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“Damn?” He stood and laughed at the ease with which the word rolled off her tongue. “Have you always hidden this propensity to swear?”
“Yes. Banning has admonished me so many times but that’s hardly fair when every shocking word I know is because of him.”
“It’s hard to be a lady.”
Jennette laughed. “You have no idea. Men get to say anything they want and no one cares. But ladies must be proper at all times. Not a sullied word can pass these lips.”
“Except in the bedroom,” he whispered. “There lovers can be themselves, say what they desire.”
He watched her swallow as her eyes darkened.
“I am all done in this room,” she said quickly.
Point taken, Matthew thought. He followed her as she inspected the third bedroom. Dusty crates and trunks filled this room, making it appear as though the previous owner never had moved in. Jennette slowly opened one of the trunks and gasped.
“Look at this dress,” she exclaimed. She stood and turned with an ornate gown, fashionable maybe a hundred years ago, in her hand. “Isn’t this the most beautiful dress you have ever seen?”
“No,” he replied, shaking his head.
“Indeed? When have you seen a prettier gown?”
His lips tilted upward. “The night you wore that sapphire gown with the peacock embroidered at the bottom.”
“Oh,” she whispered, then glanced back down at her pad. “You don’t need to stay here while I finish.”
“I certainly do. Others might come upon you here…alone…”
“I shall make certain I lock the door after you leave.”
“I wouldn’t be a gentleman to let you stay here in this decrepit, old house that is all but falling down. You might get hurt.”
Jennette moved past him, leaving the room but her jasmine scent remained. He stalked her. She opened a door, making her way to the attic rooms.
“Oh my,” she said with a sigh when sh
e reached the top step.
“What’s the matter?” he asked following behind her. The door shut as he walked up the steps.
“Lady Aston specifically stated that her mother-in-law would need three servants. But there is only one bedroom up here and the lowest level is a dirt-floor cellar.”
Matthew reached the top and surveyed the room. “It’s certainly big enough for three rooms. Each would be approximately the same size as the bedrooms downstairs.”
“Yes, but that will increase the costs.”
“I believe Lord Aston can afford it.” He had to admit to be taken aback by her concern for the cost of the project.
She walked around the room and shook her head. “This is much more work.”
“You can do it.”
She whipped her head around to him. She smiled shyly at him and said, “Thank you.”
“Let me see your pencil.” He held out his hand until she dropped the lead. Walking around the room, he drew lines on the walls and floors where new walls could be built. “What do you think?”
Jennette sat on the musty mattress and eyed each marking before she picked up another piece of lead from her apron. Drawing the approximate dimensions on the paper, she shook her head.
She pointed to the marking nearest the middle window and said, “That wall must go on the other side of the window. Otherwise one servant would have two windows while another servant would have none.”
