Page 22 of Waiting for Love

He faced her again, his muscle still ticking. “I will thank you to leave Hannah to Miss Jamison’s care and to mine.”

It felt so much like a slap that her head snapped back. His eyes widened, then his gaze dropped.

“Please don’t give her any more gifts,” he murmured. He placed the hairpin against her palm and, with surprising gentleness, closed her fingers around it. The warmth of his hand rippled through her. She wanted to speak but couldn’t think of the right words to say.

He let go and walked away, taking the warmth away with him.

Chapter Nine

He was not wrong. Benjamin knew he was not wrong. Hannah’s mother was dead because of his gold lust. They had nearly all died. It was not a game.

But Olivia didn’t know that. There was no excuse for snapping at her.

However, remorse—even if he could make amends, which he doubted—was not a priority. Jasper was back, and he was a conscientious lord who meant to stay abreast of his estate’s affairs. That meant Benjamin’s time was fully occupied.

For three or four hours each morning, Benjamin joined him in his study. Even though it was December, the spacious room was warm and full of morning light. Jasper sat behind a formidable desk of an unusual honey-colored maple. Nothing was changed from the old earl’s time, not that Benjamin could discern, except for Jasper’s square-armed chair, whose lack of wear and faint scent of leather spoke of newness. Benjamin’s old chair was a lightweight thing he could pull up to the desk, making it easy for them to put their heads together.

After Jasper did his part, he dismissed Benjamin, leaving him to follow up on what they had begun. Jasper either remained in the study to read his political papers, or left to attend to other matters.

In addition to paperwork, every few days they rode about the property. Jasper pointed out what needed attention, or, more often now, Benjamin pointed out things to him. They got on comfortably even if Jasper persisted in calling him Benjamin and he consistently responded with “Iversley,” or worse, “my lord.”

There had been only two bothersome exchanges. Bothersome to Benjamin, who felt put in his place. True to form, Jasper seemed to consider each incident settled and done.

The first was when Jasper asked what had happened with Everet.

“Taken care of,” Benjamin replied.

To his discomfiture, Jasper regarded him with a flat stare until he explained. Unlike Olivia’s quick understanding, Jasper was angered.

“Why,” he asked, “would you think I would wish to be a party to your selling of counterfeit pelts to some crook in London?”

When he put it like that… “Technically, Iversley, the animals are yours. It would be criminal for Everet to sell your property and pocket all the proceeds.”

“You would not take a percentage.”

“Of course not!”

“But you imagine I would sell my good name for a few shillings?”

“No one will know—”

“Oh, for God’s sake, Benjamin. If I had thought you would engage in ‘no one will know,’ I would not have—” He halted before finishing the thought. Then said, jaw tight, “Is there anything else I should know?”

Benjamin made a quick accounting of his conscience, then said, “No, my lord.”

“All right.” Jasper pulled on his earlobe, a habit that meant he was thinking. His scowl slowly faded. “If you feel you must sell the pelts, give all the ill-gotten gains to Everet. I suppose it is better than his dealing in live badgers. But Benjamin, don’t do anything like this again.”

And then, another morning, they had an even more uncomfortable discussion.

Before settling in to the day’s work, Jasper looked up from the coffee cup poised at his lips. “I understand you fired Henley?”

“Yes, my lord.” He hesitated. “I’m afraid it was necessary.”

“Was he bothering Olivia again?”

Bloody hell! “What in the blazes do you mean by again?”

Jasper’s eyes narrowed. He set down his cup. “He made disparaging remarks about ladies riding. Olivia took offense. It wasn’t anything…depraved. I told him to stop and assumed he did.” His mouth pursed. “If Olivia didn’t complain about him, what was the trouble? You know George has come to rely upon him, and he was in line to take over.”