Like him, she’d been covered in flour and wet, but that had not detracted from her beauty or charm. Quite the opposite, however odd that might be. And it had been his fault right from the start. Because he’d wanted to tease her, to poke at her a bit in a selfish attempt to pull her attention away from Matt.
What had followed—the sparing, the teasing threats, and finally the close proximity rife with awareness—had almost caused him to take advantage. He’d withdrawn at the very last second, had walked away and refrained from meeting with James. He’d been too shaken, too distraught by what he’d discovered, to keep his brother’s company.
Instead, he’d locked himself in his bedchamber so he could ponder his problem alone. Hell and damnation. He didn’t just like Eloise or find her attractive. Oh no. He wanted her like he’d never wanted anything or anyone else in his life. Mostly because he loved how she made him feel – as if he were just an ordinary man with whom she was comfortable larking about.
Irritated by the impossibility of it all, he made his way down to breakfast. To his dismay, only Athena was present when he arrived.
He glanced around as if to make sure his parents weren’t hiding in one of the corners. “Where is everyone?”
“Church,” Athena told him. “It’s Sunday.”
“Of course.” William took a seat at the table and selected a piece of toast. He studied the various selections of jam and finally settled on a cherry preserve. “You still refuse to attend?”
Athena sipped her tea. “I will go when it’s important, as I did for Charles’s and James’s weddings. Besides that, I’d rather stay away.”
William understood her reasoning even though he would have expected her to have gotten past the scandal she’d caused by now. It had been six years after all. He rather believed most people had forgotten about it and moved on. Charles and Bethany certainly had.
But Athena had been much younger back then, only fourteen years of age, so it was only logical if her actions and all the events that had followed had left a lasting impression.
“What do you usually do instead?” He sank his teeth into his crisp slice of toast and was once again reminded of Eloise as the tart flavor of cherries and sweet syrup astounded his taste buds.
“Any number of things.” Athena eyed him with an almost unnerving degree of interest. “Today I’m planning a short excursion out of Town, so I can gather wildflowers to press for my collection. I’ll be taking a picnic luncheon. You should join me, Will. It would be nice to spend more time together. We don’t do it often enough, and even though you’ve been back for over a week and live here, I feel as though I hardly see you.”
She did have a point. After all, he had been deliberately staying away. And with no plans of his own today, Athena’s suggestion could serve as yet another distraction while preventing him from heading straight back to the kitchen after breakfast.
He smiled. “All right. I think a day in the countryside sounds like a splendid idea.”
Athena beamed. “Excellent. I’ll make sure additional food is added to the basket.” She finished her tea, set her cup aside, and glanced at a nearby clock. “My intention is to leave at ten. Can you be ready by then?”
“Certainly.” William gathered some eggs and bacon on his plate and set to work on them while his sister went to get ready. Ten minutes later he’d finished his breakfast and returned upstairs. He changed into more practical clothing and cleaned his teeth before going back downstairs.
“Your sister is waiting for you in the carriage,” Simmons informed him as he handed William his hat and his gloves.
William thanked the butler, donned the accessories, and strode out of the house. He opened the door to the carriage, registered that the forward facing bench was full, climbed in, and sat down across from Athena.
And Eloise, it appeared.
William stared at the woman who captured most of his thoughts these days and filled his heart with longing. He blinked, just to be sure he wasn’t imagining her.
She stared at him with a similar degree of surprise. “What are you doing here?”
The blurted question interrupted his own. He knit his brow. “I could ask the same of you, though I rather suspect I already know the answer.”
“I did mention that Eloise would be joining us,” Athena said, her face as innocent as a cherub’s. “Did I not?”
“No,” William murmured. “You did not.”
“I’m sure I must have,” Athena said. “Eloise and I always spend our Sundays together. She doesn’t attend church either, you see.”
Eloise smiled tightly. “I wasn’t raised in a religious household.” She shifted on the bench and glanced longingly at the door. “I should leave so the two of you can enjoy a family outing together.”
“Nonsense,” Athena said. She quickly tapped the roof and the carriage lurched into motion. “You’re my dearest friend and as such you simply must stay. I cannot imagine a Sunday without you.”
William scowled at his sister. She always had the best of intentions, but meddling had consequences, and he’d rather hoped she would have realized as much by now. And what was that part she’d just said about Eloise being her dearest friend? He’d have to quiz her about that later when Eloise wasn’t present. For now, it was time for politeness, reassurance, and gentlemanly behavior.
And besides, he was actually rather pleased with the idea of spending half a day with the woman who visited him in his dreams. Perhaps it would help him figure out how to make her his.
“There’s really no reason for you not to join us,” he said while deliberately meeting Eloise’s gaze. The edge of her mouth curved with hesitation, and William’s heart thudded harder than it had before. “After all, you did prepare the food.”
“What an excellent point,” Athena said. She added a very deliberate nod and settled back against the squabs.
