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“But what do you think?”
“I think it might have something to do with Jackson.” She shook off her mood and smiled up at him again. “Are you here for anything in particular?”
“I did find out a little more about your sister from Gregson,” and he proceeded to tell her.
After he’d finished she pondered a moment. “I don’t think Rose ever went to the orphanage. Where on earth could she be?”
“Wherever she is I’ll do my best to find her.”
She glanced at him. “I know you’ll do your best, Rufus, but . . . We can’t even seem to find one missing woman, so I can understand how difficult it would be to find a child who disappeared so long ago.”
For a moment her mouth turned down and then she seemed to shake off her sadness. “Eustace and James came for luncheon, did you know?”
“I did,” he said dryly. “Eustace told me how much he enjoyed himself.”
“Hercules loves him, really, and it is no trouble. And James seems to be there more often than Eustace. But I suppose you know that?” She gave him a questioning look.
A couple of giggling women passed them, eyeing Rufus up and down as if he were a piece of meat. It was disconcerting. He took Averil’s arm in a firm grip and led her toward the office and, after peering inside to make sure it was empty, drew her in and closed the door.
“If you want me to warn James off, just say so,” he said, standing so close to her he could smell her scent. Jasmine or something very like it.
“No. I don’t want you to do that. Beth seems very happy, and she is old enough to know her own mind.” Another strand of hair fell down from her pins, and she tucked it behind her ear with the other one.
“Of course she is.”
It occurred to him that James might let slip that Rufus was supposed to be inveigling the Heiress into marriage. Strangely Rufus had forgotten his nefarious plot the moment he saw her. He was far too busy enjoying just being in her company.
Averil took the two steps to the narrow window and peered out. “We’re waiting for Jackson now. Gareth sent him out again. I really don’t think it does much good but Gareth still believes in him.”
“There was something else I came to tell you. My land agent is unable to make the journey down to London just now. It seems he’s injured his leg.” Douglas, his land agent, had still been prepared to travel, but Rufus had suddenly seen the possibilities in having Averil do the traveling, to his home, and had persuaded him not to.
“Oh.” She sounded disappointed. “I mean, I’m sorry to hear he’s unwell, but I was hoping to speak to him as soon as possible. I don’t want Gareth to change his mind again.”
He turned and found she was standing at his side.
“Of course if you are interested in the dower house then the best thing would be for you to visit Southbrook. Then you could see straightaway if the place was suitable.” He let the silence grow, watching her.
Averil thought a moment, reaching up and taking a pin out of her hair and sliding it back in again. Another lock fell down. “I-I don’t know. It’s just, at the moment, with all that’s going on here, I don’t think Gareth will be able to leave.”
Rufus had expected that and he was ready. “What about you? You could come. With Beth, of course. Eustace will have to go home at some point, and James will be staying with him at Southbrook Castle. Doctor Simmons could stay here and look after the Home and we can all go to Southbrook together.”
Her eyes went to his. “I don’t think that would be proper.”
Rufus smiled. He was ready for this, too. “My great-aunt Mildred will be in residence, Averil,” he said silkily. “She’s very proper. She married a lord who was very proper, too. Far more proper than the rest of my family.”
“Yes.” Averil took a breath. “I suppose that would be considered acceptable.”
“Good.” His voice dropped.
Another lock of hair began to slip from her pins and he watched it fall. He couldn’t help himself; he reached out and tucked it behind her ear.
She stilled, her gray eyes on his, and instead of removing his hand immediately, Rufus let it linger, smoothing the backs of his fingers over her cheek, then turning his hand over and cupping her soft, milky skin. He lowered his head and he was sure it wasn’t his imagination but she rose up on tiptoes, and his lips touched hers.
He felt as if his body came alive, everything alive and alert, every sense ready. He wasn’t sure who moved first, whether he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, or she slid hers around his neck and clung on, but at some point the gentle kiss turned into something much more passionate and dangerous.
She made a little sound in her throat, and thinking she wanted him to stop, Rufus loosened his hold on her. But instead of stepping away, she pressed against him harder, and he found himself half-seated on the desk, with her between his thighs, only her skir
ts to protect her modesty as she leaned into him.
