Many women had stirred Seth’s anger and his passions, but never had one stirred both at the same time. It was damned frustrating.
“Up to the ankles is too far,” he said, rekindling his annoyance at what had happened. “I suppose I must take some of the blame. I should have never agreed to your terms of letting the boys go outside to play.”
“Not letting them play outside for a little while is simply too harsh, my lord.”
“Cold, wet feet can make a child sick.”
“So can overprotective uncles,” she shot right back at him with her eyes suddenly flashing.
Am I? Maybe? A little?
No, he was simply trying to keep them safe. Lillian was wrong. His only goal was to see the lads to adulthood. They were boys. They ran, they jumped off things, they tussled. He didn’t know any way to take care of them other than govern their every move.
Lillian sighed softly. “I had bent down to retie Heron’s shoe and didn’t realize Fallon had wandered so close to the edge.”
“So you admit you took your eyes off him,” Seth accused.
“Yes. For a moment only,” she countered, her voice rising. “He was never in any danger. We brought him straight home and changed his shoes and socks. There’s no reason Fallon should get sick from this incident.”
“The lads’ parents were stranded in a freezing rain overnight.” His voice rose hotly too. “They both caught a chill and died within days of each other. So there may be no reason he should get sick, but I know it can happen.”
Her face softened. A flush heated her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know how they—died.”
“Now you know why I’m so protective,” he said in a softer voice. “I won’t let that happen to them.”
“Yes. Of course, you’d want to be careful considering what happened to their parents. To reassure you, I’ll say again, his feet were not wet nor cold for long.”
He gave her an unwavering stare, but finally said, “And perhaps I do overreact at times.”
She was contrite enough not to nod in agreement before asking, “Was there anything else wrong? Did I miss any of their lesson?”
No.“Not that I noticed.”
“That’s good at least.” Lillian started pressing her fingers into her other glove, wrinkling her brow as she did so. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if I had. It was downright scandalous how much work you gave them to do. If they keep learning at the rate you have them going, Eton will have nothing to teach them and they’ll be bored to distraction.”
Am I really that hard on them?All he knew was that suddenly two young boys, through no fault of their own, were thrust upon him. The only thing he knew to do was instruct them the way he had been taught when he was growing up. He’d certainly turned out all right.
Hellfire, it wasn’t that he wanted to be harsh, but he’d promised his sister the lads would not grow up wastrels. Each child would inherit a large fortune when he came of age. Seth had to see to it they knew how to respect it and manage it.
To Lillian he said, “Then I’ll consider I’ve kept my vow.”
“Have no fear on that, my lord.”
Seth’s gaze swept over her lovely face. Once again he had a great urge to pull her into his arms. “I should thank you for taking the lads on the carriage ride. They had a pleasurable afternoon of trying to catch snow in their mouths and rolling down hills.”
He loved the way her mouth formed a silent O. It made her beautiful lips look like a rosebud, and so kissable he wasn’t sure he could restrain himself any longer.
“Yes, I thought they enjoyed it very much too.”
She looked down at her glove as she slowly slid it up her arm, over her elbow to straighten it below the shoulder. Seth didn’t know watching a lady putting on a glove could arouse him so quickly and so thoroughly. From the first time he caught sight of her, his attraction had been instant and continuous. Every move she made seduced him. Even angry, he wanted to wrap her in his arms and breathe in her warm womanly scent.
“I’m going into the village with the other ladies tomorrow, but I can help you with them the day after if you would like.”
His gaze drifted to her lips again. “I can manage.”
“All right,” she said cautiously.
“On Sunday, I thought I’d take them to the paddock to see Crispin’s horses.”
