Nicholas couldn't think of a single reason a gentleman had not fallen madly in love with Lillian.

Is it possible that the duke has feelings for her that he hasn't previously admitted?

Nicholas Davenport, the Duke of Elmbury is friends with a woman who is a wallflower. Despite Lillian Rowe's imperfections, she is a loyal companion. Her companionship truly enlivens the Season for him, and her brilliant conversation sustains his interest better than the rest of the ladies in London. After spending time with his childhood friend, he begins to have a change of heart, and his true feelings can no longer be ignored.

"Nicholas found himself taken aback by his own thoughts. His momentary fixation with Lillian's keen blue eyes, and the gentle curve of her lips, was unexpected. When had he begun to realize how beautiful his childhood friend had become? When had his appreciation for her charms developed this new dimension?"

˃˃˃ Will romance blossom from the warmth of friendship?

Lillian told him plainly why a marriage between the two of them wouldn't work. But she could not banish the thought from her mind of how happy the two of them could have perhaps been.

"It saddened her to think of Nicholas wed, to picture him happy at home with a wife who attended to his every need. Doubtless when he wed, the companionship of his bride would leave him with little need to seek Lillian's company. She would fade to the edges of his life, just as she faded to the periphery of every crowd she found herself within."