A question that made his heart swell and sink all at once. Only recently, after a long decade since his wife's death, had the widowed bachelor at last opened his eyes to the charms of others. But he hadn't expected to find such charm in a young man.

But what a young man...

Rarely had he met someone so... androgynous. A male as fair as this must surely be an exception to all rules.

Ah, internally Natty writhed with a growing self-loathing.

And yet his hand rose, and with long curled fingers he gently traced the edge of Winny's narrow jawline, green eyes moving over flawless skin, full lips, and those mis-matched eyes that had sprung unbidden into his mind more than once. He shook his head lightly — but somehow that was not to say no.