Adam’s head lifted at the mention of the Casemate. So, he remembered he was supposed to take her there. Did he hate the idea as much as she was starting to?
Du Montfort waved his hand dismissively. “The sweatshop? No need, we have plenty of space here. Mrs B has already prepared a large room for you on the third floor.”
Well, that was probably a relief. The last thing she needed was to have to endure a favour from Doctor Cold Shoulder.
“Pierre?” Du Montfort called his assistant. “Get her the best sewing machine they have in the sweatshop and bring it here to her room. Anything else she needs, you can order for her and pay from my household account.”
Laura opened her mouth but too many answers crowded in her mouth competing for first place. Did she want to work here? It would make her feel as if she worked for him.
How could Laura refuse without seeming rude? She closed her mouth. In the small silence, her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly.
“And please someone, take her down to the kitchen and feed her.”
Chapter Nine
Laura looked profoundlyrelieved to be dismissed.
Not half as relieved as Adam himself. With Nicole, too, getting up to leave, all the wedding talk was finally over. Now he could breathe. For God’s sake, how was he supposed to have guessed that caring for a sick old man would involve weddings? The entire house was alive with the subject; the sooner this job ended and he moved on the better. A pity because he liked everyone here, and the breakfasts they prepared downstairs were fit for kings.
Liam, the physiotherapist, packed away his massage oils very fast then hurried towards the doors. Laura was about to exit when he called to stop her. “I was just going down to breakfast, If you’d like to come.” He smiled shyly.
Her answering smile was instant and bright, flashing her nice teeth. Liam positively glowed as they exited the room together.
When Adam turned his attention back to Lord M, he found the old man’s attention fixed on the retreating couple, too. Then he met Adam’s gaze and his eyes sparkled with mischief.
“Ah,” He smiled when the two of them were alone in the study. “I remember being a young man like him and falling in love so fast.”
Love? They’d only just met for Christ’s sake.
“He’s a nice man,” he said tactfully as he unpacked the blood pressure machine and came to sit by Du Montfort.
“Liam? Yes but not lucky in love.”
Was anybody?
“Well, maybe his fortunes are about to change,” Adam said hoping to get off the topic.
Du Montfort extended an arm to allow Adam to wrap the cuff around it. He inserted the stethoscope over the vein on the inside of the old man’s elbow and pumped the air slowly.
He remembered Laura from the ferry. The way she had looked at him, a warmth in her wide, dark eyes, the kind that invited him to come with her. When she’d touched his wrist, the protectiveness in her touch, the concern in her voice, all of it spoke of a need to connect. All wrapped up in a seductive package. To him, it had felt like someone offering him a gift-wrapped noose for his neck.
Yesterday in the conservatory, it had been a shock, and not a pleasant one, to see her. She was beautiful, in a kind of artless, careless, make-no-effort sort of way. It might not be everyone’s taste, but he liked the gamine look, and it suited her dark eyes so well. His own face had broken into a smile before his mind caught up with it and reminded him where he’d seen her before.
And now she was here living in the same house as him and…talking about marriage.
The gauge showed 170 systolic, high but not unexpected. Earlier it had been 210, which was worrying. Adam wasn’t happy. “I’m going to take your blood pressure every hour to get a true average.”
“You like to worry, don’t you?” Du Montfort took his arm back and reached to his side table for his tea cup.
“Me?” Adam shook his head in mock reproach. “I think you, Lord M, worry enough for all of us.” He held up the pressure cuff to demonstrate.
“I told you before, none of that Lord nonsense. Now what do you think of our dressmaker?”
The speculative look Mr M was giving him needed no explanation.
Better snip this little game in the bud. “I’m sure she’s a good match for Liam,” he said shortly.
“No she isn’t. Liam is one of those men who know what they want. He’s ready to settle down and make a happy family with a nice girl.”
