Miles Lesson - Jennifer Connors.pdf

Chapter 6
Seated by total strangers, Natalie felt out of place. She never ate with
strangers, only her cousin and aunt. When neither were available, she
ate with the servants or alone. Suddenly nervous, Natalie struggled
not to squirm in her chair. Silently chastising herself, she reminded
herself that she was every bit a lady as her cousin and could handle
any society thrown her way.
She could hear light conversation amongst the guests, but no one had
engaged her. Natalie was well read, but her aunt often chastised her
over her opinions. “Ladies do not have opinions, Natalie,” she would
say. “They agree with the gentlemen in their company.”
Gazing down toward her cousin at the far side of the table, seated
closely to the duke, Natalie thought back to the circumstances that
had brought her to such a low point. Her father, the second son of the
Earl of Warren, had made himself quite successful from various
investments. When Natalie's mother took ill, her father spent every
cent they had for a cure. In the end, nothing prevented the inevitable,
and her mother had died. Her father followed his wife within a year.
With the money gone and no other family to speak of, her aunt
begrudgingly took her in. Not as a member of the family, but as a
servant. For that matter, not even a valued servant, but the whipping
girl to her spoiled daughter. That had been over a year ago.
Natalie continued to eat quietly when she heard the duke's booming
voice from the end of the table. He was asking Elinore what she
thought of the dinner and Elinore was eager to give her opinion. Of
course, she thought it was delightful. Rolling her eyes, Natalie
continued to eat her soup.
Miles couldn't stop taking covert glances at Miss Tibbets. She sat at a
table full of people, and yet seemed completely alone. Having spoken
to Lady Elinore a few times, Miles could imagine how she treated her
companion. To say that Elinore was selfish and spoiled was an
egregious understatement. Miles should know, since he had been the