AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Back inside, Baird crossed to the fire blazing in the hearth, standing before it to chase away the chill. But the chill wasn’t just from the night. He was concerned for Alec, and worried about Cara who had no idea why her husband was still in London, fighting to save the family firm. Unlike in the United States where companies had limited liability should the company fail to pay its debts, there was no such protection in the United Kingdom meaning business owners had unlimited personal liability when a company failed. Which was why Alec was scrambling to save what he could.
*
Ella was wokento a brisk knock on the door. She opened her eyes, but her head ached.
Another knock sounded on the door. “Ella, it’s six. You asked me to wake you up so you could meet Cara for dinner.”
Yawning, Ella dragged herself into a sitting position. “Yes, thank you.”
“I can drive you up when you’re ready,” he replied.
Baird’s footsteps retreated, but she couldn’t make herself move for a second. She’d been sleeping deeply, and her brain was groggy. Finally, she forced herself out of bed, into the hall to the shared bathroom. Pulling her long hair back with a scrunchie she splashed cold water on her face. The cold water wasn’t merely cold, it was frigid, and she gasped but it did the trick. She was waking up.
Five minutes later, Ella was downstairs dressed in jeans and a pretty sweater with soft sheepskin lined ankle boots on to keep her feet warm. The boots had been her splurge before the trip, but as she and Baird stepped outside into the clear cold night, she was glad she’d bought them.
“I think I’d like to walk up to the house,” she said, glancing at Baird. “I’d like to move a bit and I know the way. I can see the lights from here.”
“I’ll walk with you then.”
“You don’t have to.”
His eyebrow lifted. “I know. But I’d enjoy the walk, too. Might help me clear my head.”
Interesting he’d say that. She’d thought he seemed troubled as she joined him at the foot of the stairs.
“Something happen?” she asked, wrapping her scarf more snugly around her throat as they set off.
“Just business. But it’ll get sorted. It’s tough when there are problems this time of year.”
She glanced at his profile. “Problems are never fun, especially not days before Christmas. Hopefully, it won’t ruin your holidays.”
The corner of his mouth quirked but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Hopefully not.”
They walked the rest of the way in silence, with the quiet suddenly broken by barking dogs, and then the labs came rushing to meet them, two of them sprinting, with the oldest hanging back, staying close to the light shining next to the mudroom door.
Mrs. Booth had left for the night, but Mrs. Johnson was there in the kitchen, and she told Ella to go on up to Cara’s room as dinner was ready and she’d be up shortly with their meal.
Ella glanced at Baird as he pulled out a kitchen stool and sat down. “You’re not joining us?”
“No. Have your sister time. Mrs. Johnson and I have a football match to watch.”
But it was Baird who appeared at the master bedroom door with a huge tray filled with covered dishes. He carried the tray to the bench at the foot of the huge four-poster bed. “I promised Mrs. Johnson I’d serve you,” he said, lifting the silver domed lids revealing fragrant roast chicken, golden brown roasted potatoes and colorful root vegetables.
“No, no we can manage,” Cara said, shooing him away. “We don’t need a manservant, even one as handsome as you.”
Baird’s smiled, amused. “Handsome, am I?”
Ella rolled her eyes. “Cara said it, not me.”
He just laughed and exited the room.
As the door closed Cara turned to her. “What did happen between you? You never said.”
Ella focused on organizing her sister’s dinner, picking up a linen napkin and the necessary cutlery. “Nothing important. We just… didn’t get along.”
“And yet, that’s not my impression, seeing you two together.” Cara smoothed her covers over her lap. “You two are rather sparky—”
“Not so.”
