Page 14 of Impossible
Hell, he’d walked right into that. He didn’t want to engage her on this, but the truth was that he did want to know where she’d been with one of the ledgers. “Where were you?”
“At the stables. I spoke with Og. He makes you look like a veritable romance novel hero.”
The side of Max’s mouth ticked up before he could stop it. He did, however, manage not to fully grin. Damn, that was the second time she’d provoked that response from him.
She took a step toward him, her gaze fixing on his mouth. “Why did you keep from smiling? You never let yourself smile. Why?”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re intrusive?”
“Many times. Because I am.” She cocked her head slightly. “Why won’t you smile?”
“Intrusive, impertinent, and uselessly persistent.” He glowered at her, recovering his ill humor. “Mind your own business.”
“You are utterly infuriating. I’ve never met anyone so committed to their own misery. You need to relax—perhaps read a romantic novel.” Her expression lit, and now she smiled, and the answering flip of his stomach made him want to growl. Hopefully with irritation. “You should join me tonight. Read something for pleasure. You may find yourself smiling.”
“Not a chance.”
“What would the harm be?” She looked at him so guilelessly, as if she were completely unaware of the demon inside him. But of course she was, as she had to be.
The harm would be to her. He was not someone she should spend time with.
“You’re considering it,” she said wrongly. “That’s all I can hope for, I suppose.”
He didn’t wish to pursue that line of conversation a moment longer, so he glanced toward the ledger she’d set on the table. “What did you do in the stable?”
“Besides find Og annoying? I pet one of your horses. She was lovely. I recorded the animals and vehicles as well as other items. Though, I’m not at all sure what most of it is. I am woefully uneducated when it comes to anything to do with a stable.”
“You’ve always lived in London, I take it.”
“No, I’m from Devon actually.”
He should have realized her accent wasn’t London. “You lived in a city there, then.”
She nodded. “Plymouth. My father was a fisherman. I can sail a boat, but I can’t ride a horse.”
“That’s not a very useful skill for a bookkeeper,” he said.
“It is not, but while Icansail a boat, I don’t. The sea took my father, and I am now unable to get into or onto water.”
The mention of her loss reminded him that he was supposed to keep himself apart, to ensure his darkest nature stayed buried. He shouldn’t be making idle chatter with her.
“Then you are precisely where you should be,” he said. “Just avoid the small lake near the southeast corner of the estate.”
“I will do that,” she replied. “Now let me tell you what Ididn’tdo at the stable—obtain a copy of Og’s records for rent collection. He says he wrote it on a parchment and that you might have it here. I don’t suppose you do?” she asked hopefully.
“No, and before you ask me to look for it, Og never gave it to me.” That he could remember. It was more likely Og mentioned it, and Max hadn’t bothered to even look at it, let alone bring it here.
She pursed her lips in disappointment. Before she could respond further, he turned and stalked from the library, intent on taking a walk to clear Miss Treadway from his mind. On his way out, he encountered Mrs. Bundle.
She hesitated, and he could tell she wanted to say something, so he paused too. “I’m arranging for Archie to drive Miss Treadway around the estate tomorrow since neither you nor Og can be bothered.”
He knew Mrs. Bundle wanted him to change his mind about that. “I don’t see why it’s necessary. Her presence here is a nuisance.”
“It’s also nearly half-over. She arrived five days ago.” Mrs. Bundle’s expression softened, and he tensed for the coming assault on his sentiment—as if he had any left. “She’s only trying to help. What harm could there be?”
Had she and Miss Treadway planned this? Their words were too similar. “She put you up to this, didn’t she?”
“Not at all.” Mrs. Bundle frowned at him. “You are too quick to believe the worst in people. Not that the two of us working together to help you and the estate would be the worst, only thatyouthink it is.”
