She’d already fed and groomed Dandy herself. That done, she’d lent a hand with the others to pass the time. Waiting. As she’d waited all day for some word from him, not solely about the outcome of his trip into the village. For some reason, Piper thought Connor might conjure other reasons to seek her out after their passionate encounter in the tack room.
The long tense hours had only served to prove that patience was not her forte.
“What could be—”
“He’ll be here when he gets here and not a moment before,” Albert grumbled in response to her fourth, or perhaps fifth, reiteration of the question.
Piper wrinkled her nose. “I’m merely speculating. You said he left some hours ago. I wouldn’t think an interrogation should take so long.”
Her stomach grumbled with hunger for tea time had passed. Or perhaps it was anxiety over what Connor would learn from Mr. Granger that gnawed at her. She’d spent a sleepless night turning it over in her mind and knew confessing the whole truth to him had become a necessity. She’d come to the manor earlier that morning hoping to catch him before the days’ work began but had missed him. Hopefully, she’d have the opportunity to unburden herself before he discovered the truth from another.
As soon as he told her what happened with the constable. Yes, then she would tell him.
If he ever returned.
“What do you suppose—”
Albert cast her a glower that sealed her lips then shifted his gaze beyond her with an expression of relief. “At least I’ll not hear that question again today.” He pointed. “Here he comes.”
A mumbledat lastfollowed. Piper hardly heard it. Her eyes and attention were fully on Connor as he cantered up the drive. Most days he wore simple work clothes or a collarless shirt with a vest over it. At best, a jacket and tie as he had the previous day. Today, he wore a divinely well-cut suit of charcoal gray wool. The snug jacket hugged his shoulders as the trousers did his thighs. She could see a black vest with narrow lapels beneath it, and the high, starched points of his white shirt collar. He’d even added a gold-chained watch fob, an accessory she hadn’t yet seen him sport. He appeared every inch the nobleman he was.
Smoothing her hands down the front of her skirt, she was glad she’d thought to don something more flattering than a plain black skirt and white blouse. She thought she saw his countenance light up beneath the brim of his hat when he saw her.
Perhaps it was wishful thinking. It could be a scowl. Or worse, if he’d learned the truth.
He drew his horse to a halt and dismounted, handing the reins off to Albert, who took them and departed. Sweeping off his hat, Connor went to the trough and cupped some water in his hands to wash the dust from the road off his face.
“What happened?”
“Have ye nae greeting to welcome me home?” he asked, water dripping from the end of his nose. “Or that cup of tea ye promised before the questioning is set upon me?”
Piper frowned, prepared to argue before his brow rose to halt her. “My apologies for my impatience. It’s been a long day, and frankly, I was unable to rest well last night.”
“Ye needn’t fret about Granger, lass. He’ll disrupt yer sleep nae more.”
“Mr. Granger was not the problem.”
Drawing a handkerchief from his pocket, Connor dried his face. He sensed she was waiting for him to comment upon her statement. He wasn’t about to tell her he’d had a great deal more than trouble with the same. Unslaked desire had kept him tossing and turning the long night through.
“Offer me some refreshment ‘ere I take to that pump, lass, and I’ll share what I discovered along the way.”
“Would you care to join me for tea, my lord?” She put a slight emphasis on the last words as she dipped a mocking curtsey. “I did have a dual purpose in waiting for you here. I thought I’d show you the way myself.”
The gesture could have meant any number of things. An eagerness to see him, or the need to make sure he didn’t lose his nerve and fail to show up at her door, for example. Either would have been correct, but Connor knew the deed for what it was.
A show of trust.
He had a great many questions of his own hovering on the tip of his tongue. Many roused by Granger and some by Temple. Rather than pummel her with a barrage of them, he decided to put them aside for the time being. Given the chance, the trust she showed now would expand to truths. She’d put a great deal of confidence in him with her invitation. He wasn’t inclined to discard it like so much rubbish, no matter the personal cost.
And it would cost him.
Had he been thinking logically, he would have declined her invitation to tea last night. Or, knowing what awaited him, sent his regrets this afternoon. Instead, he’d left Temple to continue their interrogation so that he could see her. Too bad for him he hadn’t considered that he’d be facing another test akin to the trials of Hercules. Keeping his head and resisting his baser urges would require feats of strength and heroism he feared he didn’t possess.
The first test came in doing nothing more arduous than admiring her. Even a cold splash of water hadn’t been able to cool the ardor that licked at him the moment he saw her. He’d been faced with the option to douse himself or bend her back over the paddock fence and kiss her senseless.
She was a bonny sight. Not a bit of black to be seen again today beyond her neatly coiffed hair. Like most of her clothes, her teal velvet walking dress was snug, as if she’d grown since it was made—which she quite likely had—nevertheless, the deep color somehow brought out a similar vibrant shade in her eyes. The wide collar and peplum flounce around the bottom of her jacket were embroidered with an ivy pattern of glass and silver beads. The cuffs of the sleeves and split front of her skirt glistened with the same.
She looked lovely, elegant, and entirely too delicious.
