Scowling at the underlying mockery in his tone, I shooed him away. “I’m too tired to be subject to your charientism today, Cavendish. Off you go.”
He raised an eyebrow, something lighting up his eyes. “Well, well, well, don’t you have quite the vocabulary.”
“Why are you surprised? You said you’ve read my books.”
Theo full-on grinned now. “Yes, but I don’t remember you using words likecharientism. And I wasn’t insulting you, little mouse.”
“No, you were low-key mocking me.” Even now my cheeks were hot with the confrontation. “If I’m such a joke to you, Mr. Cavendish, why are you here?”
His grin fell. “I’d think my being here was proof that I don’t think you’re a joke.” Theo’s eyes narrowed. “After that tongue-lashing you gave me back at Ardnoch, I can’t believe I forgot that beneath those shy schoolgirl blushes lies a temper.”
“Ugh.” I pulled the duvet over my face. “I’m too tired for verbal jousting.”
“Pity,” I thought I heard him murmur with humor in his voice. “So that’s a no on period supplies, then?”
Oh, for goodne—wait. I counted the days in my head. Damn it. Iwasdue my period in two days, and I was as regular as clockwork. “Actually …”
“What’s that, darling? I can’t hear you through the duvet covering your face.”
Grumbling, I shoved the blanket down and forced myself to look him directly in the eyes. “I need … tam … Ineedtampons,” I mumbled.
“Ah, so that’s why you’re temperamental this morning.”
In answer, I used the last of my energy to throw the box of tissues at him. Theo darted out of the way, laughing. Still chuckling, he picked up the box and put it back on my bedside. Humor glittered in his eyes, making him even more attractive. “What a thanks I get for taking care of you.”
Knowing he was right, but still annoyed, I murmured “Thank you” and then turned on my side to give him my back.
The bastard sounded like he was barely holding in his laughter as he wandered out of the bedroom to go on his errands.
So surreal, I thought again as my eyes drifted closed. Life was so, so surreal right now.
Seven
SARAH
The walls of the cottage were starting to close in on me. While I still wasn’t back to full energy, my restlessness kicked up a gear this morning, and I knew if I didn’t get outside for fresh air, I’d lose my mind. Growing up on a farm, I was used to constant walks in the countryside. Even working at Ardnoch, sometimes I’d take my lunch break just walking around the grounds to get out of the castle. I spent my weekends hiking or finding beaches to explore.
Four days I’d lain in this bed while Theo Cavendish took care of me. He tended to me with cavalier mothering that still shocked me. I’d learned quickly not to bring it up to him, however, because it made him prickly. It was like he didn’t want anyone to think he was capable of kindness. And yet, the complicated bugger got annoyed when I suggested he was looking after me to get his hands on the film rights to my books.
I couldn’t quite work him out. Or how quickly I’d grown comfortable in his presence. No,comfortablewasn’t the right word. It wasn’t like how I’d felt with Grandpa and Jared. Every time Theo appeared in my room, I got butterflies, and I never quite knew what to expect from him, so I was always a wee bit onedge. However, it wasn’t like the way I was with him before. Or how I was with other strange men. Even around Lachlan Adair, my longtime boss, I turned into a nervous, blushing wreck.
But something about Theo taking care of me had created this intimacy between us. Moreover, other than when I accused him of looking after me for adaptation rights, he never seemed to take offense to anything, so I felt perfectly safe saying whatever was in my head.
Correction: If he wounded me with his arrogant mockery, I felt safe to bite back.
Usually the nervousness won out because I was overthinking being in someone’s presence. But not with Theo.
It didn’t make sense considering how intimidating he could be. As an observer, I’d noted that quite a few people at the estate found the aristocrat overwhelming.
For the last four days, Theo had cooked my meals, forced me to eat what I could, kept me hydrated, and after I showered he’d insisted on brushing my hair like a nursemaid and pleating it so I didn’t have to bother with blow-drying. The first few days, I’d mostly slept, but yesterday I felt better and insisted he bring me my laptop. I was still not well enough to write, but I wrote chapter summaries and answered emails.
Theo disappeared, off to who knows where, but was back in the late afternoon. We ate the pasta salad he prepared and made light conversation about Theo’s writer’s block, the script that just wouldn’t come together for him, and the next book in the Juno McLeod series. He didn’t bring up the rights.
After getting up this morning to relieve myself, I was grateful to discover that my limbs were much stronger, and I wasn’t anywhere near as light-headed. I wasn’t a hundred percent back to normal, but I was on the mend. And I needed fresh air.
I said as much to Theo when he arrived from the kitchen with poached eggs on toast and a cup of coffee. The man had taken tosleeping in the guest room and was an early riser because he was always up, washed, and dressed before I even woke. When I was well, I was an early bird too. But the flu was making me sleep longer.
“I’m going for a walk on the beach,” I announced once I’d finished breakfast.
