Standing this close to him it was impossible to ignore how attractive Lord Weston was. His coloring mirrored her own and he had dark brown hair that matched his expressive brown eyes. He had a sharp jawline and high cheekbones that were highlighted by the shadow of a beard, already appearing though she assumed he shaved daily like most men of his station. It was the crinkles around his eyes and faint lines around his mouth etched from laughter that drew her interest, however. Those lines told the story of a man who could give himself over to mirth. But the lines across his forehead showed years of furrowing it in the face of strife. Silver was beginning to thread through his temples, only making him more handsome, and Elise tentatively brushed her fingers through the sparkling strands.
“I need to make sure there are not any other scratches,” she fibbed to cover for her improper action. At the feel of her fingers massaging his scalp, he closed his eyes, and she felt him lean almost imperceptibly into the touch. Her breath quickened at his reaction, but she continued carding her fingers through his hair until she heard Nora walk into the kitchen, breaking her from the almost trance-like state she had fallen into. Jerking her hand back, she straightened, having unknowingly leaned in closer to his body. “I didn’t find any more scratches,” she forced out, trying to maintain an even voice. “Your injury should heal nicely within a few days.”
Turning away, she began gathering the supplies but was distracted by the movement of his muscular forearm as he rolled his sleeve back down. “I’ll give you a jar of the salve to take with you. Reapply it to your head and arm daily and be sure to re-wrap the arm in clean bandage each morning.” While reciting the instructions for his care, it struck Elise that this situation strongly mirrored what had occurred with the footman in the ballroom, leading to her ruination and present circumstances, and a small, somewhat desperate, laugh escaped her before she could contain it at the irony of the situation.
“What is it?” Weston asked, clearly wondering what had prompted such an outburst from her.
“I was just realizing, my lord, that this is remarkably like the situation that ruined me,” she said without thinking. He abruptly stopped buttoning his cuff and stared at her in astonishment at her announcement, opening his mouth to inquire further when Jed burst into room.
“Weston!” the middle-aged man exclaimed before vigorously pumping his lordship’s hand and slapping him on the back. “We’d heard you had returned, but it’s good to see you in person.”
“It’s good to see you too, Jed. It’s been too long,” the earl said, beaming. “I’ve missed the place.” Weston went to take a step forward, and both Jed and Elise noticed him grimace as his footing faltered slightly. She instinctively reached forward to support him, but he raised his hand, halting her. “It’s just an old war injury acting up—I’m fine.”
Not heeding Weston’s tone which implied finality on the subject, Jed muttered, “Yes, I heard about Waterloo.”
The atmosphere grew uncomfortable, the earl clearly uneasy at the topic, and Elise stepped in. “Jed, why don’t you show his lordship around so he can see what good work you’ve done to the place and he can check on his horse. Nora and I will finish preparing dinner while the two of you catch up.” Weston shot her a look of gratitude, and the two men made their way out, the earl limping slightly.
Turning toward the kitchen, Elise gave Nora a smile she did not completely feel and started chopping an onion while Nora silently prepared a blackberry pie, allowing her mind to wander regarding their guest.
Elise was not sure what to make of the man—he was not what she was expecting. He seemed a bit rougher around the edges than she would expect for a nobleman, but maybe that came from his time fighting on the continent. As a little girl, she remembered hearing the ladies of thetongossip when word spread that he defied his father’s wishes and entered the military, though he was the heir apparent. It had caused quite the scandal. But she had not heard of his injuries at Waterloo, and no wonder as it seemed to be a touchy subject for the earl.
Elise desperately hoped she would be able to speak with Weston about the details of her rental agreement. While their interaction had been brief, he seemed like a prideful man who wished to fend for himself, but there was an underlying kindness to him as well. He did not strike her as a man who would act abruptly, so at least she might have warning and time to find a new place should he decide she needed to vacate the house for his mother. Recalling the laugh lines on his face, heat grew in her belly, and she couldn’t believe how just the thought of the man would bring on such strong reactions within her. The unsettled feelings and anxiety about being displaced she had been experiencing since the old earl had died were amplified by how Weston made her feel. But she would have to tamp it down until she made her case. Elise could not lose a home for the second time.
CHAPTER4
Reid pushed back from the dining room table with a satisfied groan. The food had been exceptional, as Nora had always been a wonderful cook, and he was sure he had eaten more than his share, feeling relaxed and at home in the more casual setting. Looking at Nora and Jed, he couldn’t remember the last time he had enjoyed such an evening on the estate. Lady Elise had been quiet and restrained, but he supposed it was a bit of an odd situation with the rental agreement, which he would need to investigate further.
