"And for observing your housekeeper when you think no one's looking?"
Gabriel stopped walking again. "You're determined to make that observation, aren't you?"
"I'm simply noting that you've looked back at her seventeen times since we entered the garden, which seems excessive for professional interest."
"You've been counting?"
"I'm very bored, Your Grace. Your romantic tragedy is the most interesting thing to happen to me in months."
"It's not a romantic tragedy."
"A romantic comedy then?"
"It's nothing. There's nothing romantic happening here whatsoever."
Clara chose that moment to laugh at something one of the gardeners said, the sound carrying across the garden like music. Gabriel's head turned automatically toward her, and he caught Penelope smirking.
"Eighteen times," she said.
CHAPTER 12
Clara was having what could charitably be called a difficult afternoon. Watching Gabriel walking through the gardens with the lovely Miss Ashworth was torture enough, but maintaining perfect professional composure while Lady Agatha interrogated her about every aspect of the household management was pushing her to her limits.
"These accounts," Lady Agatha said, examining the ledgers with a magnifying glass "They show significant improvements in just one week."
"Yes, my lady. His Grace gave me carte blanche to make necessary improvements, and I've been implementing economies while maintaining quality."
"Economies? Gabriel doesn't know the meaning of the word."
"His Grace has been surprisingly amenable to practical suggestions that improve efficiency without sacrificing comfort."
"Amenable? Gabriel? We are talking about the same person, aren't we? Tall, scarred, generally insufferable?"
"His Grace can be occasionally challenging, but I've found that presenting logical arguments with supporting evidence tends to yield positive results."
"You mean you manage him."
"I mean I perform my duties in a way that aligns with His Grace's ultimate objectives while minimizing conflict."
"You definitely manage him…very well and someone needs to."
Clara kept her expression neutral despite the woman's probing gaze. "I am merely performing my duties, my lady."
"Your job. Yes. Tell me, Miss Whitfield, what exactly does your job entail?"
"Standard housekeeper duties. Managing staff, maintaining accounts, overseeing household operations, ensuring His Grace's comfort and the smooth running of the estate."
"Ensuring his comfort? That's quite comprehensive."
"A comfortable duke is a functional duke, my lady."
"And is he? Functional?"
"You've seen the evidence yourself. The house is clean, the staff is efficient, the accounts are balanced. I'd say that's quite functional."
"The house isn't what I'm concerned about. It's Gabriel himself. He seems... different."
Clara kept her hands steady on the ledgers. "How so? My lady?"
