Nevertheless, it was all she had to show for her work thus far, and she would turn it over to Lord Ashton with her head held high.
He adjusted his spectacles as he read and Della was seized by the wish that her penmanship were a bit neater. She’d never managed to produce the round, bubbly script most ladies seemed to turn out effortlessly. Her old governess once said her writing looked more like a boy’s—careless and rushed.
She studied Lord Ashton as the silence stretched on. He truly was handsome, in an understated way. He had a strong, square jaw and high cheekbones. His nose was unremarkable, neither too small nor too large, and the same could be said of his mouth. There was nothing flashy about his looks, but the final effect was one of quiet elegance. It had as much to do with the way he carried himself as anything else.
Why isn’t he saying anything?
Della cleared her throat. “I know it says the opening chapters should be about shops, but since then I’ve decided it should have an introduction first to explain my intentions.”
He finally looked up, giving Della a better view of his eyes.
Green.Not the true green of new grass or an emerald. Nothing poetic. It was the muddy green of moss on an ancient tree; mottled into brown and easily overlooked. It suited his personality.
“I thought I might write the introduction. To link the two volumes together.”
That might have been intended as a kindness or animposition—Della couldn’t tell. She wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to hand any more control over to the viscount, particularly after what Annabelle had shown her after their last meeting. How could she trust the judgment of a hypocrite?
“I’ve already started working on it,” she said.
This didn’t seem to deter him. “I can include anything you’d like. What did you have in mind?”
How was she supposed to expose her ideas, tender as fresh shoots, when Lord Ashton might trample them underfoot? But he was waiting, so she had to say something. “I thought it would be nice to invite the reader in.” No, that sounded silly; why had she worded it that way? “I wanted to adopt a confidential tone,” she amended, “to make it feel like you’re getting advice from a trusted friend when you consult it.”
“I’m sure I could sound perfectly friendly.” Lord Ashton hadn’t understood her meaning, it was plain.
“I’m afraid it wouldn’t be the same. A lady doesn’t let her guard down around a gentleman the way she would around another lady.”
“Quite true,” her sister chimed in.
“Thank you, Annabelle.” Turning back to their guest, Della continued, “Maybe we could write two introductions.” That was the solution! Then they could both have everything they wanted.
“Two introductions?” Lord Ashton removed his spectacles and pinched the bridge of his nose, his expression one of utter fatigue. He seemed more careworn than usual today. Unsettled. Was something else troubling him, or was he simply tiring of her already? “Surely one would be sufficient. I’ve never seen a book with two in my life. If you want this project to be a success, you must learn to work with others.”
There was that chiding tone again. It made Della want to push back, but she also had to admit that there was something oddly attractive about it. She liked a man who took charge, even if she wasn’t willing to give way. And his eyes seemed to linger on her a bitlonger than was strictly necessary. As if he couldn’t bring himself to look away, despite his skepticism.
“I work with others every day,” Della retorted. She had her share of flaws, but that wasn’t one of them. “The problem is that I don’t know you well enough to trust you yet.”
“We don’t need to be friends. This is a business arrangement.”
“But I like to know my business partners too.” In fact, all her business partnerswereher friends, though she sensed that Lord Ashton wouldn’t approve if she tried to explain this. But wasn’t friendship a natural consequence of spending any length of time with another person, unless one was ill-tempered?
Thatwas probably Lord Ashton’s problem.
Indeed, he was shaking his head right now, his disapproval plain. It made her want to ruffle his hair and loosen his cravat. Whycouldn’tthey be friends? He was so staid, and yet he must have a more adventurous side, else he would never have been able to visit half the establishments in his book. What could make him put aside his reserve and open up to her?
“How old are you?” she asked. She should have thought to look in Debrett’s when Annabelle had it out last week, but she hadn’t, and she didn’t much feel like waiting until he was gone to check again now.
“Is this relevant to your book, somehow?”
“I have my book quite under control, and I’m not asking you to stay beyond our agreed-upon thirty minutes,” Della assured him, “so it shouldn’t matter to you what we talk about at our meetings.”
There were probably only ten minutes left at this point, but as long as the clock hadn’t sounded, she wouldn’t let that stop her.
“It matters to me whether we ever finish this project.” He put the spectacles back on, and she was struck once again by how endearing they were.
She shouldn’t be fantasizing about him like this. It was probablyhopeless, and entirely inappropriate. This conclusion did nothing to rein in her mind, which had always tended to rebel against constraint. The more impossible something seemed, the more she found her thoughts fixed upon it.
Lord Ashton was no exception.