“Thank you for sharing your dinner with me, it was thoroughly wonderful,” Reid said, with a genuine smile. It had been an odd few weeks—returning home, and he had not thought he would encounter something so wonderful in this place that held such mixed memories for him.
“You are welcome any time, my lord,” Lady Elise said politely. “May I accompany you to the stable? I’d like to discuss the rental agreement.” She looked distressed as she made her request, and a part of him longed to ease her mind, but he needed to learn more about the agreement before making any permanent decisions. He would not let his warm feelings towards her rush him into acting before he knew all the facts. Startled by his own train of thought regarding his affections, he reminded himself he barely knew the lady and had many more questions than answers, regardless of how drawn to her he felt.
“Of course,” Reid said as he made his way slowly toward the door, favoring his good leg. Walking into the twilight, he could tell fall was just around the corner with the nights growing chillier each evening. He admired the immense gardens that had been cultivated on the dower property as they passed by, and Reid was struck by the many improvements to the land surrounding the dower house that Jed showed him before dinner.
Glowing, Jed insisted it was all at the direction of Lady Elise, as she was keen to grow their own food and medicinal herbs. Reid had inquired how Jed and Nora had come to work for the lady rather than his own family. Jed explained the couple had been ready for a different type of position for quite a while when his father had first mentioned wanting to rent out some of the properties on the estate. Nora had been in correspondence with Lady Elise for a few years about using medicinal herbs after a common acquaintance had put them in touch when she was researching remedies for her ailing mother. And when Nora learned she was looking for a new residence away from London, she suggested she come to Dorset. After coming to an agreement with Reid’s father, Lady Elise had asked the couple if they would be willing to help run the house for her, and the couple had readily agreed. Jed spoke of Lady Elise with such fondness when describing how he and Nora came to care for her and how happy they were feeling like her equals.
Reaching the stables, Lady Elise reached out to pet Reid’s mount gently on the nose. He seemed perfectly calm now after the upset earlier, and Reid hoped he remained that way, as the road to Cliff House was treacherous, only meters from the cliff’s edge before it dropped down to the water beneath.
“I believe you mentioned at dinner that this is not your own horse,” Lady Elise said, speaking up for the first time since they had stepped out of the house.
“No, my own horse, Midnight, is unfortunately recovering from an injury. I was not pleased with how jumpy this guy was, but I’m happy he is showing no ill effects from this afternoon’s adventure.” Lady Elise smiled, though she was focused on the horse, deep in thought, and Reid decided to preempt her and try and alleviate at least a few of her fears.
“I know you are worried about your rental situation, but I really can’t give you any firm answers until I learn more about the contract,” he said in a gentle voice. “I honestly had no idea my father had rented out the house, and I will need to find his documentation regarding the matter. I promise you I will work on finding the contract as soon as I can to end the uncertainty. What can you tell me about the agreement you came to?”
Looking up quickly at his question, Lady Elise held surprise on her beautiful face, and he was not sure what he had said to cause her reaction.
“Thank you for asking, my lord,” she said. “It’s not often that a man of your station cares to hear what a woman thinks or feels about this type of situation.” Understanding of her reaction dawned, and Reid nodded with a sigh, admission that she was correct. Most men would not care to see her side, they would only look at what was legally possible.
“I began renting the house from your father almost three years ago,” the lady continued. “He was initially looking to sell the property, but I was unable to afford an outright purchase and convinced him to agree to a five-year lease with the understanding that I would fund any improvements myself.”
Reid was shocked to hear that his father had planned to sell a portion of the estate. He knew it had been mismanaged, but not to the extent that he would partition the land. Technically, due to the entailment, he was not even sure if such a sale would be possible. He really did need to find his father’s ledgers. Last he knew, they had been with his steward, Fairleigh. But the man had been away tending to his sick mother when the earl passed.
“I promise that I will try and find the documents first thing tomorrow. I believe you, but I want to have all the information before moving forward. However, I will not evict you from your home without warning. I promise that no matter what happens, you will have ample time to make decisions.” Here he was, again, letting his feelings towards the woman make him soft just as he had steeled himself against earlier.
“You do not wish to move your mother here now that you are living in the main house?” Lady Elise asked tentatively, afraid of his answer. “I don’t mean to overstep, but I had heard you were estranged from your family, and having some space might be more . . . comfortable,” she finished diplomatically.
“My problem was with my father, not my mother,” Reid reassured her. “I am actually looking forward to building a relationship with her outside of his shadow. I don’t believe she is in a hurry to move.”
“I’m sorry,” Lady Elise offered softly, her large brown eyes sorrowful. “I didn’t really know him, we only interacted when making the rental agreement. Once I moved in, I did not associate with your family.”
