Sari Robins - [Andersen Hall Orphanage 05] (5 page)

Steele’s smile was tight. “See. Now please return to the house.”

“Yes, Lord Steele.” The lads nodded glumly.

To the two footmen, Steele added, “Never again.”

“Yes, Your Lordship!”

The two footmen led the boys away, the sounds of crunching pebbles dwindling with their departure.

Carlton rose and moved before Lord Steele. Adjusting his coat and clutching his wrist, he sniffed. “I demand a reckoning.”

Mrs. Pitts nodded, her keys jangling loudly in the moonlit park.

“Oh, there’ll be one, don’t you worry.” Lord Steele scratched his chin, a thoughtful look on his face.

“Now!” Carlton demanded.

Steele’s head lifted. “Pardon me?”

The butler swallowed, but raised his chin high in the air. “After all I’ve been put through, anything less is unacceptable!”

A hint of iron seeped into Steele’s tone. “Go back to the house, Carlton. Wait for me in your rooms, and we’ll discuss this matter later, once you’ve calmed down.”

“She must be punished! The children must be punished!”

Lord Steele straightened to his full height, towering over the butler. “Have you ever known me not to be fair? I will do what’s necessary and what’s right.”

“What’s right?” A note of hysteria permeated Carlton’s voice. “I didn’t sign on for this! None of it! Up at all hours! Unreasonable footmen! Unruly children! Violent governesses! Heaven help me!”

“Ah, Carlton, ah…perhaps we should go…?” Mrs. Pitts stepped back as if hoping to separate herself from his outburst.

Turning on her, Carlton sneered. “Don’t pretend you weren’t complaining just as loudly as me in the quiet of your rooms!”

Mrs. Pitts’s face blanched white in the moonlight. “I don’t know what yer talkin’ about.”

Steele turned to the housekeeper. “Help him get back to the house, Mrs. Pitts, and calm him down. I’ll deal with you both later.”

Then he grasped Abigail’s elbow and drew her to walk beside him deeper into the park, deeper into the shadows, where they would be alone.

A
bigail tried not to be unsettled by the tall, powerful man grasping her arm and leading her farther down the dark lane. The crunch of the pebbles beneath their shoes echoed loudly in the empty park. “Where are we going?”

“To speak privately.” Steele’s voice was hard.

“That would be improper—”

“I’m your employer and propriety is not exactly an issue—”

“But you’re
not
my employer.” Abigail dug in her heels. “And I’m not going anywhere with the likes of you.” She’d halted in a pool of moonlight, and was satisfied to note the frustration locking his chiseled jaw into place.

Steele towered over her, his stare drilling into her. After a long moment, he turned away, running his hand through his already mussed hair in frustration. She suddenly realized that he wore no cravat and that his coat was unbuttoned, as if it had been donned in great haste. He’d probably been dressing when Carlton had informed him of Abigail’s departure.

An odd little thrill raced up her middle that he would be so bothered as to immediately chase after her. Strangely, that thrill felt nothing like the gut-wrenching panic she usually experienced when dealing with unhappy employers, but felt much more like…
anticipation
.

Crossing his arms, Steele shrugged. “Is it because I was born a commoner, not as a peer?”

Stunned, she furrowed her brow in confusion. “No, of course not. That has nothing to do with it.”

“Then is it because I actually work for a living?”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!”

He laughed, but the sound contained no mirth. “Oh, you’d be amazed how many people expect me to step down as solicitor-general now that I’m a peer of the realm. As if all I’ve ever worked for is summed up in a fancy title.”

Abigail was astonished by the hint of hurt interlacing his tone. “If you stop working, how would you pay your bills?”

He laughed once more, but this time with real amusement. “Excellent point. But few peers have experienced a hollow belly to make that connection. Obviously you have.”

Abigail straightened, pushing away any sense of affinity with this man. “Is that some kind of threat?”

He stiffened. “What sort of man do you think I am?”

Raising her hands to the heavens in frustration, she cried, “I’ve hardly a clue! One moment you’re kind and considerate of the boys and the next you’re insulting me beyond the pale!”

“Insulting you? You’re the one who refuses to work for ‘the likes’ of me!”

Curling her fingers into fists, Abigail tried to rein in this unfamiliar fury. “Look. This obviously was a mistake. Let us simply part ways and be done with it.”

