Page 25 of A Lord's Bet of Desire

“On your way to town?”

“Yes. Such marvellous timing! I was thinking of writing to you this very day.”

“Then it makes sense that we find ourselves here.” Edward smiled affably. It was always his desire to be polite. But he could clearly see that Anna wanted him to say more. So much more.

“Where are you coming from, Your Grace?”

“I was at Sage Brook. I paid a visit to my brother.”

Anna’s smile fell as she looked inside Edward’s carriage. “And who is … that?”

Edward turned to look back at the carriage. Laura had averted her gaze. “This is my new maid. I lost Christina last week, and the Duke of Bancroft allowed me a new helping hand.”

Anna continued to knit her brow. Her flaxen blonde hair was perfectly coifed, and her jewels glittered in the sunlight. Anna was certainly beautiful, but it was a different kind of beauty. Edward wouldn’t be surprised if she sat at her vanity for the better part of the morning, preparing for the day. Her skin was powdered to perfection.

“It’s so difficult to find good help these days,” Anna went on. “If you ask me, my staff is merely not grateful enough for what they have.”

“That may be the case.” Edward didn’t think that the case at all. He assumed that Anna treated her staff like domesticated animals. In Edward’s experience, that was not the way to successfully run an estate. When the staff was happy, their work always improved. Edward was determined to make Laura happy, but why was he so fervent in this wish?

“Your Grace, I have the most marvellous idea.” Anna leaned her head out the window even further. Her chaperone sat beside her, just as uninterested as Hortensia. “What if I come to dine at your estate this week? My father wishes to join, as well.”

Edward knitted his brow. The behaviour was mildly unbecoming. First, inviting herself to dine, and then asking if her father could come along. This behaviour alluded to so many different things, but Edward did not wish to be rude. “That sounds like a fine idea. I’ll set it up with my chef.”

“I do remember what a wonderful chef you have. I’m rather jealous.”

“Let us send correspondence. If you don’t mind, I’m anxious to get back on the road.”

Anna seemed disappointed that Edward didn’t wish to converse further. She cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders. “Very well. I have a rather important meeting with the milliner.”

“Of course.”

“Good day, Your Grace.” As Anna’s carriage pulled away, Edward watched as Anna gave Laura the once-over yet again. That was the kind of petty behaviour that society women exhibited. It came off as a remarkable lack of kindness to other women.

Getting back into the carriage, Laura bowed her head. Hortensia was awake now but looking out the window apoplectically. Edward seated himself and straightened his collar. Edward could tell that Laura was curious about the woman from the other carriage, but it wasn’t in her place to ask. Considering that Laura would see all the goings-on at his estate, he explained it plainly.

“Her father wishes to make a match of us.”

Laura’s eyes widened, surprised that he had said it. “She is very beautiful.”

“Yes, she is. And hoping to be rich.” As Edward smiled, he wondered if he had spoken too much.

“I’m sure her intentions are more honourable.”

Edward laughed. “I wish I could believe the same.”

Riding through the countryside, the beauty of the day became more pronounced. The rolling hills were verdant from all the rain, and the sky overhead was pristine blue with puffy white clouds on the horizon. Edward felt an instant sense of optimism, despite the dismal encounter he’d had with Norman. It was time to admit that his brother would never change. Edward would have to watch the Pembroke fortune dwindle under his care. But this sad reality only spurred Edward on to do better for his own estate.

Hortensia finally spoke, bringing a hand to her forehead. “I feel faint.”

“Shall we stop the carriage?” Edward never knew what the devil to do when a woman felt faint.

Laura leaned into Hortensia. “I can help.” She took Hortensia’s hand in her own, then brought a hand up to the older maid’s forehead. “My mother was prone to fainting spells. We learned this simple method for allowing it to pass.” Laura squeezed into Hortensia’s hand, right in the groove where her thumb met her palm.

Hortensia closed her eyes while Laura did this, no doubt trying to concentrate. Her breathing began to slow, and a smile came to Laura’s lips as she saw that her method had been a success. “I do believe it’s working,” Hortensia said.

“This special spot in the hand can cure many ills,” Laura said warmly.

A craving came over Edward. He had the mind to pretend as though he were faint so that Laura might hold his hand in the same way. Of course, it was humorous in his mind, but when he thought of Laura’s hand on his, it brought heat to Edward’s chest that he couldn’t quite describe. Edward swallowed the knot in his throat down hard.

Laura brought a hand to Hortensia’s back. “There, there. You should feel hearty in no time.”

Hortensia turned to Laura with eyes wide. It was the most animated that Edward had seen the old maid the entire trip. “You’re an angel. The fit has passed!”

Hortensia called Laura an angel. Edward couldn’t disagree. He smiled in satisfaction. So, aside from being beautiful, humble, and intelligent, Laura Hawkins was also nurturing and kind. The heady mix of qualities nearly did make Edward feel faint. He looked at Laura intently, and she finally turned to him. She smiled in satisfaction, as well.

The rest of the trip was undertaken with Hortensia’s hand placed in Laura’s. Hortensia smiled for the first time. It occurred to Edward that there was much hidden below the surface in Laura, things that she was not showing. Naturally, her station in life dictated this to be necessary. Edward narrowed his gaze. He liked a good mystery. A good challenge. He would fully decipher the character of Laura Hawkins as though it were a game.

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