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“Hush, girls,” Athena commanded. “These men are professionals. They know what they’re doing. They’re perfectly safe.” She couldn’t be certain that last statement was true, and their observations spread terror in Athena’s heart.

As they watched, Mr. Vernon finally got a hold of the necessary tool and used it to work on the broken slate.

At length, he managed to free the loose slate from its slot in the roof and carefully let it slide down to the man at the gutter, who in turn threw the broken bits to the ground safely away from Mr. Carson, who held the main ladder below.

Athena and all the watchers applauded.

“Now what?” asked Miss Cecilia.

“They have to put in a new piece of slate.” Mr. Vernon had explained the repair process to Athena in advance.

“I expect that will be a big job, which we sadly won’t be able to watch,” Selena added. “Time for period two, girls.”

The students groaned as they dutifully fell in line behind Selena and returned to the house.

Athena stayed on, anxious about the two men working high above. It was indeed a time-consuming job that involved removing more bits of slate and meticulously hammering in narrow strips of lead to hold the new piece of slate before installing it.

When the project was successfully completed, and the men came down from the ladders, Athena heaved a sigh of relief and set up coffee and a plate of chocolate biscuits on a small table.

Athena thanked Mr. Adams and Mr. Carson when they picked up their steaming cups and helped themselves to the treats. Mr. Adams made no reply, but Mr. Carson was more talkative.

“It was our pleasure, miss, and all in a day’s work.” Mr. Carson sank down on a bench by the refreshments table and removed his cap, revealing a riot of golden-blond curls.

“Have you been doing this kind of work a long time?” Athena asked.

“Since I were a lad,” Mr. Carson replied. “Some jobs are harder than others. This weren’t too bad, though. Vernon’s a good man. Pays fair and doesn’t shirk. I’d work for him anytime.”

Athena found herself pleased by this comment but wasn’t sure why.

It wasn’t until the two crewmen had gone off to start loading supplies onto the cart that Mr. Vernon finally joined Athena.

He sat on the same bench Mr. Carson had just vacated and threaded his fingers through his black hair, forcing it back off his forehead. “That went well. I think.” He closed his eyes and took a long deep breath, as if seeking to restore his energy.

Athena took a moment to stare at him while he wasn’t aware of her scrutiny.

He was so very nice to look at. His handsome face glowed with perspiration.

His long-sleeved white shirt, equally damp, clung to his muscular chest, revealing a glimpse of the dark, curly hairs that lay beneath.

The sight made Athena feel like a stick of butter on the verge of melting.

“I had a tense moment there when one of the last pieces of broken slate refused to give way,” Mr. Vernon went on. “Those copper nails were designed to last ten centuries. But I finally managed to rip them out and everything else worked like a charm.”

“I can’t thank you enough.” Athena reluctantly tore her gaze away. “Coffee, Mr. Vernon?”

He opened his eyes. “Thank you.” As she poured him a cup, he added, “We can’t know for certain that the new slate is absolutely watertight until the next time it rains. I’ll have to go up to the attic and check at that time.”

“I can do that.”

“I’d rather you didn’t. As I said, it’s not that safe up there.”

“All right.” Athena offered him the cup of steaming brew.

As Mr. Vernon accepted it, their hands briefly touched, causing a tingle to spread up Athena’s arm that seemed to light a fire within her.

She found herself longing, suddenly, for him to touch her again, and not just her hand.

She wanted to feel his hand on other parts of her body.

But more than that, she realized she wanted to get to know him better—to spend more time in his company—to learn everything she could about him.

Their eyes met and held. In his gaze, she once again saw the heated look she’d glimpsed that morning in the conservatory, when they’d rushed in from the rain.

This will never do , she warned herself.

It was one thing for her to be fighting an attraction to Mr. Vernon— that was something she could manage, couldn’t she?

It would be far more complicated, however, if he were attracted to her .

Athena resolved to nip these inconvenient feelings in the bud and to keep things friendly between them.

She poured herself a cup of coffee and rather than sitting with him on the bench, she stood beside it.

