Free Secrets of a Spinster by Rebecca Connolly

angel, my dear,” he told the girl, who blushed and bobbed a curtsey, then exited.
    Duncan and Colin busied themselves with the food, while the other three didn’t touch it.
    “How long have you been in town, Nathan?” Duncan asked around a mouthful of food.
    “Three weeks,” he replied, looking gratefully at Duncan. “Moira was bored with Beverton House, so we came here. Went to a party at Lord and Lady Carteret’s the other night. Which reminds me,” he said, turning to face Geoff. “I like that Mary Hamilton of yours.”
    “Oh, really?” Geoff replied sarcastically.
     Nathan gave him a hard look. “I know you’ve thought highly of her all your life, but I didn’t know her. She’s sensible, witty, and good tempered. I used to think her totally reserved, but she merely chooses when and where to open up, and to whom, which makes her a good deal wiser than other members of society, male or female.”
    Geoff sat back with a satisfied smile, pleased with the assessment. “She’s going to play the debutante this season. Balls and the theater and flirtation and the whole bit.”
    Across the room, eyes widened and brows rose, but only Nathan spoke. “Is she now? That will be an interesting change.”
    Geoffrey frowned. “Interesting?”
    Nathan seemed to choose his next words with a great deal of care. “The thing about Mary is that no one really knows her until they get to know her. She’s a mystery wrapped in the assumptions of society. Changing that will change everything else.”
    “It will be a laugh,” Geoff corrected a little strongly.
    Nathan shrugged. “If you say so.”
    “She’s one of my best friends,” Geoff told them all, feeling defensive. “Don’t you think I know what will be a laugh with her and what will not?”
    “If you say so,” Nathan said again.
    Nobody looked remotely convinced of anything.
    Another loud yell was heard from upstairs and again, all of them winced.
    Nathan put his face into his hands. “I cannot bear this. It’s no use.”
    “I am going to die,” Derek moaned to himself with a shake of his head, apparently not hearing Nathan.
    A soft clearing of the throat brought all of their heads up to the maid at the door.
    “Yes?” Nathan all but barked.
    “My lord, she is asking for you,” the maid said, wringing her hands a little.
    “She is?” he whispered, looking a little pale.
    She offered an apologetic wince. “Erm… demanding would be a better word.”
    “But she kicked me out earlier.”
    “She said she’s changed her mind, and that if you have half of one, you’ll be up there before she has to ask again.” She smiled a little, looking somewhere between wanting to laugh and wanting to run.
    Now the snickers were full blown laughs, but Nathan was off like a shot, moving faster than any of them had ever seen. And Nathan could move very fast indeed.
    “Well, I suppose now would be an appropriate time to take a nap,” Colin sighed, sliding down in his chair and resting his head against the back of it.
    “I think that sounds like a very good idea.” Duncan nodded and he took up position on the sofa and closing his eyes.
    “I think…” Derek began, standing shakily, “I think I need to go home and hold my wife.”
    “Tell her hello from me,” Colin said without moving, except for the wide grin that appeared on his face. Derek paid him no mind, as usual, and left with barely a nod to the rest.
    Geoff smiled to himself as he sat back in his chair. There was nothing else that needed his attention at the moment, the least he could do was get his rest in while waiting for his friend to become a father.
    If Mary was going to be as involved in society this season as she seemed determined to, he was going to need all the rest he could receive now.
    Nathan’s words of doubt nagged at his mind repeatedly, but he brushed them aside as quickly as they came. Things would be fine, not to mention hilarious, they would see.
     
     

    “Now remember, Mary,