Page 56 of The Duke's Mysterious Lover
“What?” Thorne teased as he snatched the bill from her hand. “The wholepointof being a duke is not having to pay yer tailor! He should be paying me to advertise for him!”
Kit snatched it right back. “Give me your pocketbook, I’m paying him now.”
He burst into laughter as he pulled the paper back. “I’ll have my solicitor send the man what he’s owed.”
“And a little more?” she asked suspiciously.
He was still chuckling when he wrote out the note. “My wee American, so concerned for others. I was only teasing you.”
Kit had bent over the piles again, her hands flashing through the sorting process. And he had to admit, itwashandy to have someone to keep him in check. “Do these next,” she commanded, without looking up.
He wasn’t entirely surprised to see they were more bills from tradesmen. His solicitor should be handling these, shouldn’t he? Thorne added them to the letter,includinga note for a bonus, and instructed the solicitor to handle these bills from now on.
“Dio Benedetto, Thorne, this is a mess,” she muttered, still sorting carefully. “Don’t you have someone to handle this for you?”
“I have two secretaries who intercept most of the estate business for me.” He reached for another bundle sent fromStroken. “These are the things they feel I should know. Although,” he muttered under his breath. “It’s hard to imagine why it’s vitalIken this much about sheep.”
“You shouldn’t have to,” she agreed, slowly straightening, yesterday’s copy ofThe Daily Constitutionalin her hand.
“Hm?”
Pale eyes flicked over the top of the paper. “If you had someone you trust to read half of this, someone you trusted to know what was important foryouto know, they could just tell you the important bits. A summary, not hours at a desk.”
Thorne’s eyes widened. “Like a partner.” It sounded like heaven to him.
He could imagine sitting here in his study, the door locked to keep out the outside world, with a partner like that. Someone he trusted—not just with his business, but with his secrets—to know what was important. Someone with whom he could discuss the important bits, and whounderstood.
No’ asomeone, ye dobber. Kit.
Aye, Kit. He already thought of her as an equal, didn’t he?
Ye’re going to have to trust her, ye ken. Trust her with yer secrets.
When he looked up, she was frowning down at the newspaper. “Kit, I…what is it?”
She hadn’t looked up. “The Earl of Bonkinbone is marrying? It says here his betrothal ball is later this week.”
“Aye, and if Bull has his way, I’m going to have to attend.”
She could help. She’s good at disguises.
Perhaps there was something in his tone, because Kit lowered the paper slowly, frowning at him. “What’s wrong?
Thorne raised his hand instinctively to wave away her question, but paused. “How much time do ye have?”
If Titsworth ever heard the noise she made as she rolled her eyes, he’d likely fire her on the spot. But that’s why Thorne liked her in his life; she didn’t worry about propriety.
Besides, she makes all sorts of more interesting noises in yer bed.
Aye, that too.
“You poor, poor duke,” she was saying now, moving around the desk. She tossed the newspaper down so it landed with the announcement of Blackrose’s betrothal staring up at him. “Servants at your beck and call, all the best food, all the best fashions…”
Since her tone was teasing, Thorne didn’t scowl as she stepped up behind him. Instead, when she placed her hands on his shoulders he leaned into her touch, remembering the magic her hands had wrought more than once.
When Kit’s fingers kneaded the tight muscles there, and he sighed happily, she clucked her tongue.
“And all the world’s troubles on your shoulders, hm?” She didn’t let him answer. “You can’t keep doing this without help. And whatever you’ve been talking about with Bull and your cousin has made it even worse, hasn’t it? You’re too good natured to be this stressed.”
