“That’s why I love you,” Matt said with a smile. His brown eyes sparkled with pleasure. “As long as you’re cooking there’ll always be joy in the world.”
Eloise grinned as heat bloomed in her cheeks. Matt was a wonderful man whose flirtatious nature always brightened her day. The two had formed a close bond during her employment, which was something Eloise valued simply because it made being far from home so much easier.
“I met the youngest Townsbridge son last night,” Eloise said while piling the eggs and bacon onto a serving dish. She went to select a couple of tomatoes which she proceeded to slice while toasting some bread in the leftover fat. “He came to get a late night snack.”
Matt’s eyebrows rose. “Uh oh.”
Eloise chuckled and started arranging the tomato slices next to the eggs and bacon. “He was pleasant enough once he realized I was serious about him not meddling with my kitchen.”
“And?”
“Well... He accompanied me to the vegetable market this morning.”
“Oh dear.” This was spoken as a sigh. Matt gave her a pointed stare. “You have to distance yourself immediately, Ellie. Do not let your heart convince you there’s no harm in being his friend or spending more time together, because, I swear to you, this will be an impossible road for you to walk. It can only lead to disaster.”
Eloise bit her lip. “I know. You’re right. It is just—”
“He’s a wealthy bachelor who’s destined to marry an equally wealthy lady of high standing. You can never hope to be more than a brief affair, if even that.” He caught her hand and squeezed it. “If you allow yourself to form an attachment with him, you risk losing your job along with the good opinion of your employers. Is that what you want?”
“Of course not.”
“Good.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Then stick with me instead and avoid Mr. Townsbridge.”
It was sound advice, so Eloise nodded and handed Matt the serving dish she’d prepared. “This is ready to be taken upstairs.”
He winked at her and headed off. Eloise paused for a moment to ponder his words. Mr. Townsbridge was both handsome and charming. It was only natural for her to respond toward him as she did. But with every additional encounter, the risk of her developing feelings for him would increase, and Matt’s prediction of where that could lead was nothing short of terrifying.
Determined to keep both feet firmly planted on solid ground, Eloise told herself to forget about Mr. Townsbridge this instant. She had lunch and dinner to prepare – tasks that were sure to keep her fully occupied for the rest of the day.
#
ONE WOULD THINK EGGSand bacon was a simple, uncomplicated dish that generally tasted the same no matter who prepared it. The moment William took the first bite of his breakfast, however, he knew this was incorrect. Mrs. Lamont’s eggs and bacon outranked all of his previous servings by miles. The bacon was perfect – crisp and golden – and the eggs slightly fluffy somehow. He’d no idea how she’d managed that but he made a mental note to complement her achievement the next time he saw her.
Happy with this decision, he wished his parents and sisters a good day, excused himself from the table, and went to call on his brothers. Athena’s eyes narrowed on him as he strode toward the door. William simply smirked and snatched an extra piece of bacon from the sideboard on his way out the room. She could wonder all she liked about his exceptionally good mood. He certainly wasn’t about to mention his run-ins with Mrs. Lamont.
He halted in the process of putting on his gloves and wondered what her given name might be.I’ll figure it out. Satisfied with this newfound goal, he donned his hat and left. Fifteen minutes later, he was standing in his oldest brother’s study.
“Perhaps we should call on James together,” Charles said in reference to their middle brother. “Otherwise, you’ll just have to repeat the account of your time abroad yet again.”
“It would also be nice for the three of us to spend time together the way we once used to.”
“Agreed,” Charles said.
They stepped out into the hallway but didn’t even reach the front door before two small bodies careened toward them with shouts of glee. Miniature hands and fingers clasped at Charles until he lifted his son and daughter up into his arms for a hug.
William watched with amusement and, he’d later recall, with an odd ache somewhere near his heart. He’d greeted his niece and nephew along with their mother, Bethany, when he’d arrived, but this show of affection was something else entirely.
Perhaps, he mused, nothing would ever be as before. His brothers were married now with wives and children of their own. Their loyalties had shifted and William acknowledged that it would never truly be the three of them against the world again. But they might be able to offer some valuable help and advice.
“What do you think of Mama and Papa’s new cook?” he asked once he and Charles had set off at a casual pace. James’ newly acquired townhouse wasn’t far. They’d reach it in less than ten minutes.
Charles met James’s gaze with a raised eyebrow before facing forward once more. “She’s not what one would expect.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“Her cooking is superb,” Charles added.
“It certainly is.”
