Eloise’s cheeks pinkened and she averted her gaze. Appreciation warmed a place deep within William, filling him with pleasure and satisfaction. The carriage rolled onward at a comfortable speed, and one hour later, they arrived at their destination.
William helped Athena alight first, then extended his hand to Eloise. She hesitated briefly before accepting his help. Her fingers clasped his and a shock of heat raced up his arm. She sucked in a breath, her startled gaze found his, and William’s heart soared.
Whatever doubts he might have had about her returning his regard were extinguished in that moment. She would be his. She had to be. He certainly wasn’t about to let Matt steal her away.
Determined not to let thoughts of the young, cheerful, and dashingly handsome footman dampen his mood, William went to help the driver unload the picnic basket and blanket from the boot. Together, they set everything up while Athena and Eloise took a short stroll.
The spot was extraordinarily picturesque. Grass in various shades of green covered the gently sloping hillside. Clusters of wildflowers added splotches of red, blue, yellow, and lilac. A brook wound its way past the foot of the hill. A thick copse of trees stood immediately beyond it, and a gentle breeze added a pleasant coolness to the air. Had he been an artist skilled in oils or watercolors, this would have made the perfect location for a landscape painting.
“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” Athena asked in a rush as she came to join him. Eloise trailed behind, her pace more careful and calm.
“You certainly have an excellent selection of flowers here,” William agreed.
“Yes. Let’s eat so I can start gathering them.” Athena plopped down on one corner of the blanket and eagerly opened the basket. “Will the two of you not join me?”
William waited for Eloise to take a seat before he, too, lowered himself to the ground. There was something about her today – a timidity of sorts. It was thoroughly charming and yet so unlike the feisty woman he knew her to be. In all likelihood, his presence unnerved her. Perhaps because she knew he’d almost kissed her the other day?
Reminded of the incident, he accepted the plate his sister had filled for him and said, “Mama says she’s having a charity event next week.”
Eloise kept her eyes carefully averted from his, but the color in her cheeks deepened.
“So she is,” Athena said. She tried a piece of pie and sighed with appreciation. “This is so good, Eloise.”
“Thank you.” Eloise added a smile.
“Apparently, she hasn’t had one in over a month,” William said. He opened the bottle of wine they’d brought and poured a glass for each of them. “Which would mean she didn’t have one this week.”
Athena chewed on another bite of pie while narrowing her gaze. “Whatever are you getting at, Will?”
“Oh, nothing.” He grabbed the chicken leg he’d been given and eyed Eloise while munching on it. Eventually he said. “I do hope Mama will inform you of the number of guests she’s expecting, so you’ll have enough time to make each of them a bread roll.”
“Bread roll?” Eloise asked. She finally looked at him with what appeared to be wide-eyed confusion, only there was mischief there – laughter directed at him. “This is to be a charity event, not a dinner party.”
“So there will be no bread rolls?” William asked.
“I think we’ve established as much,” Athena muttered.
“On the contrary,” Eloise said, “I shall make petits fours and tiny little sandwiches for the guests to pick at.”
So shehadbeen toying with him. He’d known she had to some degree when he’d wished his mother good luck with the event four days earlier, and he’d learned it wasn’t for another week. Apparently, her teasing had gone even further than he’d realized. He’d circle back to that amusing fact later. For now, he was far more interested in getting to know Eloise better.
“How did you become a cook?” he asked her boldly.
She seemed to mull the question over for a moment before confessing, “Mygrand-pèretaught me.”
“Your grandfather?” This, William hadn’t expected.
“He was a chef,” Athena explained as if she knew all there was to know about Eloise’s family history.
Annoyed for some absurd reason, William frowned. “At a restaurant or—”
“He worked for a family. Much like I do.”
Athena pursed her lips while glancing at Eloise. It looked as though there was something she wanted to add, but in the end his sister kept silent and returned her attention to her food.
“I see,” William said, even though a sneaking suspicion growing inside him insisted he was missing something – a key piece being held beyond his reach. “He’s retired now, I gather?”
“Indeed.” Something akin to pain flickered in her eyes for the briefest second before it vanished once more. She ate some bread and a sliver of cheese before adding, “His health hasn’t been the best this past year, but at least my parents are there to support him and offer whatever assistance he needs.”
