Page 12 of Reckless Kiss

“Thank you for seeing me, Aunt Cynthia. Will you permit me to sleep on this and come to you tomorrow?”

“Of course,” she answered and then rang her bell.

Bailey entered the room a few seconds later, but Archer was already striding past him and out of the morning-room. Bailey followed him through the servant’s door and down the steps. Archer’s strides were longer. He took the steps two at a time as he descended. When he reached the bottom and stood on the flagstones, he put his hands on his head, waiting for Bailey to catch up.

“Do you have something stronger than tea, Bailey?”

“Right away, Sir. Take a seat in the kitchen, and I’ll bring it through.”

“Thanks, Bailey,” Archer said.

Teddy came bounding down the hallway, tripping over his enthusiasm to reach Archer’s feet. As soon as he landed with a plop on his shiny shoes, he let out a yap. Archer reached down and picked him up.

“Do you want to live here, Teddy?”

A double bark came out of Teddy’s mouth. Archer had no clue if two barks meant yes or no. It didn’t make the news any easier to digest.

How the hell would he find a wife in three months?

Chapter 9

Archer

Teddy wouldn’t let Archer leave the kitchen without him. He jumped and ran around his legs as Archer tried to inch out the kitchen laden with two plates of food for lunch and dinner. Maggie knew him well enough that he would stay in his cottage until he’d decided his future. His siblings’ future. It was as if Teddy knew Archer needed him.

“I guess I have a dog now,” Archer said, bending down and scratching behind his ears. “Do you know what breed he is, Maggie?”

“He’s a Dobermann, a big dog when he’s an adult and lots of exercise. So think carefully before you accept him,” Maggie said.

“Okay, understood. I’ll take him overnight while I work out what I’m going to do,” Archer said.

“Take him for a couple of hours, keep him outside, then bring him back. You’re in a guest cottage. We don’t want dog hair over all the carpets and furniture.”

“I’d better leave him here if you’re okay with that? I’vealready got to fix the electrics in the cottage, probably not the place for a dog, anyway.”

“What happened?”

“I turned on the shower and blew a fuse. I flipped the fuse, but there has to be a reason it happened.”

“Good job, we have an electrician here, isn’t it?” Maggie said as she gave him a grin.

“Are you sure you’re okay with Teddy?”

“Positive.”

Maggie whistled for Teddy to come to her, and he did. Archer left the kitchen by the back door and walked back to Emma Lodge. The grounds were simple but expansive. To his surprise, the outdoor pool was still there and looked like it was fully functioning. Wandering across the lawn, Archer expected his aunt to yell at him to get off her grass through the window. In the opposite direction, a man walked towards him carrying a rake. They met by the side of the pool.

“Hi, I’m Archer,” he said, holding out his hand.

The man looked to be in his forties. With a head of thick wavy fair hair and a tanned face, the man pulled off his gardening glove and shook Archer’s hand. “I’m Ralph, the gardener. Good to meet you. Bailey talks about you and your brothers and sister a lot.”

“I bet he’s shared some stories,” Archer said good-naturedly.

“A few. Are you coming back to live here?”

“It’s a possibility. Is the pool fit for swimming?”

“Sure. Miss Turner arranged for the pool to be overhauled a couple of weeks ago. Bailey says she’s never stepped a toe in the pool, so we’re not sure why she wanted it ready.”

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