“You can do that? You can simply desert those two boys? Orphans who’ve already lost so much?”

Abigail swallowed. “You can find another governess—”

“They’ve grown attached to you.”

“Yes, but—”

“The boys trust you. You know how hard it can be to win over young boys. You’ve already done it and you can’t let them down.”

“Well—”

“They need you.”

“I don’t think—”

“You agreed.”

“Yes, I know. But—”

“What is it, then? Are you positioning for more money?”

Abigail straightened. “I would never!”

He stepped forward, toe to toe with her, like duelists at dawn. “Then what the blazes are you about?” His breath washed over her in a pleasant, clove-scented breeze. “You flounce in and—”

“I don’t flounce!” she cried, glaring up into that chiseled, unnervingly handsome face.

“Fine, you fence your way into those children’s hearts and then, after they’ve grown attached to you, you forsake them?”

“I don’t
want
to leave them!”

“Then don’t!”

Abigail was quaking, her face was hot, and her heart was racing. She flushed with an unfamiliar fire surging through her.

Steele stood so close, she could feel the waves of heat and frustration he emitted. It was mesmerizing, intoxicating, and the way her body hungered for more of him was frightening. The man had to be a sorcerer of some kind to have such an effect on her.

Swallowing, Abigail forced herself to take a shaky step back. She stared down at Steele’s boots, which caught a gleam of moonlight on their polished surface.

“Don’t do that.” His voice was a teasing whisper as he stepped to follow her, keeping less than an inch separating them.

She felt the heat of his flesh and the force he emanated with every fiber of her being. “Do what?” she murmured.

“Back down. Become that gray mouse once more.”

She blinked, and her anger flared like a goddess incensed. “You, don’t do that!”

“What?”

“Charm me and insult me all in one breath!” She began to pace, sending pebbles flying from under her heels. “What is wrong with you? You’re handsome as sin, and despite your odd notions of propriety, you can be amiable—”

He straightened. “You think I’m handsome?” Then he shook his head as if to clear it. “What do you mean, odd notions of propriety?”

Abigail kept pacing, her mind lost to the puzzle
of it. “You shouldn’t have difficulty finding women willing enough to bed you. It boggles the mind that you would feel the need to force your attentions—”

“Now hold on one moment!” Steele grabbed her arm and pulled her to face him. “I’ve never forced my attentions on a woman in my life!”

She glared at his hand on her arm. “The same way you’ve never manhandled a woman in your life!”

“Fine.” He released her. “But it’s not the same. I swear on everything I hold dear that I have never been with a woman who didn’t, quite clearly, want to be with me.”

“I suppose that I’m the first one who’s ever made a fuss about it! And given your appeal, I can understand why, but still!”

“Can you please explain yourself in a way I can understand? You’re being nonsensical!”

Abigail met those blazing eyes, glare for glare. “Let me be perfectly clear: I will not lie with you!”

Steele’s jaw worked. “What? I never asked you to!”

“You made it abundantly clear!”

“How? When?”

“When you set me up to sleep in the mistress’s rooms!”

Steele blinked. “You think…You think that your job requires…that you…service me?” His face was incredulous.

Abigail lifted her chin. “When I challenged Carlton about the sleeping arrangements, he said…that it was my
duty
to sleep in the mistress’s chamber and that my duties weren’t necessarily what I’d signed on for. No matter how odd or
unorthodox
.”

Steele stilled. “Did he say that you are supposed to sleep with me?” Anger so cold infused his face that Abigail realized he’d barely been vexed before.

Straightening, Abigail opened her mouth and then closed it as doubt slithered across her mind. “Well, no. But he did say that I was subject to your whims and that you specifically wanted me within arm’s reach.”

“That’s very different from a demand that you bed me.”

Even though it was starting to sound a little ridiculous even to her ears, Abigail protested, “But he also said that I had better learn to accept that what you want you get. And that…and that you wanted me to sleep near you.”

His features relaxed. Shaking his head, he chuckled. “No wonder you’re so upset.”

“So you didn’t want me to sleep in the mistress’s chambers?”

Laughing, he waved a hand. “Oh no, I do want you to. But not for the reasons you think. Certainly not to…‘service your liege lord.’” He shook his head.

