Avoiding further eye contact, she busied herself with putting the tin away. “I have an early morning so I must be off now.”
“Won’t you keep me company while I eat?”
Eloise swallowed. “Non.” She closed the cupboard and forced her feet to move toward the door. Reaching it, she paused to say, “It was interesting to meet you, Mr. Townsbridge. I hope you enjoy your snack.”
She turned away.
“I trust your husband is also in my parents’ employ?”
“No. I’m not...” Too late, she realized what she’d revealed. Cooks were always referred to as Mrs., no matter their marital status, and keeping Mr. Townsbridge in the dark about hers would have served as a useful line of defense. If she’d been wise enough to leave him wondering, that was, or even better if she’d lied.
“Duly noted.”
The comment chased her out of the kitchen and into the servants’ stairwell, all the way up to her room on the top floor of the house. She didn’t pause for breath until she was safely inside with the door shut. Good heavens. The way he’d said that, with seductive promise, was enough to set her ablaze.
She patted her cheeks and expelled a deep breath.
No.
She absolutely could not allow herself to be alone with that man ever again. Not only because of the threat he posed to her job but because of what she feared he might want. And judging by how quickly he’d replaced her indignation with amusement, she worried he had the skill to acquire whatever he might desire.
Which meant she would have to avoid him at all cost.
#
ACCUSTOMED TO RISINGearly for work, William woke before six the following morning. Stretching his arms up over his head, he thought back on the previous day’s events and smiled. Mrs. Lamont had been a delightful surprise. She’d obviously wanted to smack him for some of the things he’d said and how he’d behaved, and frankly he could not blame her. But that hadn’t made her ire any less thrilling.
William sat and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Her playful side had been alluring. The sense of humor she’d revealed, a combination of sarcastic wit and self-deprecating quips, like a cool refreshment on a hot summer’s day. With a few clever retorts, she’d made him laugh more openly than he could remember doing since he was a child. She’d been fun, her company allowing him to escape for the briefest of moments the staid restraint he invariably felt subjected to on account of his position.
And then, of course, there was her appearance. When he’d first laid eyes upon her, he’d quite forgotten himself. Petite, with dark curls scrunched up into a knot at the back of her head, piercing blue eyes and rose colored lips, she was quite possibly the most stunning woman he’d ever seen.
And you can’t have her.
No. Of course he couldn’t. Not that his interests in her lay in that direction anyway. She was the cook, for heaven’s sake. He was just pleased with her culinary skills and the fact that he had the chance to enjoy them. Beyond that, there was nothing at all.
Of course, if she’d been a lady he might have considered the possibility of courtship at some point in the distant future. But she wasn’t. She was an employee. Nothing more. End of story.
He stood, considered ringing for the footman who always served as his valet when he was in Town, and dismissed the notion on account of the hour. He was a grown man, for heaven’s sake. He knew how to dress himself. And Mrs. Lamont was of no interest to him at all. Her unmarried state was inconsequential. She was completely uninteresting to him.
Yes. And the sky is also green, you idiot.
William shook his head and dressed. He would simply have to avoid her from now on. Shouldn’t be hard as long as he kept himself out of the kitchen. Right. Excellent plan.
He left his room and went downstairs. Breakfast wouldn’t be served until nine, which gave him more than two hours to kill. And since the newspaper hadn’t arrived yet either, judging from the empty spot next to his father’s place setting at the table, few options remained.
With this in mind, William strode toward the front door. He’d go for a walk, get some fresh air. Hyde Park was a good half hour away on foot. By the time he got there, took a turn of his favorite path, and made his way back, breakfast would almost be ready. It was a perfect plan.
Happy with his decision, he grabbed his hat and gloves from a cabinet in the foyer and put them on. He then exited the house and was just descending the front steps when he spied Mrs. Lamont coming up the servants’ stairs at the very same time. And just like that, whatever thoughts he’d had of avoiding her flew away like a migrating bird.
“Good morning,” he said, pausing to wait while she opened the gate in the wrought iron fence that bordered the servants’ entrance.
She glanced up. Hesitation and wariness filled her eyes. A tight smile finally caught the edge of her mouth. “Bonjour.”
“I trust you slept well,” he said, falling into step beside her once she’d closed the gate and commenced walking.
“Indeed.” Her eyes were trained upon the horizon. Whatever hints of amusement she’d allowed herself to reveal last night were locked away now, that much was clear.
The sudden urge to poke her until she either exploded with laughter or fury was far too tempting. William cleared his throat. “Excellent weather, wouldn’t you say?”
