Pursuing Miss Hall by Karen Thornell

Chapter Four

Nathan paced the front hall of his parent’s estate, awaiting his mother and father. They were meant to arrive at Meg’s home in a quarter of an hour.

So why in the world were they taking so blasted long?

He checked his watch fob yet again and expelled a tense breath. It had been days since he had seen Meg. He had been informed that the women of the house were not accepting visitors the last two times he had ridden his father’s horse onto their property. Yesterday he’d considered climbing into a window, but that would have been bad form, even for him, after having been told the family was not at home to company.

And now he would finally see her—late, no doubt, thanks to his parents and their exceptional ability to drag their feet—and she would more than likely be surrounded by a fawning sea of gentlemen far above himself in status and wealth. He blew out another breath.

“Nathaniel, do not tell me you are out of sorts tonight. I would never have believed it possible.”

His head jerked up, and his pacing halted; his mother was descending the stairs, looking radiant in a gown of deep blue. Her face held a teasing smile, and he forced his shoulders to relax and return it with one of his own.

“Me, out of sorts? That is a state of feeling I do not believe in.” He crossed to her, taking her arm and leading her to the middle of the hall. “You look wonderful, Mother.”

She fixed him with a stare only a mother could manage—full of both love and reprimand. “Thank you, Nathan, but I do not wish to talk of me just now.” She tapped his arm with a gloved hand and gestured to the drawing room. “Come, sit with me a moment while we await your father. I understand he has been particular about his cravat this evening.” Releasing Nathan’s arm, she crossed the hall into the room adjacent. Nathan checked his watch fob again.

“I know you are checking that watch, Nathaniel.” Her voice floated back into the room, laughter evident. “But we live not five minutes from Hall Manor; we will not be late. Come. Sit.”

Reluctantly and with a begrudging sort of amusement, Nathan followed his mother, perching on the end of a spindly legged chair. “What do you wish to discuss? The weather, perhaps? Why our housekeeper insists on a fire in June? Or, my personal favorite, why Father is determined to keep us waiting as long as possible?”

Mother laughed lightly, her shoulders vibrating with the mirth. “Not at all, Nathan. I wish to talk of Meg.”

Nathan swallowed, looking away. He spoke with forced lightness. “I wager she is not keeping her family waiting until they turn to dust. So whyever would you wish to speak of her?”

“Oh, Nathan.” His mother studied him as she covered his hand with her own. “Do not worry, I will be brief.”

Nathan still surveyed the view of the far side of the room. The wall coverings were peeling somewhat, just a small amount in the corner of the wall. He should see what the cost would be to replace them.

“I am aware of your feelings for Miss Hall,” his mother said. Nathan looked sharply at her, and his mother laughed again. “Come now. It would be hard not to be, Nathan. But that is neither here nor there. It is clear what this house party is meant to be—the Halls wish Meg to marry, preferably to someone of their choosing, so they have gathered their very favorites for her to choose from. Am I correct?”

Nathan nodded tensely. That was a succinct way of putting it.

“So what is it that you intend to do about it?”

Nathan narrowed his eyes. What did he plan to do? He planned to marry her himself! He cleared his throat. “I intend to present myself as an option to her. If she must marry . . . why not me?” The words were simultaneously relieving and difficult to utter. He had never spoken of his regard for Meg, and he found that a small weight was lifted from his shoulders by being free to do so without fear of reproach.

Mother made a sound of contemplation.

“What?”

“Nothing . . . only, I do not know that that is your best option.”

He stared at her. “Not my best option?” He stood, resuming his pacing from minutes before. “What would you have me do—stand by while she is courted by half the county? Allow her to marry this viscount her parents have invited?” His words came out far more derisive than he’d intended.

“Of course not, Nathan. I would not suggest such a thing.” Her voice held a gentle rebuke, and the fight fled from him. He halted in the middle of the room, his hands clasped behind him.

“Forgive me. That was severe,” he said.

“It is fine. Meg is important to you. I would be concerned if you were not incensed about it. Now, what I meant to say is that there may be a better way to reach your goal.”

Nathan’s curiosity was piqued. “Yes?”

“Meg’s parents do not see you as a suitor just yet. If you wish to be taken seriously, I suggest you endear yourself to them as well as to her.”

His feet began pacing again of their own accord. “And how would I manage that?”

“Pay a little extra attention to her mother, and pull her father into conversation, anything to show them you are more than simply Meg’s childhood friend. I would worry that if you simply declared yourself, they may choose to rescind your invitations for fear of you impeding Meg’s marriage. That would be unlikely if they held you in high esteem. They already like you well enough; with a little effort on your part, I imagine you might win them over. But that will be the easy part.”

“It will?” Confound it. He felt as daft as a schoolboy in his first year.

“Yes. Because you must also convince Meg of your affections. I suggest you begin simply or else you may scare her away. That sweet girl will do anything to ensure others’ happiness. If you tell her that your happiness hinges on marrying her, you will wholly confuse her or, worse, make her feel as if she has to choose between your happiness and that of her parents. That would fairly torture her, I fear. And it would impede her from seeing if she has any feelings for you. No. Instead, you must start small—with serious compliments, kind words, and gestures fitting a courting couple. But, above all, you cannot smother her.”

“Of course not. I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Mother raised an eyebrow. “It will not be easy to watch her with the other gentlemen, Nathan. But you must let her make her own choices. You do not want her to choose you because you are her only choice—you want to be the only choice she desires.”

Nathan’s jaw tightened. Avoiding his mother’s intuitive look, he spoke in a low voice. “And if she does not? Choose me, that is.”

Mother watched him closely, her hands lifting from her lap, palms heavenward. “Oh, Nathan. If she does not, then she is not the one for you.”

His heart pounded harder, and it became difficult to swallow. His mother rose and walked toward him, gently placing her hand on his arm. “But, my son, if I had to place a wager—which of course, I would never truly do as it is terribly unladylike—” Nathan chuckled, relieving some of his own tension—“I would wager that at the end of this, there will be no other man Margaret Hall could fathom spending the rest of her life with.”

She squeezed his arm slightly, smiling up at him with all the affection of a mother, then walked back into the hall. After a few breaths, he followed. Could she be correct? He could hardly dare to hope.

His father was at the foot of the stairs kissing his wife’s cheek when Nathan entered. Lifting his watch fob yet again, Nathan glanced at the time. He groaned.

Now they were truly going to be late.