Another wasted hour, but she had persisted, because to give up left her with nothing and nowhere to turn. She’d scrutinized the last few pages again. Several items stood out. Six months before the earl purchased her father’s horses, Pike had ordered a large amount of feed for the stables. She found it curious when the earl had few horses. Bags of flour and items for the kitchen pantry seemed excessive, too, with the house almost empty of servants. There was a large order for a load of lumber from the sawmill. Pike had noted it was for the renovation of the summerhouse. But where were the bills? She’d searched everywhere. Odd that Pike, who seemed so orderly, would not have kept them.
She’d wanted to show this to Redcliffe, but as things stood between them, decided against it. Instead, she left the house and walked down to the small lake.
It had turned into a perfect summer’s day. She couldn’t help admiring the beautiful scene as she went down the slope. Sun sparkled on the rippling waters where a pair of elegant swans glided over the surface. Waterfowl squabbled among the reeds.
The timber structure stood majestically on a crest of verdant grass above the bank, the posts entwined with wild rose, almost bare of its pink petals, the last of them dropping to add to the fragrant carpet over the ground, the perfumed air intoxicating.
Olivia climbed the steps to search for any evidence of recent repairs to the woodwork. It all seemed untouched, the aged beams of the ceiling solidly in place. She leaned on the rail to watch the busy birds, while the perfumed breeze blew across her face, stirring her hair. It wrenched her sore heart to think she would soon have to leave here. But to leave Redcliffe hurt her far more. He meant too much to her, and that was a good reason to go.
She took herself to task and wandered around the octagonal building, checking the rail and the timber posts for signs of rot that would need replacing. Or new timber already in place. But to her unpracticed eye, it all appeared to be the original timber and in good condition.
“What are you doing here, Olivia?”
At his low, melodic voice, which was almost a caress, her pulse raced. He had come up the steps behind her.
Turning to face him, she gazed into his smiling green eyes and sighed with relief. He was no longer angry with her.
The wall she’d built to protect herself from further hurt threatened to crumble and lay bare her need for him. She clutched the banister, barely aware of the roughened wood beneath her hands, and steeled herself to answer truthfully. After all, she had nothing to lose. “I came to check on something I found in Pike’s accounts ledger. He ordered a large amount of timber to repair the damage here.” She waved her hand to encompass the space, annoyed by the tremble in her voice. “But I can’t find any sign of repairs. Can you?”
He studied the roof and moved around the building. “No work’s been done. Why would it be? Repairs to the house would surely take precedence.”
He came to stand beside her. Not trusting herself, she watched the charming scene on the lake, barely taking it in. “And there are other questionable entries, too. Feed for the stables when it was almost empty. If you wish, I can show you.”
She turned to go.
“Yes. Later.” His hand brushed her arm. “Stay awhile.”
She took a step back and pressed herself against the rail. “The staff will wonder where I am,” she murmured, her voice horribly weak.
He took her hands, holding them lightly in his long-fingered clasp. “I came to apologize, Olivia. I had no right to be angry.”
Conscious of his touch, she said, “You have every right, so don’t apologize. I should have come to you. Explained, but I was afraid you wouldn’t understand.” She smiled slightly. “And you would dismiss me before I could investigate further.”
He tilted his head. “You think so badly of me?”
“No…no. I don’t.”
He smiled. “Not now?”
Must he drag a confession from her? “Now that I know you better,” she said evasively.
“I would like you to know me better still.”
Redcliffe’s endearing grin drew her gaze to his mouth. She noted the deeper grooves there, and the fine lines radiating from the corners of his eyes. Signs of his recent suffering had not been evident before. Her fingers curled with longing to touch them.
She swallowed. “I really must go back.”
“Why rush away?” He searched her face, his eyes settling on the pulse beating too fast in her throat. “I planned to bring you here.”
“You did?”
He slowly nodded, passion darkening his eyes.
She yearned to move closer, the desire so strong, she shut her eyes to hide it.
“Olivia.”
Her heart beat madly at Redcliffe’s soft entreaty. She was suddenly in his arms, held against his taut body, his cheek against her hair. “I miss you when you’re not with me.”
