Page 24 of Barbarous

Only Hugh wore his customary smile, as if he knew she was trying to run and hide.

“It just so happens I had an idea to visit London myself, Richard. I’m sure we will see each other in town,” Hugh added, his words easing their crestfallen expressions even though both boys still stared at her.

“We shan’t leave for London immediately.” Nobody spoke and Daphne sighed, defeated. “Certainly not before the end of the month.”

The twins looked relieved, but Hugh’s smile grew larger, as if he couldn’t wait to hear what she had to say next.

Naturally she didn’t want to disappoint.

“Now that you’ve returned to England, perhaps you might take some interest in your uncle’s estates.” Daphne bit her tongue; she’d meant to introduce the subject in a subtle fashion, not hurl it at his head like a brick. The room was silent but for the muted voices of inn customers in the adjacent taproom. She glanced around the table: Rowena scowled, the boys tilted their heads, and Hugh cocked an eyebrow.

“It would allow me to spend more time on my studies,” she explained.

Hugh’s second eyebrow joined the first.

“It is not only Lessing Hall I must see to, but all the other properties. All five of them.” Must she sound so desperate? “Randall is an excellent steward but he is stretched rather thin. He has already requested some assistance. Naturally I would spend time familiarizing you with Lessing Hall’s operations. It would be a great help,” she repeated when he appeared to have gone mute. “Particularly if I decide to spend some of the year in London. Or elsewhere.” She clamped her jaws tightly together to stop the flow of blather.

A crease had formed between his eyes and his expression was very different from his usual teasing look. “I am your servant, ma’am.”

Daphne shut her mouth and vowed to keep it shut for at least the rest of the afternoon. First she’d made plans to get away from the distracting man, and then she’d offered to spend more time with him showing him the workings of the estate.

Who knew what she’d say if she kept talking?

Chapter Seven

Hugh’s presence was not as disruptive as Daphne had initially feared. She spent part of each morning with Hugh and Randall—her overworked steward—who was overjoyed at the prospect of some assistance. The unseasonably warm spring weather disappeared as suddenly as it had come, keeping the three of them inside and studying the daunting bookwork for the properties while they waited for a break in the wretched weather to inspect the estate.

Randall’s presence kept Hugh from being a dreadful tease—for the most part—and also prevented Daphne from behaving like a besotted fool. For the most part.

Their afternoons were spent separately, Hugh managing his business—which seemed to involve a great deal of correspondence—and Daphne working on her most recent paper and taking care of the usual household tasks.

The evenings still presented something of a danger in terms of spending too much time with him, but Lady Amelia had suddenly decided to put in an appearance every evening, and Hugh did not again request Daphne’s presence in the music room.

They saw each other so infrequently that Daphne almost wondered if he was avoiding her just as much as she was him.

As a result, the days fell into a comfortable pattern, until the third week after Hugh’s arrival, when blue sky began peeking through the clouds, heralding a change in more than just the weather.

It was noon and Daphne was in the smallest sitting room, where she’d come to work on her paper. Instead of drafting her conclusion, however, she was rereading The Critique of Pure Reason. The beautiful logic in the book was a balm to her fevered brain and she was deep in thought when something disturbed her and she looked up to find Hugh leaning against the door.

“Oh!”

“I’m sorry to startle you. I knocked several times, but there was no answer.” His arms were crossed over his chest, as if to barricade the door with his big body. He was frowning. “I must say I am severely disappointed.”

Daphne’s heart froze and her mind skittered like a frightened rodent.

Good Lord! Had he found out? Had—

He grinned at whatever it was he saw on her face and a wave of near-crippling relief—mingled with annoyance—rose in her throat and she closed her book with a snap.

“Disappointed, my lord? At what? Seeing a woman reading a book?”

“Well, there is that.” He pushed off the door and commenced to prowl, inspecting random items in a distracting fashion that made her entire body tense before finally stopping in front of the settee on which she was seated. He reached down and gently prodded the book she was clutching, cocking his head until he could read the title.

“Hmm.” His expressive eyebrows shot up. “A little light reading?”

Daphne clutched the book more tightly and fixed him with the haughtiest look she could muster. “Yes, well, I’m afraid I’ve already dashed through this month’s issue of The Lady’s Magazine.”

His sensual lips curved and smile lines bracketed his beautiful mouth.