Page 41 of The Mad Marchams

“It’s not that easy.” She sighed. “I’m not saying I’m irreplaceable, but we’ve worked together as a team for ten years and so we’ve perfected the ability to get projects completed in the fastest time possible.”

“I bet.” He finally got in under the covers and lay back on his pillows, hands behind his head. “Can you work remotely?”

“I could, but I don’t want to. If I agreed to remote work, it wouldn’t be long before Joss demanded I attend in-person meetings and act as a representative for clients.” She looked at him over the top of her glasses. “I’m the least nerdy one of the group and can survive in daylight.”

He took her hand. “Are you worried about finances? I mean, are you okay for the rent on your apartment while you’re over here not working and all that kind of thing?”

“My sister’s staying at my place, so I’m good.” She hesitated. “And, as I keep trying to tell you, I do have money in the bank.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Colin brought her fingers to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “I’d hate to think I was causing you problems.”

“You’re the least of my problems.” Mabel said. “In fact, you’ve helped me get out of that narrow box I was increasingly feeling trapped in and shown me a whole different world.”

He found himself gazing into her hazel eyes. “Really?”

“Yes.”

“Me?”

She gently bopped him on the nose. “Don’t go all British on me right now, okay? I had enough of that from Felicity this afternoon.”

“It’s hard not to,” he confessed. “Years of training and all that.”

“You make me happy. I’m enjoying this time with you, and I’d like to stay right here.” For the first time she looked a little uncertain. “If that’s okay with you?”

“Mabel.” He removed her glasses and framed her beautiful face in his hands. “That’s the loveliest thing anyone has ever said to me in my life.”

She leaned in and touched her mouth against his.

“Are you tired, Colin?”

“Not really.”

“Good.”

Her smile was wicked as she drew him down, and Colin forgot everything else but being in her arms. He loved her. He’d find a way to make his home secure and then offer her everything on bended knee.

Mabel rose early and left Colin sleeping in the vast bed. Dealing with Joss’s passive aggressiveness had unsettled her. Taking a walk around the estate was a good way of dealing with stress, and she found herself walking to the main house with the vague idea that she could gather up some of the many dogs and take them out. She’d heard Felicity complain that, since her father had become bedridden, the dogs weren’t getting much exercise.

The kitchen door was ajar as usual, so she went in and followed the echoing tiled passageway past the old scullery, the laundry, and what Colin had referred to as the silver polishing room to the central part of the kitchen. She stopped at the door as she spotted the earl’s valet Bartle pouring boiling water from one of the kettles into a spindly china teapot.

“Good morning, Miss Mabel. And how are you this fine day?”

“Very well, thank you.” Mabel beamed at him. “I came to see if any of the dogs wanted walking.”

“That would be very good of you, miss. I was just about to take his lordship’s tea up and let them out.” He set a teacup and saucer on the tray along with a jug of milk and the morning papers.

“I’ll wait, then.”

“I won’t be more than five minutes.”

Mabel spent the time trying to figure out what all the various hooks and crevices around the stove had been used for. She heard the clattering of claws on the stairs before she saw the dogs.

“His lordship says to thank you,” Bartle reported. “And he also asked me if you’d pass this telephone message over to the young master.” He handed Mabel a folded piece of paper. “One of the shareholders of the bank who is a personal friend of the earl rang here last night about the loan.”

“Was the earl aware that Colin had asked for one?” Mabel said.

“Oh, yes, indeed.” Bartle nodded vigorously. “But he wants Mr. Colin to deal with the business himself, which is why I’m passing the message over to you.” He bowed. “You can rely on my discretion in this matter, Miss. No one will hear anything about this from me I assure you.”