Page 19 of The Baron’s Perfect Match (Twist of Fate #1)

J acob had hoped his news would bring a smile to Miss Parker’s face, but she seemed even more anxious than when he first arrived.

Had he overstepped again? He thought she’d be happy, especially about the dinner invitation from Lord and Lady Devon.

He wanted her to have all the information possible so she could make an informed decision about whether she wanted a Season, but by the look on her face, it seemed he’d once again made the wrong decision.

For the rest of the visit, they all talked about what would be most suitable in a new house.

Miss Grace and Miss Mia were very excited about the prospect, but Miss Parker seemed less so.

She did answer a few of his questions, so at least she wasn’t completely silent on the subject, and that gave him hope that he’d made at least one correct decision.

When they’d exhausted that subject, he stood. “Well, I must thank you ladies for a very enjoyable teatime. Please give my compliments to Mrs. Culbert. Shall I come around tomorrow at eleven to pick you up for our house tours?”

“That would be lovely. We look forward to seeing you then,” Miss Parker said, standing along with her sisters.

Did she mean that—was she looking forward to seeing him again?

He certainly hoped so, and perhaps it was merely the suddenness of his announcements that had made her seem so taken aback.

He hoped there would be an opportunity tomorrow for them to have a moment alone.

More than ever, he wanted to know her thoughts because she was all he could think about.

Morning, noon, and night, her beautiful face lingered in his mind.

He vowed to make it his mission to see her smile—a genuine smile just for him.

That would be his ultimate victory and make him a very happy man.

It surprised him that her happiness was so important to him now.

For too many years, he’d only had himself to worry about, but now everything had changed.

He was beginning to wonder if London could become his home after all.

The next day was overcast and quite cool.

Certainly not the nice sunny weather of the past week.

He dressed for the day in buff breeches, tan waistcoat, and a brown jacket and fussed with his cravat a few times before heading out the door.

The hotel had secured him a hackney for the day, although he wasn’t sure how long it would take to view the three houses on his list. It didn’t matter to him as long as he got to spend time with Miss Parker.

He was also looking forward to being with Miss Grace and Miss Mia.

From their outing in Hyde Park, Grace seemed to be quite a nature-lover, so he wanted to make sure whatever house they chose boasted a garden.

Mia was so enthusiastic about everything that she was a joy to be around.

When he arrived at the Parker residence, the three sisters were waiting for him in the parlor.

“Lord Fletcher, we thought you’d never get here,” Mia exclaimed, jumping up from the chair.

“Miss Mia, I would never miss a chance to spend time with you. Are you excited to view the houses today?”

“Oh yes. Audrey has warned me not to be overly enthusiastic, though.” Mia blanched at her faux pas of using her sister’s given name in mixed company. “Please forgive me, I misspoke.”

“Not to worry, we all make mistakes,” Jacob said.

“Dearest, you don’t have to burden Lord Fletcher with our private conversations,” Audrey said.

Jacob didn’t want Miss Parker to judge her sister too harshly. He actually enjoyed Miss Mia’s unbridled enthusiasm. “No burden at all, Miss Parker. Are you ladies up for an adventure today? I have a hackney outside.”

“Let’s go,” Mia said, pulling her gloves on and leading the way out of the parlor.

Once outside, Jacob gave the driver the location of the first house and then helped the ladies climb into the carriage.

He was glad to see he would be sitting next to the woman who constantly occupied his thoughts.

She looked stunning today in her blue walking dress.

The color complemented her eyes nicely, and he wanted nothing more than to stare at her all day, but he’d settle for a moment or two alone with her.

The first house they toured was rather dark and dreary.

It didn’t appeal to him at all, and from the looks on the Parker sisters’ faces, not to them either.

When they were back in the carriage, he said, “Well, that certainly wasn’t suitable.

Plus, there was no garden. Miss Grace, I know how much you enjoy nature, and I’m hoping one of the other two houses will be more suitable. ”

“Thank you for thinking of me, my lord. A garden would be lovely, but certainly isn’t the only consideration,” Grace said.

