Page 70 of Aurelia

There was a murmur of excitement at that news.

“That is an excellent notion, Crewe. You could have one in Balcrewe, as well,” Sir Gideon said.

Lord Crewe looked from Aurelia to Sir Gideon and then at the vacant chair. “Do you have any objection to me joining you?”

“Please do,” Aurelia murmured, her pulse already pounding.

“More tea, Betsy,” the earl said, gesturing to their empty cups. “And I’ll have one of those cream cakes. The biggest one,” he added with a grin. “Anyone else?” he asked, looking around at them.

The three of them politely declined.

Once the waitress had left the earl turned to Larissa. “I have not had the pleasure, but I think you must be one of the Misses Cliffords as you resemble your sister, whom I believe was the eldest.”

Larissa blushed under Lord Crewe’s piercing gaze just as every other woman Aurelia had met.

“I am Larissa Clifford. It was indeed Penelope whom you met. We were all most grateful for your intervention when the vicar wanted to—”

“Ah, yes—that foolishness. I’m sorry you had to endure that. And then Talbot here tells me you were attacked the day Miss Burton arrived. Have you had any issues with those boys—or any others—since then?”

“I am pleased to say I have not. I have you to thank for—”

The earl gave a dismissive flick of his hand. “Nonsense. You needn’t thank me for doing my job, part of which is to ensure that people living on my land are safe and unmolested.” He turned to Aurelia. “I went looking for you this morning. I thought perhaps you had ventured out on another rock pool adventure,” he said, his eye hooded as he smiled at her.

Thankfully Betsy arrived just then with a large teapot and an unusually huge cream cake.

“Ah, thank you my dear,” he said. “Will you do the honors and pour, Miss Burton?”

“Of course,” Aurelia murmured, grateful to have something to do other than blush and stare.

“You have been gone quite some time,” Sir Gideon said as the earl attacked his cream cake with gusto.

Her mouth flooded with moisture at the sight of the earl’s defined jaw flexing as he chewed, a smear of cream on his lower lip, which was twice as full as the upper one.

Aurelia had the most shocking urge to lean forward and lick it off.

Thankfully, she did no such thing. Instead, she wrenched her eyes away. And ran smack into Larissa’s knowing gaze.

“Yes. I’ve been gone more than six weeks,” the earl said after a moment. “I’ve been traveling about the country with my tin cup begging for alms.” He took another wolfish bite, his gaze sliding to Aurelia.

“Alms?” Larissa asked, a notch of confusion between her eyes.

“Funding for his next expedition,” Aurelia explained as the earl’s cheeks were currently bulging with cream cake.

“Did you go to London?” Sir Gideon asked.

The earl swallowed and said, “Almost a month there and ten days in Edinburgh. It made me miss home.” He gave Aurelia a brooding look before turning back to Sir Gideon. “What brings you out to Crewe, Talbot? Tea cakes?” He smirked.

“I came to see John Nicholson.” A look of uncharacteristic irritation crossed the handsome baronet’s face. “He is housebound with gout and no longer makes even brief journeys to the mainland. And so I bring my problems to him these days.”

The earl grunted, making no effort to hide his utter disinterest in Sir Gideon’s staffing difficulties. Instead, he turned to Larissa. “How is Miss Pomeroy faring? I know she went to be with her sister some time back.”

“She is fading quickly, my lord. I had a letter from her sister only last week.”

“That is unfortunate. She is a fine woman. At one point I had thought to bring her here for Celsa.”

“She was a lovely, gentle governess and we all adored her,” Larissa said. “I daresay your daughter would have loved her, too.”

“Gentle?” the earl repeated, and then snorted. “Perhaps it would not have been such a good idea after all. Celsa requires somebody with the disposition of a lion tamer.”