Just the memory of his praise made her go all warm inside. Was it possible to feel this way about someone after only a few hours in his company? Granted, it had been a very revealing few hours—that dinner, the dance, the interlude in the library. Thatkiss.
Olive rather suspected she might be close to possibly considering falling in love with Aberdeen—or rather, with Mr. Phineas Oliphant.
It was this thought which had her rushing through her meal as Tiffany went on about skin creams and remodeling ducal homes. After, Olive hurried to the library.
He was there.
She stopped suddenly enough for her skirts to swish around her, but he heard her and looked up with a smile.
And,oh Zeus, but that smile did funny things to her insides.
“Ye came,” he breathed, then shook his head, his smile turning wry. “That was stupid. Ye’re here, obviously.”
So many times in her life, Olive had felt awkward or out of place in the company of another person. So many times, she’d seentheir eyes cloud over as she spoke about things which interestedher. But here was a man who could admit his own awkwardness, and she thought she might love him for that.
Determined to show him he had nothing to feel awkward about, Olive stepped closer. “Of course I came. What are you preparing?”
He was standing beside one of the tables, and as she approached, she saw he’d spread out charts, which were anchored down by books.
With a little flourish, he invited her closer. “The rain doesnae look to stop anytime soon, so we have some peace. I brought out the charts and maps of the excavation Lady Dumpkins let me access. We can see what ye think about the possibility of another goldensphaera.”He made a show of looking under her arm and behind her. “Ye didnae bring yer paper?”
She smacked her forehead, which caused him to chuckle.
“Oh, Phineas. I forgot! I am sorry. I did not think you really wanted to?—”
Gently, he took her hand, interrupting her. “Of course I want to read it. But ye dinnae have to fetch it now; there’ll be plenty of time for that later.” He squeezed her hand. “Never doubt I’m interested in everything going on in that magnificent mind of yers, Olive.”
She felt the blush start somewhere around her toes and work its way up past her knees, then her middle—could nipples blush? Interesting question—and her neck.
“And I confess,” he murmured, his eyes on her lips, “I love the way ye say my name.”
Oh.
Oh my.
Suddenly, he turned from her and reached for the lamp, drawing it closer to the middle of the table. She stood there, breathing heavily, her entire being focused on the memory of his fingers on hers, and watched him.
Today he was wearing a tailored tweed suit, which made him look very much the academic. She liked the way he looked almost as much as him in a kilt. Unconsciously, her gaze dropped to his knees, and she was a little disappointed not to see any skin.
Hussy.
The thought made her snicker softly.
“Well, I’m glad to see ye’re excited about all this research,” he said, shifting more lamps to the table. “Without the sun, it’ll be dark, but?—”
“It will be cozy,” she corrected, suddenly excited to get to work. “Tell me what we are looking at here.”
He watched her for a moment longer than expected, but when his chin dropped, she had the impression it was in approval. “Let’s start with this map. It’s the overall excavation.”
And so the pair of them settled in front of the charts, bending over the table, their heads close together. Phineas pulled out a magnifying glass for her and pointed out the areas of interest as the two of them shifted around the table so they could stab excitedly at various landmarks.
Olive had been to the ruins several times since arriving at Dumpkins and knew he had as well. They were able to compare the charts to what remained and extrapolate the rest. Phineas showed her the location of the first goldensphaeraand lamented the second was likely lost to posterity.
“Perhaps,” she murmured in agreement, “but if it was not excavated with the last dig, and it is still there, we will find it!”
Eventually they settled in front of a fire one of the servants had built up, each with a pile of books spread out around them. Olive noticed she was focusing on architecture, while he was reading excavation notes from archeological digs as far away as North Africa.
The sight was a reminder that she was sitting besidetheAberdeen Jones. And he was not only as fascinating as she’d imagined, but he was interested in her and her opinions as well! Her friends had always loved and supported her, but they had viewed her as some sort of endearing foreigner as they had no idea what she was talking about half the time.
