Although she blushed to the roots of her hair, her gaze was steady. “But… like that?”
He scoffed, “If you are scandalized by that, you’ll probably have a conniption when I kiss other areas,” he looked up. “Though, by the bonfire on your face, I am thinking you were feeling something other than scandalized.”
“Everything about you makes me scandalized,” Cecilia breathed.
“Good,” he stated. “I’ll be working on the outbuilding today, so please, do not disturb me.” He took a swig of coffee and rose,pushing away from the table. “And I expect that note on my desk by this evening.”
A knock on the door had them pausing as Andrews walked in; he was holding a basket of letters in one hand and a letter on a silver platter in the other.
“I apologize for the interruption, Your Graces,” Andrews said, bowing to Cecilia. “But many letters are here for you, Your Grace, and one important letter for you, Sir.”
Setting her tea down, she took the basket, the heap so high that a few of the letters almost tumbled from the stack. “Oops.” She caught the top cards. “There are dozens of them.”
Cassian smirked over the top of his cup before setting it down and taking his lone letter. “You do remember our other agreement?”
“I am in charge of all correspondence,” she began, narrowing her eyes at the basket. “But there are dozens in here.”
He pushed away from the table and lifted his cup in a mock salute. “Sadly, I must put the renovations on hold. It seems I must go to the town to meet the town mayor. Apparently, a bridge has collapsed.”
Pulling away from the table, Cecilia massaged the palm of her hand with a wince. Writing out thirty-eight thank you cards was tasking, and glancing at the unanswered pile—at least twenty more cards— she decided it was time to take a break.
“A fortifying cup of tea and some orange cake will do the trick,” she sighed while calling her maid.
She asked for the refreshments, but then, while waiting, took a walk to the library, seeking a book she had not read yet to keep her company.
As she headed to a shelf, her eyes slid to the window, and that dratted outbuilding centered itself in her vision.
What on earth could Cassian want so dearly with that building that he would ban her from even setting foot in it?
Could it be that he wants to entertain other women without my knowledge?
The errant thought made a needle of ice pierce through her heart. Instantly, she shook her head, unrooting the feeling. “He promises he would not do that to me while we are married, and he is leaving England the moment the sixty days end…”
The weathered door of the outbuilding called to her like a siren’s call. The more she stared at it, the more she felt the temptation to slip under the threshold and see what was inside.
“But he banned you from entering it…” she murmured to herself. “But he is off on business—he will never know…”
Crossing her arms, she tapped her fingertips on her opposite arm. She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth, debating on what to do.
Before she dug into the thought much longer, she spun on her heel and headed out to the outbuilding. Lifting her skirts as the grass was still high, she headed to the door and tried the door handle—it was locked.
Circling the building, she tried to find a window to peer into. She finally found one on the other side of the building and peered in through the broken slats.
It was not what she had expected to find, and even with her limited view, she could see that it was a disappointment. Everything was in some stage of fade or rust; the roof over her head had a gaping hole, but was covered by the oiled tarp.
“At least the floor is clean…”
As she gazed on the poorly-papered walls… the hairs suddenly lifted on the back of her neck. Even though she had not heard any footsteps or heard the door scrape open… she knewhewas there.
Cassian’s presence was akin to having lightning strike right by you and leaving the air sizzling in its wake. Her pulse leaped as if she’d ran the Greek marathon, and she lifted her head.
“…Cassian?”
CHAPTER 11
“Cecilia,” Cassian said calmly, even while his grey eyes danced with wicked humor.
She squared her shoulders and met his eyes, while her stomach was turning somersaults. “You were supposed to be away on business.”
