He held up a hand. 'Let us start again. Or at least go back to the moment where you meant to call me Nathan and I was to call you Diana. Things were really going quite well, before that moment.' And then he smiled at her, full of mischief and shared secrets.
He held out his arm to her again, and they walked together, side by side down the path. And it occurred to her that their companionable silence was almost as good as the kissing had been, for it made her feel close to him, as though they were so much alike that words were no longer necessary. The little fillip of jealousy at the end of their encounter and his speedy apology for it stood as a proof that he was engaged deeply enough to want her all for himself. As did the lingering way he released her hand when they reached the end of the path and it was time for her to return to the Carlows--as though he had no wish to let her go.
And she realized that she had no idea what to say upon parting. Was it rude to seem eager for another meeting? And where could it be? She certainly could not go to his rooms, nor could she give him leave to call upon her, since she had no place of her own.
But he understood. For he said, 'I suppose I must leave you now, Miss Price. Au revoir?'
She gave him an embarrassed smile, and nodded.
'Perhaps we can meet again in the park. Next week at this time?'
'I would like that. Very much.'
'Very good. I shall write to you on the day, to remind you of our appointment.'
As if it would be possible for her to forget.
'And this time, I shall sign my name, so you shall know that it is really me.' His smile was teasing. He reached for her hand, bowed and brought the fingers to his lips, kissing the air above them in the most proper way imaginable.
As she turned to cross the street towards home, she could feel him behind her, watching her progress.
Chapter Nine
When Nate returned to his house, the rooms seemed brighter than he remembered. Perhaps it was because he usually slept so late that he did not often see them in full daylight. Or perhaps the sun was higher in the sky, now that winter was passing.
Or perhaps it was because he could not seem to stop smiling.
As he had watched Diana go back toward the Carlow house, he felt his lungs tighten. He had the most foolish desire that she should remove her bonnet as she walked, so that he might see the sunlight shine on her dark hair, or catch one more glimpse of her departing face as she went around the corner. Even the thought of that made him smile all the more. What a miracle she was. And what an impossible idea that she would walk bare-headed down the street, with her hair blowing in the wind.
Of course, all his thoughts involving Diana Price were impossible ones, and his position had just become more difficult than he could possibly imagine. He had avoided her for so long, thinking a meeting to be somewhere between ill advised and disastrous. And now?
He had discovered his soulmate. Her sympathy towards him, the gentle touch of her hands, was like nothing he'd known. And he'd never suspected that she would be so beautiful, so graceful and so easy to converse with. After his confession to her, he'd limited his talk to the most innocent of topics, and she had hung on every word, as though he were profoundly interesting. He had meant to tell her the rest and make a clean breast of it. But with such a woman at his side the past was easily forgotten. And soon, it would become impossible to imagine a future without her. There was only one small thing standing between them and happiness.
Nathan Wardale.
What good had that man ever done for either of them? Diana most assuredly would not want to see the fellow. And he'd been more trouble to Nate than he was worth. It was Wardale that had explaining to do, should the Navy ever come calling. And Wardale was the one living with the taint of his father's disgrace.
Wardale had lost his sisters and mother as well, damn him. If there was some way to find the women in his family, then it might be time to reclaim the name. If he thought that his sisters would see the news and come to him? Then it might be worth having Nathan Wardale risk arrest and appear in public.
But he was not even sure that they lived, or that they would wish a meeting with him, after the way he had abandoned them. When he'd returned, his inquiries after them had gotten no response. A louder, more obvious appearance, after all this time, was just as likely to upset the lives of his sisters than to benefit them.
And it would upset Diana as well. If she thought of him at all, she must wish Wardale were dead. If they lived, his sisters must think him dead as well. They had probably finished grieving for him long ago. It would hardly be a fresh loss to them, should Nate Dale put a permanent end to him.