The next house had potential, but it wasn’t large enough to accommodate the staff he wanted to hire once they moved in.

Certainly, the cook could use some help in the kitchen, and he would eventually need a valet.

Now that he’d noticed the lack of a housekeeper and any maids at the Gracechurch residence, hiring some would be his first task, along with a couple of footmen.

There were so many factors to consider, and he was glad the Parker sisters had agreed to help him choose the house.

They were down to his last option, and he prayed that this one would suit their needs.

When they arrived at the last townhouse, he was pleasantly surprised to see the light stone facade.

It was three stories high and had plenty of windows to let in natural light.

From the outside, this one looked like the best of the three.

He handed the ladies down, and they walked to the front door.

Jacob took the key from his pocket and opened the door. He ushered the ladies in first and was pleasantly surprised by the large foyer with its gleaming black-and-white marble tile floor. More rooms were off to the right, and a grand staircase directly ahead led to the upper floors.

“Oh, this is lovely,” Audrey said.

Jacob was relieved to hear her say that. “What do you want to see first, Miss Parker?”

“Let’s start on this floor.”

He held out his arm and escorted her into the first room to the right of the foyer, with Grace and Mia following.

It was a bright and airy drawing room. The walls were painted a light yellow with silk drapes framing the large windows.

The owners had left the furniture, and although it wasn’t to his taste, it would be sufficient for now.

“There’s even space for your pianoforte right here by the window,” he said to Miss Parker.

“It’s a decent space. Certainly enough for all of us,” Grace chimed in.

“Shall we see the rest of the house?” he asked.

“May I see the upstairs?” Mia asked. “I wonder what the bedchambers look like.”

Grace linked arms with Mia. “I’ll go up with you.”

Miss Parker seemed to hesitate a moment before nodding her assent.

This was the opportunity he’d been hoping for.

He wanted to tell her how much he enjoyed her company, but he didn’t want to scare her.

They’d only known each other for a short time.

Even though he was growing more and more fond of her with each passing day, he had no idea how she felt about him. She was quite reserved in his presence.

Jacob led her down the hallway. They looked at the dining room and finally arrived at what he assumed was the study.

There was a large oak desk off to one side, along with a number of bookcases around the room.

A set of wing-back chairs flanked the fireplace—perfect for a cozy chat.

It was darker and more masculine than the other rooms on the floor.

Miss Parker wandered over to the bookcases on the far wall, and he followed her.

“Do you like to read?” he asked.

“I do. I’ve never seen so many books before.”

“Well, if this is the house we ultimately choose, you’ll have time to read as many of the books as you like.”

“I’d enjoy that.”

“Shall we explore the kitchen to make sure it’s up to Mrs. Culbert’s standards?” he asked.

That got a chuckle out of her, but no smile yet. He had to work harder.

The below-stairs area turned out to be quite generous. Besides a large prep area and a table big enough for the staff he wanted to hire to eat at, there was a larder, small offices for the housekeeper and butler, and three bedchambers.

“These rooms will be perfect for Mrs. Culbert and Beckwith,” she said, peeking into one of the bedchambers.

“Indeed. There’s even a bedchamber for a housekeeper.”

Being so close to Miss Parker near the bedchambers, Jacob had a hard time controlling the urge to kiss her.

With a bed so readily available, his thoughts were turning to more carnal adventures.

What would she look like with her hair down and spread across the pillows?

He had to step away from her before he did something he’d regret.

“This space is certainly big enough for the additional staff I’ll need to hire.”

222

Audrey had to admit that so far, this house seemed perfect.

She was trying to keep her attention on inspecting the house, but Lord Fletcher’s nearness had her pulse racing.

She inhaled his scent of orange and bergamot, and it was intoxicating.

She wanted to step closer to him and just breathe.

Her cheeks warmed at the direction of her thoughts, and she was hoping he wouldn’t notice when he suddenly stepped away.

“Miss Parker, are you well? You look quite flushed,” Lord Fletcher said.