“Now about your cheek and your eye.” He looked up at her again as he sipped his brew. “What really happened?”

Athena’s free hand went self-consciously to her face. Could he read her thoughts the way her sister could? She didn’t want to lie to him. “I had an incident on the road yesterday.”

His dark eyebrows drew together. “What kind of incident?”

“I had to jump into a ditch to avoid a runaway carriage. The driver apparently didn’t see me.”

His mouth gaped. “Good lord. I’m so sorry. Are you all right?”

“Other than a black eye and a bruised ego, I’m fine. My shoulder and ankle were a bit testy yesterday, but they’re better now.”

“I’m relieved you weren’t injured more seriously.”

“And I’m relieved that you and your men weren’t injured today,” she replied, deliberately redirecting the discussion. “The entire time you were up there, I was so worried, I found it hard to breathe.”

“I’m sorry you were worried.” He ducked his head and his voice went quiet. “You needn’t have been.”

“That was dangerous work, Mr. Vernon.”

He paused and then acceded with a nod. “You’re right.

It can be dangerous. I know men who’ve suffered grave injuries from this kind of employment.

George Osborn, for example. It’s how he damaged his hip and lost his arm.

But if you want something done right, sometimes you have to do it yourself.

The key is to move slowly and precisely. ”

“Well, I’m glad the job is done. Speaking of which. How is the renovation going at Mrs. Hillman’s dower house?”

“Very well.” He bit into a biscuit.

“I’d love to see what you’re doing.”

“I’m there most days with one crew or another. The next time you’re at Darkmoor Park, I’d be happy to give you a tour of our work in progress.”

“I’d love that. Is the dower house anything like Thorndale Cottage?”

He chuckled. “No. Darkmoor Park’s dower house is much larger than Thorndale Cottage, and a great deal more impressive.”

“Your cottage is charming. It reminds me of the house where I grew up.”

“Does it?” He looked at her with interest. “Where did you live?”

“Near Millcoate Hill, in Derbyshire.”

“I know it. A lovely spot.”

“It was quite idyllic. We lived on the edge of a moor, much like this.” Athena gestured to the distant moors and the mist-covered hills beyond.

“My father was a gentleman. Riding and hunting were his favorite pastimes. But sadly, when I was seventeen years old, he lost his fortune in a bad investment.”

Mr. Vernon frowned. “That’s a shame.”

“We survived. My brother became a clergyman. My sisters and I worked as governesses to support ourselves.”

He fell silent for a moment, then took another sip of coffee. “My father wasn’t good with money, either—as you know. Although he gambled away the family fortune, rather than making a bad investment, the result is much the same. Like you and your siblings, I had to start over and reinvent myself.”

“You studied to become an architect.”

“An occupation that I had been dreaming of since I was a boy and find very fulfilling.” He glanced at her. “ You were obliged to become a governess, which was a kind of training ground for what you do now, running your own school.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“Who knows if we would have attained these goals, had we not been forced to by fate and the mismanagement of our fathers?”

“What an interesting way to look at it.”

“People often say, ‘All things happen for a reason.’ I don’t believe that. But I have come to believe that when the unexpected occurs and derails our intentions, it is up to us to adapt and change. To accept what is, forge a new path, and find happiness in a new direction.”

“I couldn’t agree more, Mr. Vernon.”

He stared up at the manor house behind them with what appeared to be affection. “It does my heart good to see Thorndale Manor in your capable hands, Miss Taylor, and to know that the property is being put to such excellent use.”

“Thank you, Mr. Vernon. It is magnanimous of you to say so.”

He turned back to her with a look that was so warm and endearing, it made Athena feel weak in the knees. She swallowed hard, telling herself that she should end this discussion, but he did it first.

“I must help the men clean up.” He set down his empty cup. “Thank you for the refreshments. They were much appreciated.”

“It was nothing. I appreciate your hard work and that of your crew. Please send me your bill.”

“Don’t worry, I will.”

They shared a laugh and said goodbye.

As Athena watched Mr. Vernon walk away, she found herself wondering when she would see him again and, despite herself, hoping it would happen soon.