Page 57 of A Cinderella to Redeem the Earl

Far too clever.

‘I do not know anything about it. We will have to ask Pip. Do not worry about it.’

She looked inclined to argue.

‘Did you manage to find a woman to do the cooking for the staff?’ he asked.

‘I did.’

‘Is she to your liking?’

‘She seems very competent. And she was very pleased to have the work. She does not mind at all that she will not live in.’

‘Excellent. I hope she cooks as well as you do or the staff will be disappointed.’

She brightened at his compliment. It pleased him more than it should have to see that sweet smile.

‘I actually had her make a couple of meals for me as a test before I offered her a position. She prepares good plain food. I am sure the staff will love it. And she is a very nice woman whose children are grown and who was very pleased to have a few days’ work every week.’

‘And have you settled into your new quarters? Are they to your liking?’

‘I have. Thank you. The bed is exceedingly comfortable.’ She flushed, as if embarrassed.

A buzz of excitement zinged through his veins at the thought of her in the middle of what he knew to be a large four-poster bed. He imagined all that gloriously coiffured hair of hers un-braided and free around her shoulders with that sweet smile on her face.

Too beautiful to bear thinking about.

‘I see.’

She looked a little puzzled. Probably because he had sounded too gruff. Too uninterested when normally he had no trouble striking exactly the right note with the ladies.

‘I am glad you find it meets your needs.’ That didn’t sound much better. He needed to call a halt to the awkwardness. ‘I hope you will excuse me, I have some letters to go through and some bills to pay. I am sure you have things to do elsewhere. I will see you at dinner. I assume Cook will be sending our dinner to the small drawing room as you did?’

She shivered very slightly, perhaps chilled by his cool tones.

Chill was what he needed, distance, if he was going to keep his sanity. At least until he was prepared for the final act of her downfall. And that required careful orchestration.

‘Yes, of course,’ she said hurriedly.

‘And you will join me, naturally.’ There, that sounded a little more like himself.

‘If you wish. Let me leave you in peace. I need to read through the menus I have prepared for Chandon. I can do that in my room.’ She hesitated. ‘That is, unless you would like to look at them. You know, approve them.’

‘I am happy to leave the issue of menus in your capable hands. Why keep a dog and bark oneself?’

He winced. Not exactly the jolly quip he had intended.

With a cool nod, she picked up a couple of pages from the desk and bid him farewell.

Curse it. He had not intended to sound dismissive, where was his easy address? His charm? When it came to her, when he needed it most, it seemed to desert him. It was because of her. She didn’t giggle or simper, the way many other ladies did. She was all business.

And yet, despite her air of competence and complete calm, he sensed a vulnerability in the depths of her gaze. Something, or someone, had hurt her in the past, though she tried very hard to hide it. Her bravery made him want to shield her from anything that might offer harm.

Though as far as he knew, the only person offering her harm was him. And he certainly had no intention of forgoing his revenge.

Absolutely not.

He had decided, had he not, that it was time to cease procrastinating and to forge ahead with his plan.