Her shoulders hunched, then fell.
“Perhaps we should start with the gardens instead?” she suggested sweetly, and he almost chuckled despite himself.
“Yes, the outdoors might be more refreshing,” he added, equally as sweetly.
By the time they moved past the other rooms, her responses to his many questions had grown clipped, and her shoulders became rigid with suppressed irritation. He enjoyed provoking her far more than he should.
Blaise inclined his head, following her out through the French doors. The gardens were modest but clearly loved. The neat paths had a few hardy blooms pushing through despite their slight neglect. Iris walked ahead, her posture straight and chin lifted.
She stopped at a nearby wall and began speaking of her plans with genuine warmth. “I intend to plant more roses myself along this wall.” She gestured toward a sunny patch on the wall. “They will climb beautifully once established. I have already sketched a layout.”
“Gardening is hardly a lady’s job,” Blaise remarked, watching her reaction closely.
Iris turned to him, a surprised laugh escaping her lips. The sound was bright and genuine, catching him off guard.
“There are many things ladies do that men are supposed to handle,Blaise,” she countered, eyes sparkling with challenge.
This time, his breath caught at the way she mentioned his name in such a playful manner. She was truly beginning to intrigue him, and it both frightened and excited him.
“Such as?” he probed.
“Oh, I do not know… Perhaps running a household on nearly nothing,” she said without hesitation. “Paying off mountains of debts with just my dowry. Fixing a house that should have crumbled years ago. To name only a few.”
Blaise looked within her fiery eyes, and something unfamiliar twisted low in his chest.
“Have I said something wrong, Your Grace?”
“No,” he replied quietly. “I was merely thinking about what you just said.”
He studied her for a moment, then glanced around the gardens. They were quite alone; the house was vast enough that no servants lingered nearby. Blaise slowly closed the distance between them until their arms grazed each other.
“I hope mysmallplans will meet your standards and satisfy you,” she said in a small voice, but a touch of defiance still remained in her tone.
Blaise dropped his voice to a low rumble. “Even if this house never fully satisfies me, Little Blossom. In less than a month, you will satisfy me very thoroughly indeed. Just as you promised.”
Color flooded her cheeks instantly, a deep, rosy blush that spread down her neck and disappeared beneath her bodice. He savored the sight and the way her breath hitched. His eyes dropped to where her fingers twisted in her skirts.
“You look exquisite when flustered.” He could not hide his own arousal in his voice.
Iris parted her lips, but before she could speak, Mrs. Henkings appeared on the garden path, approaching with careful steps.
“Your Grace,” the housekeeper said. “Pardon my intrusion; the workmen have arrived, and the cook would like to know what time you would like breakfast served tomorrow?”
“Nine o’clock,” Blaise replied without taking his eyes off Iris.
Mrs. Henkings quietly left them alone, and Blaise leaned closer to Iris, inhaling her scent deeply.
“Well, it seems that we will see yoursmallplans come to life now,” he whispered softly, and her amber eyes dropped to his lips.
Blaise smirked, but his smile disappeared when Iris suddenly leaned closer to him with a daring look in her eyes.
“Indeed, Your Grace, and I look forward to it.” Her sultry voice wrapped around him before she whipped around and stormed away from him.
Blaise chuckled. “This ought to be a riot.”
CHAPTER 10
“No. I specifically asked for a lighter paint.” Iris stood in the drawing room, arms crossed tightly over her chest, watching with growing dismay as the laborers ruthlessly tore down the old draperies.
