Paying the Virgin's Price. Christine Merrill

forced to sit in the corner and watch as Nathan Dale grew increasingly besotted over either of the Carlow daughters would be the most difficult thing in the world.

      Perhaps Mr Dale thought the same, for he was squirming again. He stretched his long legs out before him, and they brushed against Diana’s skirts.

      She gave a surprised jump as his calf touched hers.

      He straightened suddenly, mumbling apologies.

      Honoria nudged Verity with her toe from the opposite seat, and there were a few muffled giggles from the two girls until Diana gave a disapproving cough.

      Mr Dale seemed to fold in upon himself, trying to take as little space as possible and cause no further incidents.

      At last, the carriage arrived in front of the Carlow town house, and before it could come to a full stop, Nathan Dale had the door open and the step down. He offered a hand to Verity and then to Honoria. Once he had seen them both safely to the ground, he turned back for Diana. He wiped his palm upon his coat-tail and gave an embarrassed bob of his head, as though he did not wish to look into her eyes. But at the last moment, he looked up, his amazing green eyes catching hers and holding them. And then, his hand touched hers.

      Her feet were on the ground, and he was turning away. But she had the strangest sensation that an important moment had passed, though she had no recollection of it. And it was a shame, for if the time had been spent with her hand in his, she thought that she would very much have liked to have a clear memory of it.

      She came back to herself offering a silent prayer of relief that the trip was over, only to hear Verity insisting that Mr Dale simply must stay for tea, and her sister heartily agreeing. Honoria had reached out to catch the man by the arm again, before he could escape into the street. And now, she was reminding him that it was teatime, after all.

      After dragging him so far out of his way, it was only logical that the girls offer him refreshment. Diana should commend them for their hospitality. But the events so far had left Diana’s nerves frayed to the point where she was sure her cup would be rattling on the saucer loud enough to block out the sound of conversation.

      And Mr Dale, damn him, could not seem to find voice enough to refuse the girls. If he did not wish to be with them, then why could he not say so—and end her torment? Instead, he allowed himself to be led as meek as a lamb into the sitting room for tea and cakes.

      They were barely seated, before Verity sprang to her feet. ‘I wonder what is taking so long? Cook is normally much more prompt than this. Perhaps someone should go and check.’

      Diana was weighing in her mind the possibilities. It would not do to leave the girls alone in the room with a stranger, while she went to talk to the help. If that was what Verity was attempting to orchestrate, she underestimated her chaperone. She would tell the girl to ring for Wellow, the butler, and lecture them both later about the need to sit patiently when one had guests.

      But before she could take action, Honoria announced, ‘I will just go and see after things.’And she was up, out of her chair and out the door. She turned back. ‘And Verity, you must come with me.’

      Her sister rose. ‘Can you not find your own way to the kitchen?’

      ‘Of course. But I suspect I shall eat all the sandwiches before they are even brought here, for I am famished. If you do not come to watch over me, I swear, I will not leave a thing for Mr Dale.’

      ‘Really, I…do not require anything,’ he finished to the closed door.

      And Diana found herself alone again, with Nathan Dale.

      There was a moment of very awkward silence. And then, he spoke. ‘Miss Verity did not talk nearly so much when last I saw her. Of course, she was an infant at the time.’

      ‘She did not talk so much when last I saw her either, and it has been barely an hour. I do not know what has got into her.’ Diana hoped it did not sound like an indictment of her friend.

      Apparently, he feared the same. For he said, ‘I mean no disrespect. For all her chatter, she is a pleasant girl, as is her sister. Have you known them long?’

      ‘I came into the household when Verity was almost fifteen. She is still nineteen and barely out.’

      ‘And Honoria twenty. The family must be very proud of them.’ For a moment, his gaze grew distant, as if remembering the past. And then he focused on her again. ‘And before coming here, did you have another position?’

      ‘As companion to an elderly lady in Kent.’

      He leaned forward as though he found her rather uninteresting life to be riveting. ‘And did you prefer that job to this one?’

      She smiled, surprised at his questions. ‘One position is much like another, I expect. But on the whole, I find it more enjoyable to watch the young. It was difficult to see the person in one’s care wither and die, knowing there was nothing to be done. Much more pleasant to see them blossom, as young Verity has.’ She gave a small sigh. ‘Soon, they will have no need of a chaperone here. The girls shall be fine married ladies, with husbands and houses of their own.’

      ‘And you will be out on the street.’He looked as though the prospect alarmed him.

      She gave a little laugh of reassurance to soften the blunt way he had described her pending unemployment. ‘Hardly, I am sure. Lord and Lady Narborough have been most kind to me. They will see to it that I am properly placed somewhere. I trust them to help me, when I am no longer needed here.’

      ‘You might be surprised.’ He muttered the words under his breath, and for a moment, she suspected that his fondness for the family was not as great as it had at first appeared.

      ‘Well, in any case, I am not too worried,’ she lied. ‘When this job is finished, I will find another family who needs me. There are always openings for sensible women of a certain age.’ Although they might not be as enjoyable as her current place.

      ‘A sensible woman of a certain age. I see.’ Perhaps he found her good sense to be a disappointment. Or perhaps it was her age that bothered him. He was frowning at her. ‘But should you not find a place to your liking, do you have family to return to?’ He was on the edge of his chair now, as though her answer were deeply important to him.

      She shook her head. ‘It has been just me for almost five years. But my situation is hardly unique. And in some ways it was easier for me than it has been for others. My mother died when I was young. And I was well-settled in employment before my father died. There was no period of sudden turmoil, as I found myself homeless and alone with no plan for the future.’ In fact, the turmoil was several years past, and her anger with her father had cooled by the time she’d lost him for good.

      ‘But you have no one else? I mean: no prospects, other than employment?’

      She looked at him sharply. Was he enquiring if there was a gentleman in her life? ‘Certainly not.’

      And now he’d realized how that question had sounded, for he fell into pensive silence, before beginning again. ‘I am sorry if my curiosity was inappropriate. But if you should find yourself in constrained circumstances and there is anything I can do to help…’

      And now it sounded as though he were about to offer a carte blanche. ‘No, Mr Dale,’ she said firmly, so there could be no question of her meaning. ‘I can assure you, that whatever my circumstances might be, I will not be needing help with them.’

      A short time later, Verity and Honoria returned followed by a footman with tea things. Apparently, the time away had calmed Verity’s nerves, although Honoria had the same enigmatic smile on her face as before. They set about arranging the table for Mr Dale, like consummate hostesses. They were solicitous of his needs without clinging, and they conversed without the annoying chatter that had bothered her in the carriage.

      It gave Diana the chance to retreat to a corner with her cup and stay well out of the flow of talk, allowing the girls to get to know the gentleman better. If he could be called a