Eloise’s cheeks pinkened and she averted her gaze. Appreciation warmed a place deep within William, filling him with pleasure and satisfaction. The carriage rolled onward at a comfortable speed, and one hour later, they arrived at their destination.
William helped Athena alight first, then extended his hand to Eloise. She hesitated briefly before accepting his help. Her fingers clasped his and a shock of heat raced up his arm. She sucked in a breath, her startled gaze found his, and William’s heart soared.
Whatever doubts he might have had about her returning his regard were extinguished in that moment. She would be his. She had to be. He certainly wasn’t about to let Matt steal her away.
Determined not to let thoughts of the young, cheerful, and dashingly handsome footman dampen his mood, William went to help the driver unload the picnic basket and blanket from the boot. Together, they set everything up while Athena and Eloise took a short stroll.
The spot was extraordinarily picturesque. Grass in various shades of green covered the gently sloping hillside. Clusters of wildflowers added splotches of red, blue, yellow, and lilac. A brook wound its way past the foot of the hill. A thick copse of trees stood immediately beyond it, and a gentle breeze added a pleasant coolness to the air. Had he been an artist skilled in oils or watercolors, this would have made the perfect location for a landscape painting.
“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” Athena asked in a rush as she came to join him. Eloise trailed behind, her pace more careful and calm.
“You certainly have an excellent selection of flowers here,” William agreed.
“Yes. Let’s eat so I can start gathering them.” Athena plopped down on one corner of the blanket and eagerly opened the basket. “Will the two of you not join me?”
William waited for Eloise to take a seat before he, too, lowered himself to the ground. There was something about her today – a timidity of sorts. It was thoroughly charming and yet so unlike the feisty woman he knew her to be. In all likelihood, his presence unnerved her. Perhaps because she knew he’d almost kissed her the other day?
Reminded of the incident,
he accepted the plate his sister had filled for him and said, “Mama says she’s having a charity event next week.”
Eloise kept her eyes carefully averted from his, but the color in her cheeks deepened.
“So she is,” Athena said. She tried a piece of pie and sighed with appreciation. “This is so good, Eloise.”
“Thank you.” Eloise added a smile.
“Apparently, she hasn’t had one in over a month,” William said. He opened the bottle of wine they’d brought and poured a glass for each of them. “Which would mean she didn’t have one this week.”
Athena chewed on another bite of pie while narrowing her gaze. “Whatever are you getting at, Will?”
“Oh, nothing.” He grabbed the chicken leg he’d been given and eyed Eloise while munching on it. Eventually he said. “I do hope Mama will inform you of the number of guests she’s expecting, so you’ll have enough time to make each of them a bread roll.”
“Bread roll?” Eloise asked. She finally looked at him with what appeared to be wide-eyed confusion, only there was mischief there – laughter directed at him. “This is to be a charity event, not a dinner party.”
“So there will be no bread rolls?” William asked.
“I think we’ve established as much,” Athena muttered.
“On the contrary,” Eloise said, “I shall make petits fours and tiny little sandwiches for the guests to pick at.”
So she had been toying with him. He’d known she had to some degree when he’d wished his mother good luck with the event four days earlier, and he’d learned it wasn’t for another week. Apparently, her teasing had gone even further than he’d realized. He’d circle back to that amusing fact later. For now, he was far more interested in getting to know Eloise better.
“How did you become a cook?” he asked her boldly.
She seemed to mull the question over for a moment before confessing, “My grand-père taught me.”
“Your grandfather?” This, William hadn’t expected.
“He was a chef,” Athena explained as if she knew all there was to know about Eloise’s family history.
Annoyed for some absurd reason, William frowned. “At a restaurant or—”
“He worked for a family. Much like I do.”
Athena pursed her lips while glancing at Eloise. It looked as though there was something she wanted to add, but in the end his sister kept silent and returned her attention to her food.
“I see,” William said, even though a sneaking suspicion growing inside him insisted he was missing something – a key piece being held beyond his reach. “He’s retired now, I gather?”
“Indeed.” Something akin to pain flickered in her eyes for the briefest second before it vanished once more. She ate some bread and a sliver of cheese before adding, “His health hasn’t been the best this past year, but at least my parents are there to support him and offer whatever assistance he needs.”
“You’re close.” William watched Eloise intensely as her eyes began to shimmer. She nodded before pretending to busy herself with some grapes. “Then you must miss them all terribly.”
“I do, but I also need to work.”
“And you cannot find an acceptable position in France?” Not that he wanted her to. Hell, he was damned grateful she’d come to England and taken up residence in his parents’ home so he could meet her.
“Will,” Athena said, her voice slightly tighter than usual. “I think you’ve quizzed poor Eloise enough for one day.”
“It’s quite all right,” Eloise said, but something in her voice suggested the subject of conversation distressed her. She inhaled sharply, forced a smile, and raised her chin. “Many noble families in France became extinct a few decades ago. And since I refuse to seek employment with the nouveau riche, coming to England seemed like a better opportunity.”
