Thomas smiled brightly and leaned in to meet her kiss. "I'm glad," he said quietly, tenderly, just between them.

"And you are dating a baronet, I think jewelry and fancy parties are just things you'll have to get used to," he teased her. Not that he had a bruising social calendar these days; no social season to attend to. His title and lineage meant nothing here.

But if she was going to tease, he was going to give as good as he got. He liked teasing Greta.

"At this rate you'll have a ridiculously large sapphire or something before the summer is out."