nia observed the brothers share an amused glance. “I dare say he was. But now, gentlemen, you must excuse us. I think we have outstayed our welcome.”
“Not a bit of it,” Lord Amos replied. “The boys are always welcome, as are you.”
“Please don’t tell them that, or you will never be rid of them.”
A short time later, Nia
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