AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Turning them into little worker bees, you mean? You do realise that people don’t live to work? They work to live! And that’s what art is. It’s about feeling and heart and spirit and poetry. It’s the closest thing we have to magic.”
“Pea. We can’t fund the school system on wishes and moonbeams.”
For a moment, she was speechless. She felt a ridiculous stab of betrayal and loss, as though the man who had always been a steady shadow in the background of her life had abandoned her. “You...you utter... I thought so much better of you than this.”
He met her shaken gaze impassively, entirely unmoved. But there was sweat trickling down his face. His black hair was damp with it. His cheeks were flushed. And Pea felt far too hot. It really was an oven in here. The air was too dry to breathe.
“I need to cool down,” she said, trying to swallow her anger and her hurt. Because, despite his ways, she had never fought with the Count before, not ever, and she didn’t like it one bit. “I’m going for a swim in the lake.”
“No.”
She had turned away, but the word, spoken so harshly, stopped her in her tracks.
“You are not to swim in the lake. I forbid it.”
“You forbid it?” she repeated, aghast. “Youforbidit? What, are you actually allergic to fun? Is that what this is about? Your hatred of art and music and anything that might possibly bring anyone any joy? Really, Count? You might just be the most boring and cold-blooded man I have ever met.”
The Count met her glare with one of his own. The muscles in his jaw worked as though he fought against saying something he might regret. Pea wished he would say it, whatever it was. It would have been better than what he actually did, which was leave her standing there alone with nothing more than a murmured, “Excuse me. I must get back to work.”
A faint breeze danced through the windows he had opened. It did nothing to relieve the heat.
Chapter five
Leo
Atleastmydogstill likes me, the Duke found himself thinking as the ancient King Charles Cavalier spaniel flopped onto the study floor at his feet. So far, Leo had angered his aunt, his steward Adam, who agreed with his aunt, and Pea, who disagreed with everything.
He reached down and stroked the silky fur of Kipper’s ear. Her pedigree name was actually Pennington Prima, and she had been his mother’s dog, though he seldom remembered that fact, more than thirteen years after her death.
A soft knock roused him from his thoughts. “Come in,” he called, both hoping and dreading that it might be Pea. But it was his aunt, which wasn’t much of an improvement.
She met his wary look with an arched eyebrow, an Orton-Grey speciality.
“Yes, nephew, Iamstill speaking to you, but only out of necessity. I need to discuss the guest list for the dinner.”
Ah, yes. The dinner. Another of his aunt’s boredom-busting projects.
“The Shilstones. Are we inviting them all?”
Leo didn’t bother to suppress his shudder. “I’d rather not invite any of them.”
“But you were at Biffy’s last birthday bash. It seems rude not to reciprocate.”
“Everyone who was no one was at that party. There’s no need for reciprocity.”
Aunt Rose made a note in the pad she was carrying. “Fair enough. It certainly helps balance the numbers.” She paused and fixed him with a keen look. “I do have one new name to add. Sophia Clements, my goddaughter. She’s back from New York. Permanently, I believe.” Her eyes sparkled. “And still as beautiful as ever.”
“Don’t try to matchmake, Aunt. It’s beneath you.”
“I’m not sayingproposeto the girl, Leo. But give her a chance. Giveanyonea chance. You should…have some fun.”
Leo grimaced. “Given this topic can only embarrass us both, I’d suggest you drop it. Please.”
“I’d heard rumours that you didn’t date, Leo, but I didn’t really believe them until I came to live here. I just assumed you were…circumspect. At least, compared to your friend Lansbury. Or our disreputable cousin, Jay Orton.”
“Distant cousin,” Leo felt the need to interject.
“But all I’ve seen you do is work. I know losing your parents put an awful burden on your shoulders at far too young an age. You inherited a dukedom ateighteen. And poor Phillip of course… I know you have reason to be—”
