They listened for a moment in silence.
“What is it?”she whispered.
“No idea,” he admitted.But perhaps this was a better way to show his usefulness.“Do you have a ladder?”
Chapter 8
Penelope stood in the center of her drawing room with one ear turned attentively toward the ceiling.Once the ladder was secured against the roof, Nicholas had ordered her back inside, so she would not catch cold.Nonsense, of course.
She could have argued that today was unseasonably warm.Or that the night they’d gazed up at the stars had been a half degree above freezing.But he wanted to handle the situation, and to be honest, it was lovely to have someone taking care of her.
Lovelyin a terrifying sort of way.
She had never experienced anything like it.Never met anyone like him.Together, they formed a compound she was not quite able to identify.
To keep her mind off irrational matters like emotion, she glanced about the drawing room to see what might require tidying up.
Nothing, she realized with a sigh.Tidying up was what she did when she was trying to avoid uncomfortable thoughts in her mind, which was why her cottage stayed immaculately tidy.
A glint of sunlight from the front window refracted on a shiny surface atop the mantel.She hesitated.There should be no shiny surfaces atop her mantel.She moved closer to investigate.
It was a shard of glass.No, not a shard.A petal.It had been left there for her.Her stomach gave a little flip as she lifted it in her palm.This wasn’t just any petal.It was a rose petal.One that would not be swept away by the wind or wilt and crumble into nothing.
She closed her fingers about the smooth, delicate glass and held it to her chest.Where on earth had Nicholas purchased such a perfect gift?
A frantic knock sounded upon her door.Penelope shoved the petal back upon the mantel and rushed to answer.
“You have a burglar,” Virginia said, panting.“Someone is up on your roof.”
Penelope dragged her inside and shut the door.“It’s not a burglar.Saint Nick is up on the housetop.”
Above them, footsteps paused, then began anew.
“You have a rake on your roof?”Virginia chuckled.“Isn’t that a risky object to keep about?
Penelope was unamused.“What’s wrong with being a rake?”
“What’s good about it?”Virginia countered.
“It’s honest,” Penelope said without hesitation.“No promises or emotional manipulation.Men like Nicholas take extra care to ensure all parties not only know what they’re getting, but get what they want.Come to think of it, he executes the role of rake rather scientifically.”
Virginia’s eyes widened.“You approve of the man you’re interested in being a rake?”
“I’m not interested in him,” Penelope protested.“I’m interested in science.Everything we do is an experiment.”
“I thought a visit from Saint Nick was only supposed to be one night,” Virginia said with a grin.
Penelope scowled at her.“He comes during the day.”
“I imagined as much.”Virginia tilted her head.“Have you fallen in love with him yet?”
“There is no love,” Penelope said in exasperation.“So, no, I haven’t fallen in it.”
“Are you sure you don’t believe in love?”Virginia asked.“Or is the problem that you believe other people aren’t capable of loving you?”
“I…” Penelope glanced away.“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Blast Virginia and her razor-sharp questions.Penelope crossed her arms over her smock and wished she had something to tidy.