“Of course,” William said. He finished the food on his plate without saying anything else. For some absurd reason his questions had dulled the mood, and he somehow felt more adrift and uncertain than he could recall ever feeling before.
“Well,” Athena said after sharing a brief discussion with Eloise about the latest novel she’d purchased and planned to lend her, “I think I’m going to get started on my collecting.”
Eloise opened her mouth, but Athena was gone before she managed to get one word out. She looked at William with no small amount of uncertainty, then gave her attention back to the grapes.
“You got the better of me the other day,” William said. “I almost ended up making bread rolls.”
“And yet you managed to escape the task.” A hint of a smile pulled at her lips. “While leaving me with quite the mess to clean up.”
He knit his brow. “I’m sorry. That was badly done of me. It’s just… Well the thing is that if I’d stayed I probably would have kissed you.”
Her head jerked up, her gaze colliding with his in a look so startled it took him slightly aback. Surely it shouldn’t surprise her. She glanced around, then told him hoarsely, “You should not say such things.”
It was rather inappropriate, but then again, “I prefer to be honest with you.”
“Nevertheless.” Her entire face had turned a deep shade of crimson.
William was sorry to have caused her discomfort, but he wasn’t sorry he’d let her know where he stood. The attraction was simply too strong for him to keep bottled up. And he couldn’t speak to his brothers about it – not after they’d made their opposition clear. Confiding in his sisters or parents was even more impossible. They’d be horrified by his developing feelings for a servant because it breached what ought to be an innate code of conduct. And leaning on his friends was equally undesirable since none would be able to relate.
So that left the object of his desire. He considered her for a moment. She was clearly out of her element here, the manner in which she kept nibbling her lip indicative of her agitated nerves. “Let’s go for a walk.”
“A walk?”
“Yes.” The idea appealed even more now that he’d suggested it. Movement would serve them both good. It would give them something to do with themselves until they found their way back to comfortable conversation. “We can take a closer look at the brook.”
“But your sister—”
“Will be fully occupied for the next half hour.” He stood and offered his hand.
Eloise stared at it as if it were scalding hot and threatened to burn her. Eventually, she reached up, clasped his fingers, and allowed him to pull her to her feet.
There was no doubt in Eloise’s mind that Athena had deliberately planned her brother’s attendance. The question was why. As far as Eloise knew, Matt was the only one aware of an interest between them.
Since her flour fight with William four days earlier, she’d done her best to avoid thinking of him, which was more or less possible during the day, as long as she wasn’t baking. But at night, when she climbed into bed and tried to sleep, it was near impossible not to have him invade her thoughts.
She looped her arm with his and allowed him to lead her down the easy slope of the hill and toward the brook. Away from Athena, she noted. After what he’d just confessed, she was even more uncertain of being alone with him. On one hand she desperately wanted that kiss, but on the other, she was terrified of what the consequences would be if she allowed such intimacy between them.
“Did you enjoy living in Portugal?” she asked when they’d gone a few paces. It occurred to her that she wanted to know all there was to know about him, and this seemed like an excellent place to start.
“I did.” His eyes shone with genuine pleasure. “The climate was almost always pleasant with much milder winters than here. The food was excellent and, I think, healthier than what I’ve always been used to in England. Until I returned and discovered your cooking, that is. I’m quite sure nothing in the world can beat it.”
Eloise thanked him for the compliment, then said, “It sounds as though you miss Lisbon.”
“In
a way. My life was different there – more purposeful because of my work at the embassy.”
“You could prolong your position, could you not?”
“I received an offer to do so but declined. A year that far away from my family was long enough. It was time to come home and ponder what to do next.”
“You’re different from most men in your position.” When he gave her a quizzical look, she explained, “From what I gather, the sons of peers don’t usually seek employment, except through the church or military.”
“Legal professions are also acceptable. In fact, they’re traditional for third sons, but my family isn’t very traditional. If they were, James would have bought a commission years ago. Instead, he and his wife have entered the manufacturing business. They’ve hired seamstresses to create stylish and inexpensive clothing for those who can’t afford a modiste or a tailor. Abigail, my sister-in-law, designs them. She’s got quite a knack.”
“I did hear a couple of maids discussing it some time ago but didn’t pay too much attention since I was sure they must be mistaken. After all, it is uncommon, but I have to say it’s also impressive. Being in a position of constant judgment by the ton, it must take tremendous courage to stand apart and be different. I rather admire it.”
“Me too.” He chuckled lightly. “I sometimes wonder if I’d have what it takes to thwart expectation and face condemnation in pursuit of my dreams.”
An unexpected tension gripped Eloise’s muscles. “And what are your dreams?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure yet.”
Her insides twisted. Of course it was foolish of her to think for one second that they’d involve her. And even if they did, he’d just confirmed that he didn’t want her enough. Whatever he felt would never allow him to pursue more than a brief flirtation. Of course it wouldn’t. How silly of her to think it might.
The Townsbridge's Series Page 26