With Love (Blackwood & Friends #1)

Chapter 20: A Meeting Between Two Gentlemen

Chapter 20: A Meeting Between Two Gentlemen

Nicola and Hugh looked up from where they had been reading Robinson Crusoe together at the writing table in her father's townhouse in London. Ewan strode into the room, smiling gently at them. "You have another caller, dear," he told her for the sixth time that afternoon.

"Where is Blanche? Can't she handle it?" Nicola groaned. Normally a quiet sanctity, her home was now a constant flux of people wanting to meet with her, court her, share tea with her. It was bothersome and intrusive. Some had been pleasant, but others had been snidely inquiring after Jason, hoping to attach more credibility to the snippet of gossip they had already acquired.

"Blanche is resting upstairs in her room," Ewan explained. "Perhaps you'd like to meet him here? I'll send him in."

"No, father, it-" But Ewan had left already and Nicola frowned. She didn't want any stranger to meet with Hugh- the boy was already timid enough around her. He had been subjected to disturbances throughout their lessons that afternoon and he had become more withdrawn as the time passed.

"Maybe I need to go," Hugh mumbled, small head downcast over the pages of his book he had been so enthusiastic about minutes before.

"No, no, don't," Nicola said kindly, stroking his back for reassurance. "Don't you worry, I'll get rid of him soon enough and we can carry on reading the story."

"Get rid of me? How rude."

Her head snapped up at the sound of that voice, her body humming with pleasure and excitement almost instantly. She hadn't seen him again after he had left her with his family to handle matters following Wilhelmina's visit. When she had inquired why he was not to accompany her and Blanche to London that morning, Kathleen had told her he had left earlier to attend to business matters prior to the masquerade. He had thought to leave her a note, however, and Nicola was so used to checking for correspondence from him it was almost an impulsive action now that compelled her to open the chamber of the grandfather clock and collect the piece of folded parchment. When nobody was about, of course.

Try not to miss me too much?

She had thought him the worst sort of scoundrel then.

But he was here now, in her father's library, looking too handsome and pleased with himself in a dark blue coat that hung open over a muted grey waistcoat, one hand buried in the pocket of his fawn-coloured trousers while the other tucked his top hat under the crook of his elbow.

"Jason." His name sounded like a smile. Nicola stood, so did Hugh as the young boy studied the gentleman with wariness. Her father entered the room behind Jason and there was a tiny, almost unnoticeable smirk on his face as he went to seat himself at the furthermost end of the room away from them, spreading a paper out and pretending to absorb himself.

"Ah, so you didn't miss me too much then," Jason said, arching a brow at Hugh. "Clearly your attentions have strayed during my absence."

"This is Hugh," Nicola explained, gesturing to the boy. "Hugh, this is my friend, Lord Jason Blackwood. He's the Marquess of Northwick."

At that, the small boy's blue eyes went wide with terror.

"Back to formalities then, Nicola? Disappointing." Jason turned his gaze to Hugh and grinned. "Only prim and proper, stuck-up ladies use titles and formalities," he told the boy seriously. "As one of my friends, you must address me as Blackwood. Or Jason, if you like."

"Perhaps insufferable would be a better name, my lord?" Nicola smiled at him sweetly.

His eyes sparked with an unspoken promise of retribution that made her skin flare.