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“I do not know if you realize quite what she nearly did to this place. She almost brought it to its knees. If she could spend money, she would, be it on gambling, clothes, or parties.” He clasped his hands behind his back. “After her death, it became clear that she owed vast amounts to all sorts of untoward people. It is why I had this room shut up. I had to try as best as I could to stem some of the expenditure.” He glanced around the gloomy room. “It was like using a grain of sand to stop a flood.”

“I had heard some talk of her extravagance. I did not realize it was so extreme, however. One tends to think that the ladies in this house often lived extravagantly and that she was no different.”

Somehow, he doubted Lucy would live extravagantly, even if she had the freedom to do so. He did want more for her, though. He just was not sure how to give it to her.

“Unfortunately, Julia lived more than extravagantly. The estate has still not recovered.” He relaxed his hands and released them, touching a finger to her chin, unable to resist a fleeting touch of that soft skin. “Though your diligent management of this house has gone some way to helping with the recovery.”

“That is why you work so hard then.”

He lifted a shoulder. “I like to think that I would never sit idle, but yes, there is much to be done to make certain this place is secure for future generations.”

Unless, of course, they gained the inheritance. He was not quite sure what he would do if that happened. He would not be able to indulge in a life of leisure, but the weight of responsibility would be lessened indeed.

Lucy stepped away from him and opened the shutters on one window. Light streamed in, almost blinding him. It glinted from the chandeliers and the mirrors that were hung on the walls. It picked up the gilded cornicing and the frames around various paintings. Life was breathed back into the room once again. And central to it all, was Lucy, with sunlight streaming around her shoulders and enhancing the red in her hair.

She grinned at him and did a little twirl on the spot. “If you want the ball, I will do it…For you.”

“I…”

Before he could conjure another thought, she came up to him and took his hand. He scowled as he found himself being led into a dance, powerless to stop himself. His hand was upon her waist and the other carefully cradling hers. They danced around in circles, the only sound the tap of their feet on the marbled floor. She laughed, and that laugher reflected in her eyes.

“You still remember how to dance I see.”

He was hardly sure how he remembered anything. Under his palms, he felt the boning of her stays that curved carefully over a soft waist. Her fingers were delicate in his. If he glanced down, he would see cleavage lightly dusted with freckles. Never before in his life had he wanted to kiss freckles so badly.

Never before had he wanted a woman so much.

And though he should have ended the dance, she was smiling and content, so he could not bring himself to.

He danced with her until she pulled away breathlessly.

“You are quite the dancer, my lord. I, however, am rather out of practice. This will be my first ball, of course.”

He felt like there was some point to her statement, but he could not put a finger on what it was.

“You are an excellent dancer,” he said stiffly.

Which was rather different to what he wanted to say. Really, he wanted to tell her he would practice with her everyday. That he would happily take her in his arms and watch her laugh and smile.

He gave a little shake of his head. “Thank you for the dance, Lucy. Now, unfortunately, I have business of which to attend.” He twisted on his heel and marched out of the ballroom with haste before he could say anything further. He was in grave, grave trouble.

Chapter Nine

Squinting into the distance, Lucy had to press a hand to her chest as her heart gave a little skip. It was not that she had not seen him in his shirtsleeves before, but she had certainly not seen him laboring hard under the afternoon sun. Theo was far from the Lord of the Manor right now.

She approached him, but his focus remained on his work—fixing the fence for Mr. Smith. She glanced around but did not see either farmer nor the wayward pig who so often escaped. He hammered a post into place, his muscles stretching the fabric of his shirt. Lucy could not help but recall when she had been in his arms. Nothing had ever felt so right, dancing around the ballroom of Eastbrook in the arms of Theo. She allowed herself a little sigh.

Nothing had felt right since. The silly girlish infatuation had gone, there was no doubting that. Unfortunately, it was replaced with something else—something she feared was much deeper, much scarier.

Now that she understood why he had escaped the house and not returned, why his demeanor had become rougher and his need to work drove him, it had removed the sheen that dominated her imaginings as a young girl. Now, he was a real man, with flaws and fears. He was a real man that made her heart ache and sent tremors throughout her body. He was a real man from whom she wanted a kiss.

She gave a light cough, but he continued hammering. Of course, her feelings about him did not change the fact that she was now planning a ball for what was likely going to be her debut. A ball that would have her introduced to new men and eventually taken away from here.

How foolish she was. She should be sabotaging it, not arranging it. But if she made a success of this, perhaps he would see that this was where she was meant to be—this was her calling. Not being the wife of someone she hardly knew. She was intended to take care of this house, even if it meant her never marrying.

Coughing again, she took a step forward. He turned his head and smiled at her. It was one of the few genuine ones she saw from him, and it made her heart expand. He lowered the hammer and straightened, swiping his hands down his thighs. She let her gaze trail the length of him then forced it back up to meet his gaze.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.