“Is it really?” He moved closer, unable to keep himself from grinning. “Yesterday, you wished to order me ousted.”
“I did not.” Her eyes flashed with the admirable defensiveness of their first meeting.
He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Your eyes do not match your denial, Miss Bening.”
She coyly lowered her gaze while moving closer. “I must beg your forgiveness, then, for an ill temper brought on by the weariness of travel.” She met his appreciative stare and treated him to a fetching smile that made the tempting bow of her mouth appear even more kissable. “Might you find it possible to allow us to start our acquaintance over? Clear the slate, so to speak, and start anew?”
“Indeed.” Elias sealed the tempting agreement with a polite nod, but his guard immediately sharpened. The leery yet fearless lioness of yesterday had become a seductive minx, and the role did not suit her. He found the change in her demeanor a bloody shame. He liked the green-eyed lioness better. Perhaps he could coax the exciting feline back with a few well-placed questions. “Might I ask after Her Grace? I fully expected to meet with her today.”
Miss Bening’s come-hither smile faltered. “Her Grace is resting today. She will not be joining us.”
“I was very sorry to learn about Her Grace’s failing health.” And Elias meant that sentiment. Whether a relative or merely a companion, it was more than a little obvious that Miss Bening’s fondness for the duchess ran deep. He turned to leave. “I should call at another time. Please ask Her Grace to send for me when she feels well enough to receive company.”
“Her Grace asked that I review the will. If I find it suitable, she will sign it immediately. I can deliver it to her in her rooms, then return it to you after she signs.” The wily minx subtly arched her back as though ensuring she offered the mouthwatering fullness of her perfect breasts at the best possible angle.
Damn.He could appreciate those breasts at any angle. Elias cleared his throat and forced his mind back to the matter at hand. “The document must also be witnessed, Miss Bening.” Before she could counter his statement, he added, “And please understand that I intend no rudeness, but a will is a very personal matter. I insist on reviewing it with Her Grace. Alone.” He tried to soften the warning with a gentler tone. “After all, with you as the beneficiary, your review of the will would be most inappropriate.”
He patted the satchel still tucked under his arm. “Besides, I fear I have yet to complete the document as Her Grace wished. I am waiting for an answer from the solicitor in Germany as well as a response from her son, the duke.”
A transformation came over Miss Bening. She moved even closer, as though he had suddenly become her prey. His senses thrilled at the return of the fearless lioness.
“Her Grace requested everything be finalized by today,” she said. “What portion of that request was unclear?” The lady glaring at him as though ready to unleash her fury mesmerized him to the point of silence. “I bid you answer, my lord, so I might assist you in the resolution of any confusion.”
“The confusion, Miss Bening,” he said softly, moving to stand close enough to indulge in the sensual sweetness of her delicate jasmine scent, “is that Her Grace named you as her sole beneficiary and completely left out her children. Especially her daughter—whom one might consider as the rightful heir of the Bening accounts that were set aside in Her Grace’s marriage contract. It is highly irregular, and I can almost guarantee that her children will challenge it.”
“I assure you Her Grace’s children are well set for the future.” She didn’t smile, and her earlier coyness had disappeared. “And they will not fight the will when the time comes.”
Elias was glad her sham of false coyness had dropped away. He wanted nothing but the truth from this exquisite lady. “While I would like nothing more than to take your assurances to heart, I fear I cannot.”
“And why is that?” Her chin jutted higher. She was ready to do battle, and he found it exhilarating.
“Because the duke, the dowager duchess, and Lady Cecilia are my clients,” he said, “and you, Miss Bening, are not.”
She blinked faster, as though fighting back tears. In fact, the pale green of her eyes gleamed overly bright beneath the many candles lighting the room. Was the beauty frustrated at being thwarted from her riches, or was it something else? “Her Grace could very well die before you hear from Germany,” she said. “Would you have her leave this world frustrated that her last requests were denied?”
The faint tremor in her voice took hold of his heart. It bespoke of protectiveness and sorrow for the dowager rather than a hunger for wealth and possessions. He lowered his gaze as she turned away to compose herself. She moved to a portion of the bookcase directly behind the desk.
“Might I offer you a glass of wine, my lord?” She spoke so quietly, he wasn’t certain he had heard her correctly.
“I beg your pardon?” He stepped closer, took a stand between the pair of chairs in front of the desk, and set his satchel in one of them.
She still didn’t turn, merely stood taller, as though trying to remain the perfect hostess while recovering from her overset state. “Wine, my lord,” she said louder without facing him. “Would you care for some?”
“That would be most kind, thank you.” Elias found her unexplainable suffering most intolerable. “I can help you, Miss Bening, if only you will allow it. Please tell me how I might make things easier.”
“I am quite capable of pouring two glasses of wine without aid from either you or a servant, but I thank you.” She turned from the liquor cabinet built into the shelves and offered him a glass. “I fear all we have at this time is Madeira. The brandy has yet to be replenished. Shall I ring for tea instead?” She attempted a smile and failed. “It would be no trouble,” she said with a great deal of difficulty as she stared downward and waited for him to take the wineglass from her.
He purposely took hold of the goblet so that his fingers covered hers with a protective intimacy. The warm silkiness of her bare fingers stirred him more than he thought possible. “I can help you,” he repeated softly. “You need but tell me how.”
Their fingers still touching, she lifted her gaze and locked eyes with him for the span of several heartbeats, long enough to lift his hopes. Then she glanced downward again and released the glass, pulling her touch from his. “You can help me by fulfilling Her Grace’s request.” She primly clasped her hands in front of her waist. “It is of the utmost importance to me she not be overset or put upon during what I feel are most certainly her last days.”
“You love her as if she were your mother.” The observation came out before he could stop it.
She nodded while staring down at her untouched glass on the desk. “I do,” she whispered. “I have known her all my life.”
“Then you must know the duke and Lady Cecilia as well.”
She lifted her head and returned her chin to its stubborn angle. “Yes. I know them both quite well.”
