Chapter Thirteen
Nick knew this was what he wanted. He wanted to court Nell, but the thought of discussing it with her father was giving him the collywobbles. Which made no sense; her father was a sensible man, and had already trusted him with Nell for her come out.
So it stood to reason that they would be able to have a conversation about it and that as long as Nick was in earnest, they should be able to come to an understanding. And Nick was very much in earnest.
Not to mention that he truly liked Nell. He thought she was brilliant and funny and smart, not to mention she was quite the prettiest lady he’d ever laid eyes on.
He was pacing in the parlor again, but it wasn’t his parlor this time and he was waiting for Earl Warrick, not Nell.
And as if he’d summoned the Earl by thinking his name, the man cleared the doors to the parlor and planted himself right in front of Nick. “There you are, lad.”
“My lord,” Nick bowed to Earl Warrick. “I came for our discussion.”
“Splendid,” he grinned at Nick. “I have tea and the ladies coming later, so we’ll make this speedy. Do you care for my Nellie?”
Nick nodded. “I think she’s brilliant, and funny, and smarter than I am.”
Earl Warrick nodded. “I won’t comment on the last bit, lad; I don’t know you well enough. My Nellie’s all of that, yes, and stubborn and hardheaded, and she cares deeply for the city and its people.”
“I can promise to try to keep up with her,” Nick said. “If she’ll have me, I can promise to see her taken care of.”
“Well, you’ll take that up with her.” Earl Warrick grinned again. “But I’ll not stand in your way. I give you formal permission to court her.”
“Thank you, Earl Warrick.” Nick was about to fall over with relief, and under it all was suspicion about how easy it had been. “I’ll talk to her, see if she’ll let me move forward now that we have your permission. She thinks I’ll tire of her, even though there’s no possibility of that.”
Earl Warrick was about to reply when the door opened and Lady Warrick walked in with Nell’s hand in hers and a maid following in their wake with the tea tray.
“Is everything settled?” Lady Warrick asked briskly.
“I haven’t signed their papers yet, but I gave the lad permission.” Earl Warrick smiled at Nell. “The two of you should discuss this, Nellie. What do you want from him?”
“I’m not likely to discuss that here with you.” Nell looked at her father and then at Nick and blushed bright pink. “I don’t want to take anything from his Grace.”
Nick flinched, but couldn’t say anything in front of her parents. “Miss Warrick, please don’t do that. You can just call me Nick.”
“I shouldn’t though.” She looked up at him, and her eyes were sad.
Nick resisted going to her and pulling her into his arms. “I want to court you, Nell. Can you try to trust that? If I hadn’t wanted to, I never would have come to speak to your father.”
“There—”
“Is no one better for me, Nell.” He said, reaching for her hand. “You are my twinned soul.” There was a choking sound from Lady Warrick, but Nick didn’t move his eyes from Nell.
“I’ll try Nick,” she said after a few silent moments. “I’ll try, but I truly don’t want anything from you that you don’t want to give.”
“We’ll talk about it.” He looked up at Earl Warrick and smiled before looking back at Nell and pulling a small box from his pocket. “I saw this, and it made me think of you.”
He offered her the box, watching her take it and open it slowly. He knew what it contained. A gold and green enameled spray of holly with ruby berries at the bottom.
“It’s lovely.” She pulled the spray out of the box and showed it to her mother. “Isn’t it lovely, Mama?”
“Just the thing for the season, Nellie,” Lady Warrick smiled at Nick before taking the holly and pinning it to Nell’s bodice. “It doesn’t go terribly well with peach, but it looks a treat against your skin, my girl.”
“I think my ribbons tonight are green, so it will go very well there.” Nell smiled up at Nick again. “Thank you, Nick.”
“My pleasure.” Her smile warmed him, and he was glad he’d gotten the holly for her. “I should go. Where are you attending this evening?”
“We’re to go to Lady Ashan’s party.” Nell told him. “And tomorrow, Mama and I are invited to the Glass Salon during the day and Duchess Westin’s Ball that night.”
“Then, if you will allow it, I would love to escort you to the Westin’s ball.”
She nodded, looking to her father for a moment, who also nodded. “That would be kind of you.”
“Then I will see you tomorrow night.” He bowed over her hand, over Lady Warrick’s hand and shook Earl Warrick’s before he left the townhouse and walked carefully down the icy sidewalk towards his own.
Where his mama was waiting in the foyer with a smile for him. “How did it go, Nicholas?”
“I have her father’s formal permission.” Nick blocked the urge to celebrate. “And hers to escort her to the Westin’s ball tomorrow night.”
“I have news, Nicholas.” His mother said, looking serious. “Your father, his heart is failing.”
“Will you go to him?” Nick asked.
“His healers have left that up to me.” His mother said haltingly. “I have said I would remain as your hostess, but I have been married to your father for 57 years and I would see him again before he dies.”
“Then you should go, Mama,” Nick said. “I will be fine as my own host until you can return and we go into mourning.”
“He will last through the season, or so his healers tell me.” His mother shook her head. “But I—Oh Nicky, I don’t know what I should do.”
“Go to him, Mama,” Nick said quietly. “For all he never cared for me, he loves you and my brother. He would doubtless like to have you with him.”
“He loves you, Nicholas,” his mother protested, but Nick just shook his head.
“Would you like me to escort you?” He asked.
His mama shook her head. “I will take three servants and go in the morning. You remain here and court Miss Warrick.