She was mortified that her emotions were so transparent, and her cheeks felt hotter than before. “I’m fine. Maybe a bit warm down here, that’s all.”

“I agree. Shall we head upstairs and check on your sisters?”

Audrey nodded and brushed past him on the way to the stairs. It took every ounce of her willpower not to step into his arms. What was wrong with her? She’d never had such wanton thoughts before.

They made their way up the stairs to the second level, where they found Grace and Mia inspecting the family parlor, which was cozy but still large enough for all of them.

“Mama’s portrait would look wonderful hanging in here,” Grace said.

“Yes, I agree,” Audrey said. “Shall we check out the bedchambers?”

Grace and Mia scurried out of the room to check them out.

There were six bedchambers in total, four on one side of the hallway and the other two on the same side as the family parlor.

There would be plenty of chambers for each sister to have her own space, as close or as far away from each other as they wished.

“This shall be my bedchamber,” Mia exclaimed when Audrey and Lord Fletcher found her and Grace in the first bright and airy room.

The walls were painted a soft peach, and ivory silk drapes framed the windows.

The light-colored wood of the bed, armoire, and vanity table added to the room’s femininity.

“My dear, Lord Fletcher hasn’t decided on this house yet,” Audrey said. “We must be patient until the house tour is finished.”

“I know, but this room is so perfect for me.”

Audrey nodded. “I understand, but let’s check out the other rooms first. You may change your mind. ”

Audrey and Lord Fletcher left the two sisters to explore the rooms on the left side of the hallway while they walked down the hallway to the next room on the right.

When they opened the door and went inside, Audrey was impressed with the size of the room.

This must be the lord’s bedchamber, with the large mahogany bed dominating the room.

There was a writing desk on the far wall and a pair of wing chairs in front of the fireplace.

There was also a dressing room, a bathing chamber, as well as a room for a future valet through a connecting door.

Seeing one more door located on the side of the fireplace wall, Audrey opened it and found herself in a cozy sitting area. There was another door on the far wall.

“Oh, this is a lovely sitting room,” she said, looking back to see if Lord Fletcher had followed her. She inhaled sharply when she found him standing nearly right behind her. She hadn’t heard his footsteps.

“It is indeed, but not as lovely as you, Miss Parker.”

She felt overwhelmed by his closeness—her heart was beating rapidly, and she had those familiar flutterings in her belly, as if a dozen butterflies had taken up residence there.

It was so unusual for her to feel this way, but the more time she spent with Lord Fletcher, the more time she wanted.

“Thank you, my lord. That’s very kind of you to say. ”

He took a step closer. “Please call me Jacob,” he said, leaning his head toward her.

Jacob. The name fit him perfectly .

Her head was spinning. She’d never felt so out of control before.

Was this it? Was he waiting to see if she would step back?

That was the last thing she wanted to do.

She yearned to finally experience her first kiss.

It was the perfect opportunity, and she wasn’t the least bit afraid.

She tilted her chin up and closed her eyes, waiting.

She could feel his warm breath on her face, their lips a hair’s breadth apart.

Just as their lips were about to touch, Mia burst into the room, followed by Grace. “This house is perfect,” Mia said.

Audrey and Lord Fletcher jumped apart, and she quickly walked to the windows, pretending to admire the view while she willed her runaway heart to calm down.

She could feel the heat in her cheeks and was very disappointed that Mia had ruined her perfect moment when she chose to enter the room, interrupting Jacob’s kiss.

Of course, she couldn’t really blame her sister, but she’d wanted that kiss so badly and had no idea when the next opportunity would present itself.

Lord Fletcher cleared his throat. “I agree. What do you think, Miss Parker? Is this our new home?”

Audrey turned from the window. The house was lovely and would be perfect, but she wondered how she could control her emotions if Lord Fletcher actually lived with them. Seeing the expectant look on all their faces, she felt like she had no choice.

“Yes. I believe it will do very nicely,” she said with a brilliant smile.