Page 68 of A Dangerous Lord (Regency Spies & Secrets 3)

“I don’t wish to be won over.”

Percy smirked. “We shall see.”

“You are an infuriating man,” Jane said, but there was no anger behind her words. She found she rather enjoyed bantering with Percy.

“I want to show you my favorite place in all of Hyde Park,” Percy said. “It is a little off the main path, but I assure you that it is worth it.”

“You have piqued my interest.”

“That was my intention,” he replied.

Jane shifted on the bench to face him. “How is your mother faring?”

“Much better.” Percy adjusted the reins in his hand. “I was pleased that I was able to convince her to come to Town for the Season, and we have sought out the best doctors for her care.”

“Has she been enjoying herself?”

“She has,” he said, “but she speaks of my father constantly. I’m afraid she misses him dreadfully.”

“Your mother must have loved your father very much.”

With a nod, Percy replied, “She did. They were a love match.”

“How wonderful.”

“I aspire to have a relationship similar to my parents,” Percy revealed.

Jane smiled at him. “That is admirable.”

“Were your parents a love match?”

“They were,” she said. “My mother also mourned the loss of my father deeply, as did all of us.”

Percy pulled back on the reins and the curricle came to a stop on the path. “We are here,” he said.

Her eyes scanned the woodlands, and she admired the bright flowers growing along the well-traveled footpaths. “What makes this place so special?” she asked.

“This is where my father used to take me when we would go on our morning rides,” Percy shared, growing reflective. “They are hard to see, but there are benches along these paths. We used to sit down and discuss whatever came to our minds.”

“That sounds perfect.”

“It was,” he said with a sad smile. “I miss those carefree days.”

“Perhaps we could bring a chaperone with us next time and walk in these woods together,” she suggested.

His smile grew genuine. “I would really enjoy that.”

As her eyes roamed the woodlands, she saw two people sitting on a bench set back from the path, and one of them looked remarkably like Lord Evan. Dear heavens, what was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she seem to stop thinking about Lord Evan?

“Did you hear me, Jane?”

She brought her gaze back to meet Percy’s. “I’m afraid I was woolgathering.”

He gave her an understanding smile. “I was just asking about your father.”

“What do you wish to know?”

“I know you and your father were close,” he started. “How have you been since his passing?”

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