“Oh! Is Wright a relation to you?” she said.
“No,” Justin said, amused. “I am one of the partners in the firm.”
“Goodness,” Cordelia replied. Justin did not want to admit that he felt some satisfaction at her surprise. “Are they missing you terribly?”
“Not terribly, though I was in the middle of a few large projects when I was called to leave. I am not sure one can be a duke and an employed architect.”
“You are certainly putting your skills to use here, at Hollyhead,” Cordelia said. “I think many of the famers were quite impressed with the plans you have for this estate.”
“I think they were rather happy to see a familiar face,” Justin said.
Cordelia reddened, picking a piece of lint off her skirt. “You did very well with them today,” she whispered. “I confess, I never knew the state of Hollyhead’s finances until the will reading. I think the tenants are happy to have someone finally listen to them, and to offer a solution to a persistent problem, rather than continue to stall rents and hope for a miracle.”
“I must admit, Lady Cordelia,” Justin said, “I could have never imagined you saying such words to me when we first met.”
Has your opinion changed of me?It was what he really wanted to ask.Still hung up on your wayward earl?
Instead, she shrugged her shoulders. “I would not be so quick, Mr. Wright. We still have a major construction project tocomplete and a ball to plan. There’s plenty of time for me to snatch the sentiment back.”
At that, Justin laughed and Cordelia joined in. “Well, if we are to survive these things with our truce intact, there is one thing I must absolutely ask of you.”
“And what could that be?” she questioned with a glint in her deep brown eyes.
“Call me Justin.”
Cordelia smiled and Justin felt a very familiar heat wash over him.
“Cordelia,” she replied finally, holding out her hand. “Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot.”
“More like someone was thrown off the wrong horse,” Justin said, taking her palm in his and shaking it firmly.
To his relief, the corners of her mouth turned up in a sly smile.
“What could you two be discussing that is so comical?” Peverill chimed in. “Care to let us join in?”
“Not on your life,” Justin replied, which earned a grin from Peverill and two sets of glares from Portia and Lady Billings. Standing, he offered Cordelia his arm and she took it readily.
Chapter Fourteen
Cordelia gave upon her riding habits. They were far too well-made for the kind of work the duke had put her to. Every morning she rose with the dawn, putting on a plain dress and pinning her hair back into a serviceable bun. Portia would have shivered to know that Cordelia was looking forward to meeting the duke. In fact, there had been no need to sneak out of Hollyhead in borrowed clothes; the long days and hard riding took care of that. She went to sleep with a delicious exhaustion and rose with a new purpose.
After splashing some water on her face, she checked her reflection in the mirror, thinking she really ought to put on some earrings, or powder her face. Her whole life, Lady Billings had taught her how one should present oneself in front of a man. Since she was unattached, every meeting needed to be perfectly orchestrated, from the turn of her cheek to the color frock she wore (ideally something that brought out her eyes, but nothing too scandalous, like red).
But Justin couldn’t care less about all of that. He was so engrossed in the management of the estate that he hardly spared a glance at her. It was rather refreshing, being able to drop the pretentiousness that came with being a woman in society.
Reaching for a jacket and her riding crop, Cordelia skipped down the corridor, pausing before the library. She touched the doorknob, knowing that she ought to spend some time decodingthe secrets that resided in theComplete Works of Shakespeare, but there had been hardly any time. She was often too exhausted in the evenings to sneak into the library to puzzle over the pages.
Soon, she promised again, and made her way to the kitchens.
“Good morning, Your Grace,” she said, swinging open the door.
Justin, who had been laughing with Dolly about something, nodded at her. He was always awake before her, though she knew he went to bed late. Mrs. Norris had been the source of that intelligence. She wondered why he would be working so hard to fix a project he saw no future in, but in her secret heart she hoped he might be growing to love the estate… and if not love it, at least see her attachment to it.
“Morning,” he replied.
“We should stop at the Fosters’ first,” Cordelia suggested, pouring herself a cup of tea. “I’ve also drafted the script for the invitations for the ball for you to look over.”
“You’ll put my secretary out of work, Miss Nichols,” the duke replied, his blue eyes alight. He was all jovial manners in the morning, but Cordelia saw dark circles beginning to form under his eyes.
