She put her hands on her hips in a way that made him wary. “I’ll see you before then. You promised to help rebuild the Robins’s lean-to.”
Henry grabbed his coat off the back of the couch and pulled it on. “I can’t possibly help build a lean-to. I’ll be far too exhausted.”
“Then sleep tomorrow night.”
Henry frowned at her. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re stubborn?”
“Me?” She smiled.
He couldn’t resist pulling her into his arms and kissing her again. “Come to the dower house when you’re ready for the manual labor. In fact, come a little early. You must fix my nose on that portrait.”
“I’ll try. Noses can be so tricky.”
He kissed her nose. “Maybe with the right incentive you’ll get it right.” He gave her bottom a light smack then climbed back out the window and into the gray dawn.
*
Katie didn’t goto the dower house early. She was weary and slept most of the morning. At the breakfast table, she tried to think of an excuse to go to the dower house, but she quickly realized she needn’t have bothered. Mrs. Murray informed her that she had an engagement.
“What sort of engagement?” Katie asked, completely stunned.
“Mr. and Mrs. Thurp live a few miles away. He is a gentleman with several acres, and they have several daughters ranging between eleven and fifteen. I understand they employ a governess. Today is her day off, and your dear Molly arranged for us to meet in Dunwich for tea.”
“Molly?” Katie was rather surprised that her lady’s maid was involved.
“Yes. Apparently, she used to work for the Thurps and thought the governess, a Miss Baxter, and myself would get along well.”
“I see. You will take the carriage?”
“I will. Of course, you may come along as well, if you like.” She smiled, but Katie could hear from her tone that Mrs. Murray would prefer Katie stay at Carlisle Hall.
“I think I shall stay home and read and write a letter to Papa. I haven’t written to him in several days.”
“Good idea. Oh, dear, look at the time. I should get ready.”
And that was how Mrs. Murray left Katie alone so she could walk over to the dower house at her leisure. When she arrived, the duchess greeted her and informed her Carlisle was still abed. “Lazy boy. I will send a servant to wake him.”
Katie laid a hand on his arm. “Let him sleep. I wanted to paint for an hour or so anyway.”
The duchess agreed, and Katie prepared her paints. Fortunately, it was a task she had performed a hundred times and one that didn’t require much thought. Her mind was fully occupied recalling what Carlisle had done the night before to make him so tired and wondering what he might look like lying in bed. Was he sprawled on his back, one arm thrown over his head, chest bare? He’d be warm and smelling like musk and man. She might crawl into the bed beside him and…
She cleared her throat and used her hand to fan her face. Best to concentrate on the painting. She had the blue of his coat just right. His eyes would be a different matter.
“You still haven’t fixed my nose.”
Katie looked up from the canvas, then turned to find Carlisle standing behind her. She hadn’t heard him approach and had no idea how long she’d been working. She’d lost herself in her work, as usual. “How long have you been standing there?”
He tilted his head to study her progress. “Not long. My mother says you’ve been working for almost two hours, and I am to take you out into the fresh air.”
“We can walk to the Robins’s farm.”
He didn’t look away from the canvas. “Surely two hours is enough time to fix my nose. But perhaps you need me to model?”
Katie looked at him, then the canvas. “Actually, I rather like the way I’ve sketched your nose. I haven’t decided if I will change it or not. Perhaps after I’ve seen you build a lean-to.”
He made a sound of frustration. “You are a wicked woman, Lady Katherine Malfort.”
She smiled and took his arm.
