Page 9 of Duchess Material

“Do you not think she did well?”

“No, no, I do. We never talk about it. I must get enough grief from my parents about what Nat is up to. Of course, I’m also proud of her.”

“Dad, back off,” Natalie said curtly.

“I’m sorry. I get quite protective.”

“I am aware,” Ed admitted. “I’m happy for her. I’ve missed her terribly.”

“Well, you’ve been busy with your face all over town, Edwin.”

Ed felt that one.

“Dad, I swear you are treading on thin ice.” Her tone was reminiscent of her mother’s you’re-in-the-doghouse voice. Ed had been around the family enough to know.

“I was joking, I was joking.”

“I cringe. I had no idea I would be all over the place. I am absolutely mortified every time I pass the thing,” Ed said.

“No comment, darling.”

Ed asked, “Have you seen it then?”

“I saw it coming back here while leaving Heathrow.”

“I am about to die of embarrassment.” Ed knocked back his whisky.

“You’re going to regret it.” Robbie chuckled. Still, he refilled Ed’s glass.

“Oh, no! I must embarrass you further. When I saw it, I announced to the entire car ‘That’s my man!’ and Carolyn died of pure mortification. It was delightful and I’m not sorry.”

“I’m going to die. Natalie, I am… why?”

“Can I not gawp? I am the one person always allowed to gawp.”

“What do your parents think of this, Ed?” Robbie asked him.

“Oh, my dad takes the piss relentlessly, refers to me as an ‘old pants model’ and my mother always compliments herself on how much I took after her. For the record, I have no desire to model pants and never had.”

Natalie giggled. “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”

“Dad wanted to know if it would make you feel insecure,” Ed snickered.

“What? Why? Does he think I am fragile? I can see you. I know you are attractive. I also know you have zero game with women.”

“Excuse me!”

“You insert your foot right in your mouth, darling.”

“Okay, maybe a bit.”

“I’m also a poor judge of flirting, I suppose,” Robbie admitted. “Well, your mother would say.”

Ed snickered. “Like father, like daughter. I had to tell her I fancied her after she confronted me about it.”

“That is true, Edwin. Dad, Mum never worried about women throwing themselves at you?”

“No. The summer we met, I had all the competition in the world. I never should have won your mother’s affections. She could have landed someone more handsome. I suppose I did okay for myself.”

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