Her eyes widened in wonder as if she had not expected him to foist responsibility on her. He was pleased when she didn’t back away from the idea but asked questions. As he shaved, he explained a bit about the state of Mayfield’s outlying properties. She’d soon learn the full truth. He wiped the last of the soap from his face with a damp towel and motioned for her to turn around.
“What?” she said, balking... of course.
“Your laces are too loose.” The dress was hanging from her.
“It is hard to reach back there. I was going to summon Annie.”
“Let me help. Now turn.” He made a circle in the air with his index finger.
She offered him her back, drawing her hair out of the way. As he pulled on her lacings, a memory came to him.
“When I was very little, sometimes I’d sneak to my parents’ bed.”
“Why?”
“Oh, because of a thunderstorm or a bad dream. Didn’t you ever do that?”
“I couldn’t. Their rooms were on a different floor than the nursery. They would not have appreciated it. If I’d done that, Annie would have been in trouble.”
“She has been with you that long?”
Willa nodded.
He made a bow knot. “Well, our house didn’t have floors. It was a thatched cottage and very cozy. But I remember watching my father do this for my mother. She’d move her hair just as you are, and he’d perform this small service.” He lightly touched her shoulder to let her know he was done. “Thank you. It was a good moment to remember.”
For a second, she stared at him as if he was some unknown entity.
And perhaps he was to her.
He’d been raised in a loud, loving family until death and school had pulled them apart. Still, his sisters had done all they could to keep contact with him, even challenging his grandparents’ order that they were not to have access to him. They’d found a way.
Willa had no one. She’d never experienced living closely with another.
Matt moved to the wardrobe to find a shirt. Annie had unpacked Willa’s things and he wasn’t quite certain where she’d relocated his own clothes.
As he searched, he carefully said, “I know you will wish to make changes in the household. Especially this room. It should reflect your tastes.”
“Do you believe your grandmother will let me?”
“She’ll protest every change,” he assured her with a smile. “But stand your ground, Willa. This is your home. I will support your decisions. The servants are already aware of who the mistress is.”
Willa would be lying if she said this morning had been easy. She’d wanted nothing more than to never see Matt again. Thoughts of the disaster of last night were enough to make her hide in shame. And anger.
She’d been led to believe it would all be fine. That she’d be as blissfully happy as Cassandra or Leonie, but that wasn’t how it had been.
However, Matt was doing all he could to bridge the gap between them.
His way was softer than her father’s would have been. Her father would have lashed out an order and expected to be obeyed.
Matt was allowing her a bit of breathing room. The walking around naked had been disconcerting... and yet, she’d grown a bit accustomed to it. Especially when he’d served as her lady’s maid.
He’d not taken advantage of her, even when his base desire was so obvious.
And now, he was giving her the run of his household?
She had no doubt the dowager would bristle at some of the things Willa had seen needed to be done just in the hours she’d been in this house. She also remembered her disappointment in Mayfield. Both properties were antiquated. An interest in making changes rose inside her. Domestic matters had always appealed to her.
Matt was almost dressed. She searched for shoes. “What are we going to do today? Will we see your sisters?”