Crossing her arms, Abigail was starting to feel more than a bit foolish. But Carlton had made it seem so…

Carlton clearly hated children, and his duties had changed because his employer had said so. And with the first footman ill, he’d been forced to take on those duties as well. Carlton was talking about himself, not Abigail sleeping with her employer! Abigail slapped her hand over her mouth as mortification washed over her.

“Bedding me as a job requirement!” Pressing his palm to his middle, Steele chuckled.

“It’s not that funny,” Abigail muttered, embarrassed.

“I know, I know,” Laughing, he shook his head. “I just can’t…seem to stop…laughing!”

Abigail realized she was having difficulty keeping a straight face. His hilarity was so joyful and sincere that she was finding it hard not to join in.

A little chuckle escaped her lips. She pressed her hand to her mouth to catch it.

Their eyes met, and amusement sparked between them.

Grinning sheepishly, she shook her head. “I’m a dolt.”

“No, no, anyone…” He waved a hand, trying to keep his face sincere. “Anyone might think that…there’s a reason I…pay…so well…for
active
duty!” He laughed out loud.

Something wild loosened inside her and she giggled.

“What do you suppose I’d give for a Christmas bonus?” He chortled.

Laying her hand on his arm, she cried, “Or for my pension!”

Abigail’s cheeks ached, as they’d been unused to smiling for so long. She blinked, realizing that her eyes were teary, for the first time in ages with joy, not sorrow.

His eyes met hers, his look piercing through the protective armor she used to shield herself from the world, and warming her in a place that had known only cold for a very long time. It felt good. Warm, happy. Yet at the same time, disconcerting.

Suddenly she realized that her hand was on his arm. Quickly she removed it, hoping that he had not noticed.

Abigail inhaled a shaky breath and looked around. They stood in the quiet, moonlit park, alone, save for the owl hooting in the trees. Looking down, she adjusted her gown and peered at Steele through her lashes. She was glaringly conscious of how handsome and appealing the man was. And how boldly she’d just spoken about bedding him.

Abigail’s cheeks flamed with heat, her blush spreading from her hairline to her toes.

“Ahhh,” Steele sighed, rubbing his eyes. “That was…that was…most unexpected.”

Abigail licked her lips and tried not to be too embarrassed. “I can’t believe that I was so mistaken…” The man probably had women lining up at his bedchamber door.

“Carlton…” Stroking his hand across his chiseled jaw, Steele exhaled. “To be fair, when I hired Carlton, I had no intention of ever having children in my house. I never anticipated such a change in his duties. Or my circumstances.”

Abigail could barely contain her relief that Steele was moving on to a safer topic than her faux pas or the notion of copulation. She coughed into her fist. “You, ah…never expected to have children?”

“Are you asking because you believe that everyone should have children or because you think that all peers yearn to continue their line?”

This topic was much easier for a governess, and she jumped on it like a fish to a hook. “Not everyone is made to be a parent. Certainly not someone like
Carlton, who so obviously despises anyone under four feet high.”

“I didn’t realize that he disliked children so much. Had I known…” He shook his head.

“What would you have done differently? Not taken Seth and Felix in?”

“No, but it looks as if I need to find Carlton another position and find myself another butler.”

Her brow furrowed. “If I may, I would like to know why Seth and Felix are coming to live with you.”

Steele looked down at the lovely lady, enjoying how the moon lit her blond hair, reminding him of golden gossamer. He knew that he couldn’t tell this woman the truth; she’d leave for sure. And suddenly he couldn’t imagine letting her go.

Sighing, he stared up at the stars sprinkling the dark sky. “It’s so beautiful out tonight.” He couldn’t recall the last time he’d noticed.

As if suddenly uncomfortable, she bit her lip. “It’s getting late. The boys are probably waiting…”

Steele wasn’t ready to go back to the house, to his responsibilities and everything relying on him there. He knew that he should be working; he had three legal briefs to review and a contract negotiation to plan. But he didn’t want the intimacy between him and this unique young lady to end. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed so freely or connected so easily with another human being. “We have a few things left to discuss. Why don’t we take the path the long way around to get back to the house?”

Uncertainty filled her gaze.

Extending his arm, he smiled. “I promise, I won’t bite. No matter how odd my notions of propriety.”

Even in the moonlight, he could tell that her cheeks tinged deliciously pink.

He couldn’t quite believe that she’d thought him so depraved.

Or that if she had been willing, he would’ve been sorely tempted.