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“Oh?” She slid her hands beneath my coat and locked her fingers behind my back, seemingly content to be held. Then she looked up. “Are you planning to purchase an estate?”
“Not planning to.” I cringed. “I already bought one.”
Thea released me and stepped back, her round blue eyes wide. “You should have told me so. Where is it? What is it?”
“It is . . . a project. I am afraid it is what I can afford, but the roof has leaked a bit and will need a good deal of repairs before it is livable.”
“But you are good at repairs. I am certain James and Henry would help.”
Her immediate confidence in my brothers was sweet. “They have already agreed to, yes.”
“We also havemyinheritance, so we will not lack for funds. It might have been halved, but there was still a good deal of money left to me.”
My smile widened. Her eagerness to share our funds made her feel like an equal partner—a woman I wanted by my side.
Thea frowned. “Your brothers have already agreed to help. Am I the last to learn of this?”
“I needed a home. I needed a distraction when I thought I’d lost you. I threw myself into planning my future, since it seemed void of you.” I reached for her so she could be in my arms once more. “But I did not know how to tell you that. The estate can be sold, but will need the repairs done first. It sat vacant for quite a while, so I am not sure it will be easy to rid ourselves of. And . . . it is not in Bath.”
“Oh, I do not care about that, not really. So long as we can spend some time there, maybe? Or invite Archie to stay with us for the summer, perhaps?” Her eyes became glassy. “A home of our own, Ben? I cannot believe it. Where is it?”
“Near the Westmorland border, not too far from Chelton. Though I would not call them neighbors.”
“Close enough.”
“Would you be happy living up in the wilds of Cumberland forever?”
“I think of little children running about Chelton’s gardens or picnicking in our mysterious park and I cannot do anything but love the idea of living in the wilds of Cumberland with you.” She lowered her voice. “I would live anywhere with you.”
I kissed her then, deeply, infusing it with all the love and affection I had not been previously able to show her in recent weeks. “Even at a home called Bumpton Hall?”
“Even there.”
“You know it will be work.”
She grinned. “I was a kitchen maid, darling. I’m not afraid of work.”
I could not help but feel complete and utter joy, for I knew her to be telling me the truth.
“Now,” I said, “about those little children you were imagining . . .”
* * *
Thea
I would live anywhere, so long as I lived with Benedict. It would be even better, I thought, to bring Archie to our estate for a summer holiday than to try and catch snippets of time with him while he was in school. Once again, Benedict had pleasantly surprised me when he shared news of the house he had purchased. A home we could buildtogether. I reached up to kiss him again and show him my utter appreciation when a polite knock on the door warned us of impending company, and we stepped apart.
Benedict scowled at the door, waiting to see who it was, and I wondered if he knew how imposing he could look.
“You’ve a visitor, ma’am,” the footman said. “Lord Claverley.”
“Bring him up,” Benedict said.
“For me?” I whispered. “The earl no longer has business with me.”
Lord Claverley entered the room shortly, his ruddy cheeks mottled from the cold outside or the exertion of mounting the steps to the first floor.
Benedict took a step forward, angling himself a little before me in a protective stance, and I wondered if it was intentional or natural. “Cousin,” he greeted politely. “Whatever can we do for you?”
