Page 33 of An Affair at Stonecliffe

“You mean the heavy-handed display of grandeur and wealth?” He smiled.

“Yes.” She was struck again by what a wonderful smile Carlisle had.

“But are you sure you want to shoulder the task?” He glanced around the room. “Organizing this place could take years.”

“Yes. But it will be years before Gil is grown.”

“Still, it’s a great deal of work. I wouldn’t want you to feel that you must do anything.”

“Are you trying to tell me that this isn’t what a lady should do?”

“No, not at all.” He sighed. “I have an extraordinary talent to phrase things poorly with you. I don’t want you to feel that you must work, must do something to...to pay us back. Or make yourself acceptable.”

“Oh.” Noelle tilted her head to the side, considering. “I hadn’t thought of that, really. The thing is, I’m not very good at just sitting around. This gives me something to do. Besides...” She smiled wryly. “This place disturbs my sense of order. My fingers fairly itch to arrange things.”

“Then I will only thank you and say it is very generous.” Carlisle cast a look around the large room. He crossed his arms, lingering despite his obvious discomfort. After a moment, he said, “I apologize for implying that you would only be interested in the Radcliffe books.”

“Thank you.”

“It isn’t just the Radcliffe remarks, though. If it was only that, it would be a rather simple apology. It’s the things I’ve said to you too many times. The meaning behind my words. I am deeply sorry that I’ve wounded you.” He cleared his throat. “More than once.”

“What you said didn’t matter.” No, it was what he thought that hurt. But she would not let him see that.

“It did matter. Because it hurt you. Because I was wrong to assume—well...the things I believed.”

“You apologized. I accepted it.”

“That may be. But I don’t imagine you’ve forgiven me. I haven’t forgiven myself. Seeing you the past two weeks, seeing your love for your son, your kindness to the countess, your grace and intelligence... I realize how very wrong I was.” Carlisle broke off, swinging away and pacing a few steps before turning back to her. “I know you will not believe it, but I am not someone who looks down on others, who assumes the worst about a person without knowing them. At least, I normally am not. I will admit I am stubborn and probably dictatorial, as well; I am accustomed to having my way, and I don’t enjoy being thwarted. I am proud of my family, but I am proud because of my ancestors’ character, their honor and honesty and courage, not because of a happenstance of birth. I try to be just and fair with everyone I meet.”

“So it is just me in particular?” Noelle teased, her playful tone taking the sting out of her words.

“You are particularly skilled at annoyance, I will admit,” he responded with a little grin. “But none of this was your fault. I made any number of mistakes, not the least of which was blaming you for the schism in my family. You weren’t responsible for Adam’s volatility or Lord Drewsbury’s stubbornness. For my own failure to intervene.”

Noelle would have liked to hold on to her anger and hurt; they had been her support for many years now. However, she could not help but feel touched by Carlisle’s words. “You couldn’t have changed it. You say it wasn’t my fault that Adam and his father quarreled. Well, neither was it yours, any more than saving the situation was your burden.” Noelle couldn’t help but think how Carlisle’s smile had grown increasingly pleasing to her over the passing weeks, how very nice his lips were. She realized she wanted to move closer to him, to make his smile linger and grow.

Carlisle took a step toward her, his voice softer, lower. “I do not want there to be any enmity between us.”

“Nor do I.” She felt a trifle breathless. There was a warmth in his eyes, a look that made her insides tremble.

“Somehow I always seem to say the wrong thing when I am around you. I sound stiff and priggish even to myself,” Carlisle went on. “And I cannot pay you a compliment without it coming out all wrong.”

“You’ve paid me a compliment?” Noelle replied, smiling up at him, her eyes dancing with amusement. Good heavens, was she flirting with Carlisle Thorne? Her nerves were suddenly singing through her body.

“I’ve tried.” The corner of his mouth quirked up, and he shifted subtly closer. “I fear I haven’t succeeded.”

“Perhaps you should try again.” Yes, she was flirting with this dour man. Even more strangely, he was flirting back. It was mad; it was exciting.

“Perhaps I should.” He reached out to touch one of her curls.

So lost was she in his eyes, his hand near her cheek, that it took a few seconds for the sound of hurrying footsteps to register. Noelle and Carlisle sprang apart, staring at each other for a long, stunned moment before turning hastily away. Noelle smoothed her hair and skirts, her pulse all the while beating rapidly. The steps sounded like the countess’s, though far more rapid than her usual pace; Noelle dreaded what Adeline might see in her face.

However, as it turned out, the countess was clearly in too great a panic to notice anything odd about the scene. She rushed into the room, breathless, cheeks flushed. “Carlisle! Oh, Carlisle, the most dreadful thing!”

Noelle’s heart leaped into her throat. Gil! Something had happened to Gil. She started forward, but Carlisle, with his long stride, reached the countess first. “What is it? What’s happened?”

“My mother is coming to visit!”

CHAPTER TWELVE