Page 16 of Tempting the Earl

How could Caillie possibly return to Faeglen not absolutely and irreversibly altered by her stay in such accommodations?

The thought caused a swift twisting in her core. A painful, wrenching certainty life would never be the same for either of them. And though she’d done her best over the last eleven years to ensure the girl would be prepared to weather any storm, Ainsworth wasn’t so sure she herself would fare quite so well.

“Miss Morgan. Miss Claybourne. I’m happy to see you’ve made it safely to London.”

Caillie spun around from where she was examining the landscape painting hung over the mantel as Ainsworth rose to her feet and turned to face the earl.

Her every nerve was strung so tight she felt she might snap at any moment, yet there he was, displaying pristine calm and unfractured elegance. He stood just inside the doorway, dressed in a coat of charcoal gray over a waistcoat in a slightly lighter shade. His cravat was snowy white and expertly styled. His breeches were black and perfectly fitted while his boots gave off a polished shine.

While she and Caillie no doubt showed every minute of their travels in their wrinkled frocks and unruly hair, he looked every inch the fine London aristocrat. Refined. Handsome. And utterly emotionless.

But still, as his blue gaze briefly met hers before shifting to Caillie, an odd heat rushed through her body. It consumed her for only a split second before a tingling shiver tickled her nape, chasing it away. But not completely. The heat remained under the surface, contained in the swirl of her blood.

She’d hoped the man’s odd effect on her at Faeglen had been a result of her surprise and discomfort at his sudden appearance in their lives. Though she’d had plenty of time in the three weeks since he’d left Scotland to explain away her reactions to the man, apparently, it hadn’t done any good.

To distract herself, she sent a quick, telling glance toward her ward and they both dropped into proper curtsies. “Good afternoon, my lord.”

“Thank you for welcoming us to your lovely home,” Caillie added. Her tone was a wee bit nervous, but it was the sentiment that mattered.

The earl’s mouth shifted into what might have been the beginnings of a smile before it faded away. “I apologize for keeping you waiting. I didn’t expect to be occupied for as long as I was.”

“In truth, there was no reason to welcome us yourself,” Ainsworth offered. “We’d have been fine being shown to our rooms by your housekeeper.”

His brows twitched into a slight scowl at the subtle criticism in her comment.

“Yes, well”—he cleared his throat—“I suppose I was anxious to greet you in person.”

The tone in his voice suddenly had her feeling uncomfortably ungrateful.

“It’s all so verra exciting to be here,” Caillie interjected with honest enthusiasm. “I cannae wait to see everything.”

The scowl eased and another smile threatened to soften the press of his lips. Ainsworth found herself wishing the bluidy thing would just break free.

“I didn’t wish to overwhelm you as soon as you arrived, but I’ve arranged a tour of the house tomorrow.”

“Thank you, my lord.” Ainsworth did her best to try for a smile, as well, but didn’t manage any better than he did. “For now, I wonder if we might be shown to our room so we can freshen up a wee bit after such a long journey.”

He gave a deep nod of his head. “Of course.” Then he turned and gestured for them to precede him from the parlor. “This way.”

Crossing the marble-floored entry hall, he led them to the grand staircase.

“I arranged for you both to be in the east wing where you can be near to each other but have your own rooms. There is a private sitting room between you that you can share for whatever purpose you desire. There is also a schoolroom on the floor right above you that has been aired out and cleaned, if you’d like to make use of it.”

“Our own bedrooms? And a sitting room?”

He nodded at Caillie’s questions as they reached the second-floor landing and started down the hallway.

It was on the tip of Ainsworth’s tongue to remind the girl they had their own bedrooms at Faeglen. And an entire house to share rather than just a sitting room.

With a tight smile, she silently congratulated herself on her increasing talent for self-restraint instead.

He paused in front of an open door. “Mrs. Athens thought you’d like this room, Caillie, but if anything isn’t to your liking, there are others from which to choose.”

Caillie skipped across the threshold as Ainsworth stepped tentatively after her. Involuntarily, she slid a sideways glance to the earl as she passed by him. His attention was focused on the lass. The scowl between his brows deepened then smoothed as the muscles of his jaw clenched then released.

He was nervous! The realization shocked and delighted her.

Good. Let him feel even an ounce of the trepidation she’d experienced from the moment she’d spotted him standing in her hen yard.

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