Page 4 of The Duchess’ Modiste

Leo froze for a second, with Nathan attempting to stifle his chuckle and failing miserably. Maeve did not look so humored though. Leo offered her an innocent look that merely made her frown all the more and place her hands on her hips.

“I hope you will refrain from falling over now that you have my son in your arms, Leo?” she asked knowingly, with raised eyebrows.

“I’ll always keep him safe, Maeve. I promise you that.” Leo softened the sincerity in his tone by following the words with a jest. “If I do fall over, I’ll be sure to toss him clear first.”

“Leo!” Maeve said in outrage as they stepped into the house.

Leo was still laughing at his sister’s reaction as he looked around the house, admiring it once again. Since Maeve and Benjamin had moved into Benjamin’s late father’s estate, they had done wonders with the house. It was truly beautiful, with the white marble floor reflecting the sunlight that streamed through the front door and two arching windows. On plinths on either side of the hall, ferns stood in planters, creating the illusion of a green walkway.

Leo gulped a little, though he tried to hide it. Usually, he was more than happy to laugh at his own clumsiness, but when he came to Benjamin’s home, his nerves raised a little.

What if I was to fall in the wrong place and break something? Good lord! I might never be able to pay Benjamin back for what I broke.

“I’m hearing laughter, and that must mean Leo has at last arrived.” Benjamin’s deep voice sounded from one of the doorways. Leo looked round to see Benjamin in the entrance to the sitting room, leaning on the doorframe with an amused smile.

At last, he is smiling again.

The last few times Leo had visited, Benjamin had still been attempting to hide his grief at his father’s passing, and rather failing at it, not that Leo blamed him in the slightest.

“You would be right,” Leo declared as he walked toward his brother-in-law. “How are you doing, Benjamin?”

Benjamin’s smile softened a little, showing he sensed the true meaning of Leo’s question.

“I am . . . well.” He paused in the middle of the sentence, as if debating his answer. “Truly. This one has given me lots to do, for which I’m glad.” He gestured toward Nathan.

“I can see why.” Leo was still holding onto his nephew, aware that the boy was pulling at the buttons on his waistcoat, trying his best to play with them and undo them.

“Come on in.” Benjamin beckoned Leo into the sitting room, with Maeve following behind.

“Yes, do. We’ve had tea set up so long for you, it will be cold by now,” she said wryly.

“May I remind you I am late because I was doing you a favor?” Leo laughed as he reached for the settee beside a table where tea had been set up. The display was quite an affair, with an array of cakes, and a teacup and saucer so fine that Leo was rather nervous about holding it.

He placed Nathan down on the floor, but the boy didn’t go far. He ran off to a rug by the fireplace where his toys were placed. By the time Leo had sat on the settee, Nathan was back at his side and presenting a wooden horse, clearly for approval.

“One horse? No, Nathan, he must have some friends, surely,” Leo said in a jovial tone. “Look, who is he going to play with?” He placed the horse on the seat beside him. Nathan took the hint and ran off back to the rug, where he picked up another wooden horse, this one slightly smaller and returned it to the settee.

“Horse!”

“Just so, horse,” Leo agreed and placed the horse beside the other one. “There, now he has a friend and can never be lonely.” Nathan agreed heartily and knelt beside Leo, the better to play with the horses.

There was something about his own words that sat uneasy in Leo as he looked at the horses.

Lonely. I know something of what that is like.

“Well, brother, tell us everything,” Maeve said eagerly. As Leo reached forward to take the teapot and offer to pour, Maeve got there first. They exchanged a look with each other. Leo knew exactly why she had done it, just in case he dropped the teapot and poured tea everywhere. He may have even broken the teapot.

“I have good news from your publisher.” Leo took the bag he had been carrying off his shoulder and placed it beside him before pulling out papers that he handed over to Benjamin and Maeve. The two pressed themselves closer together on a second rococo settee, the better to read the papers.

Leo felt something swell inside of him. He wasn’t sure if it was admiration of Maeve and Benjamin’s closeness or something else entirely. All he knew was that as Maeve placed her hand to Benjamin’s arm and he turned to whisper something in her ear, making her smile, Leo shifted in his seat and adjusted the collar of his cravat.

Is it so wrong to want something like that in my life?

The problem was, he had only ever thought of one lady whom he could regard with such admiration, but he was fairly certain she merely looked at him as Maeve’s rather foolish and clumsy brother.

As he waited for Benjamin and Maeve to look over the papers outlining Maeve’s book sales, Leo turned his head away a little. As he watched Nathan play beside him, he caught sight of his reflection in the sitting room window.

He was tall, almost gangly on the settee, and his light brown hair was slick today, as formal as he could make it, with his dark eyes turned firmly on his own reflection. He saw nothing wondrous. He’d once been told he had a charming smile.

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