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Upstairs, she glanced out her bedroom window and saw a glow of lights in the distance. Had to be the lights of Langley, and she pictured Alec in the big house, eating dinner by himself in the huge dining room and it made her chest ache a little. He wasn’t a cold person. He was actually fun to talk to when he wasn’t so stiff and formal, and it crossed her mind that maybe he took his responsibilities a little too seriously. Maybe he took himself a little too seriously—not that he’d ever admit it—but her oldest brother Tom had been that way, aware that he was the oldest, aware that his parents expected a lot from him, and it wasn’t until he met his wife Kristine that he loosened up a little, and found a better balance between his work life and his personal life.
Maybe Alec lacked balance.
But why was she thinking about Alec Sherbourne? He had a fleet of staff to fuss over him. There was no need for her to worry.
In the little bathroom, Cara confronted the claw-foot tub with the handheld showerhead on it. She turned the water on and let it run until the water was hot, then fitting the stopper, she let the tub began to fill. It filled very, very slowly. She’d stripped off her clothes but wrapped herself in a towel to stay warm, not wanting to climb in until there was at least a foot of water. Finally, she got in, and sank as deep as possible, glad that the water was hot, and the tub was huge. And just like that, Alec popped back into her thoughts, and she felt that oddache tightening in her chest, a sensation that left her strangely breathless.
She was drawn to him. It had been a long time since she felt this kind of attraction and connection. He wasn’t like anyone she’d ever met, and he intrigued her. It wasn’t just the fact that he was gorgeous, because honestly, he was a little too gorgeous, and it wasn’t his success, as she’d dated successful men, but it was the fizz inside of her, the way her pulse quickened whenever she was around him. Cara didn’t fall for men easily, and she couldn’t remember the last time a man made her feel breathless—did Chet ever make her feel breathless?—and so her fascination frustrated her.
The attraction frustrated her.
She hadn’t come to England to become attached to anyone, and she certainly didn’t want to go home with a banged-up heart. She tried to be glad that they wouldn’t be seeing more of each other. She needed to put him from her mind and focus on seeing as much of Derbyshire as she could, not wish they’d meet up tomorrow so she could get lost in his beautiful voice and stare into his mesmerizing eyes.
Annoyed with herself, Cara climbed from the tub, toweled off, pulled on her flannel pajamas and dived into bed, determined to put him from mind. She wasn’t going to let thoughts of him take over her Christmas. Instead, she’d set out early in the morning and see something new. Haddon Hall, or Chatsworth, or Thornbridge. She’d come to England for adventure, and an adventure she’d have.
*
It wasn’t Alec’sfavorite morning.
The house wasn’t exactly in an uproar, but with Mrs. Booth about to leave for a week, there was a fair amount ofinterruptions with her coming and going, information being shared, and to-do lists being made. Mrs. Booth couldn’t conceive of just leaving without writing out detailed directions of where he could find things, and what his family liked. Uncle Frederick would need a water bottle at night.Use one of the flannel-covered ones so he wouldn’t be burned.Aunt Emma liked an extra space heater for her room, and Mrs. Booth already had placed one in there, but Aunt Dorothy liked a window cracked open, so Alec shouldn’t worry about it being a little chilly in there.
There were other notes, too, mostly saying if a problem arose, check in with Mrs. Johnson as Mrs. Johnson would know what to do.
Alec liked Johnson, but Booth just made things work, and he was happiest when Mrs. Booth was at Langley managing things, but he’d never tell her that, because she deserved a life, and needed time with her family. She was efficient, though, and warm and confident, and that went a long way to easing his tension during the holidays.
Mrs. Booth was at his study door again, with a quick firm knock that was only hers, and because the door wasn’t shut, her voice rang out. “Miss Fletcher is here to see you, sir.”
Alec turned in his chair and looked at Mrs. Booth blankly. “Fletcher?”
The housekeeper entered the room and lowered her voice. “Miranda Fletcher. She’s with the Bakewell Women’s Guild and manages the staff and Christmas tours here at Langley.” She hesitated. “You had tea with her last year—”
“Oh, no.” Alec had a sudden unwelcome vision of a tall, angular brunette with a sharp voice who was certain she was needed, and necessary, in every capacity. Not just of the six weeks of holiday tours, but in his life as well. “I can’t. I will not beroped into tea again. It was miserable, and endless. She wouldn’t let me escape.”
“Shall I say you are not available?”
“If you’d like to keep your job.” He gave the housekeeper a mock severe look. “It doesn’t matter if our families go generations. I will not suffer through another conversation with Fletcher, not without someone available to rescue me.”
“I would offer to rescue you but I’m leaving soon, sir.”
“Exactly, and I don’t trust Mrs. Johnson not to be distracted by a pie or pastry. Baking takes precedence over all else with her.”
“Perhaps Mr. Trimble could assist?” Mrs. Booth suggested.
“Is he here? I haven’t seen him this morning yet.”
“He was refilling firewood in the family rooms earlier but that was an hour ago.”
Alec frowned. “Do you know what she wants?”
Mrs. Booth shook her head. “She just said it was important.”
Alec bit his tongue as he was quite certain Miss Fletcher’s idea of important and his were very different things. He shuffled papers on his desk trying to decide what to do. “I didn’t think there was a tour today.”
“There isn’t. Just the weekends, and this Thursday night of course.”
“Which is tomorrow.”
“Then it’s probably about that.”
