Page 37 of Seven Swans a Swimming

Perhaps that was just the way he loved. Arabella had seen it with the creatures he cared for in the barn, the way that he went above and beyond to look after them, even though he had no training.

It was the way he expressed his love, Arabella told herself, trying to prevent her heart from pitter-pattering in her chest. He may not have said it aloud, with words, but this was how he spoke of it. By caring.

Far more than any other gentleman she had ever met.

“Do try not to hide behind your newspaper, dear,” said Lady Cartier sharply.

Though her words were technically a suggestion, their sharp tone made it perfectly clear to Arabella that Lord Cartier was being given an order.

And he had rather hidden behind it, raising it up over his face so that all Arabella could see were a few pages discussing the stock market, something terribly dull.

“Hmmmph,” came the only sound from Lord Cartier.

Nathaniel winked at Arabella, who tried not to giggle.

What sort of things would they argue about, Arabella could not help but wonder, her mind daydreaming as Nathaniel politely asked after the Spensers, whom his parents had so recently visited.

“Very well, I thank you, son. Indeed, I thought Lady Spenser much improved since we…”

Perhaps they would eventually argue over the smock, Arabella thought wistfully, sipping her tea, which was wonderfully lemony, and watching Nathaniel humor his mother. Perhaps one day she would tire of it and demand that it be gone.

Or perhaps, and the thought was a rather startling one, perhaps Nathaniel would find habits of hers irritating. The thought had never occurred to her before, but Arabella supposed one always thought one’s own habits were perfectly natural and not at all objectionable.

She considered for a moment what those irritating habits of hers could be. She could not think of a single one.

Well, Arabella thought with a smile as she sipped her tea, she was certain that Nathaniel would be able to find them out for her. Over time. They would grow more alike, she was certain, as she believed her own parents had done. With time. With love and affection.

If there was one thing that Arabella was absolutely certain she would never tire of, it was Nathaniel’s interest in the natural world.

How could she even countenance attempting to squash Nathaniel’s greatest passion, his deepest interest?

No, to the contrary. Arabella had already started to concoct ideas about encouraging Nathaniel’s interest in science and nature. Would it be possible for a gentleman a little more advanced in years than most university men to attend Oxford or Cambridge?

Or perhaps, was there an animal surgeon who could be prevailed upon to come and live here at Oxcaster Lacey, teach Nathaniel all that he wished to know?

Whatever would make him happiest, Arabella thought wistfully as she watched him speak kindly to his mother, his eyes bright, his face alive with joy in a way she had rarely seen.

That was her aim, now. She had found the man she wanted to marry, wanted to spend the rest of her life with—and she would spend that life trying to make it better for him. Make him happier.

“—Miss Fitzroy?”

Arabella blinked. Both Nathaniel and his mother were looking at her expectantly, as though she had been part of the conversation. They seemed utterly unaware she had spent the last five minutes daydreaming about her future husband—which, she thought hastily, was probably no bad thing.

“I beg your pardon?” she said a little meekly.

Nathaniel snorted. Lady Cartier gave him a look.

“Isaid, Miss Fitzroy,” said Lady Cartier a little sternly, “that I am glad you and my son are getting along a little better, after…after the slightly bumpy beginning.”

It was Arabella’s turn to laugh this time. Bumpy beginning was an understatement. Why, she had been utterly convinced halfway through her visit that there was no point in even attempting for the wedding to go ahead!

But that was all different now. Arabella could not fathom a world in which she and Nathaniel were not wed. In fact, it was hard to remember at times that they were not man and wife yet.

Not that she was about to admit that to his parents, of course…

“Yes, it is rather a relief,” Arabella said brightly, trying not to catch Nathaniel’s eye. “I had thought things may be a little tricky, but I had not imagined his lordship to be quite so difficult.”

“And neither had I imagined Miss Fitzroy to be quite so beautiful,” cut in Nathaniel with a wry smile Arabella could not help but notice out of the corner of her eye. “What a relief, eh, Mother?”

---