The journey from the quiet, green countryside back to the busy, crowded streets of London felt incredibly long. The traveling carriage bearing the proud crest of the Duke of Ford rolled steadily over the paved roads. Outside the carriage windows, the sky was a dull gray, threatening to spill rain at any given moment.
Inside the carriage, Rowan sat completely alone. He rested his head against the soft, velvet cushions. He was entirely exhausted.
The past few days had been filled with the strict, careful rules of a formal courtship. He had taken slow walks on gravel paths, attended local theater shows, and drank countless cups of afternoon tea. He had carefully guarded every word and every single action to ensure Aunt Renee approved of him.
He loved Delaney with his entire heart and soul, but maintaining the perfect, polite manners of a proper gentleman was deeply draining work.
