“Isaac. Don’t be such a dolt. She’s planning to match you with someone.”
The very thought of it made him burst into a laugh. “Astrid, I can guarantee you that the dowager is not going to make me a match.”
Astrid crossed her arms and tucked her chin defiantly. “Really? How can you be so sure?”
“Two very simple reasons. First of all, if she has ever wanted to match me with someone, she would have done it by now. Do you know how much time I have spent at this house? How many parties I’ve been to? How many events? Balls? Dinners? I could continue the list, but surely you can concede the point. And second of all, she knows I’m a” —cough— “rake.” He felt a cad applying the word to himself, but wasn’t about to deny it. “She would never intentionally arrange an attachment of a woman to me.”
“First of all,” Astrid mimicked back, “for the first time ever, none of her sons are here, so she can demand your full attention. You of all people must know the strength of her will? The determination of her spirit? And the power wielded by her hand? Surely,youmust concede the point. And second of all, she knows exactly what kind of rake you are.”
“What the he—what is that supposed to mean?”
“Come on, Isaac. You’re just like every other man except you have principles about it. You are protective. You would never hurt those that you love.”
Love? Who the deuce was talking about love? A grunt of a reply was the best that Isaac could manage to convey resentment for whatever points his irksome little sister was trying to make.
“I’m weary of this conversation, dear sister.”
“Right, well, don’t be surprised if for some reason—and it will be very logical—she requires that you pay extra attention to one guest in particular.”
He was being baited. He knew it. So he didn’t mean to ask, “Which guest?” Of course, only one guest came to mind. A raven-haired, crimson-lipped snowflake. A flurry waiting to happen. She had no idea the trouble she caused.
Astrid rolled her eyes. “I’m going inside to freshen up. I can’t wait to see myroom. By now myluggageshould be there.”
Blast it all to hell. This was most definitely going to be a very long house party, indeed.
Chapter 3
ASHOPEREACHEDTHEtop of the stairs, she saw a footman carrying a bucket of water to the room down the hall from her bedchamber. Puzzled, she asked if he was not meant to bring it to her room.
“My instructions were to fill the bath in this room,” the footman said, pointing to the guest room.
That didn’t make sense. There were no guests in residence yet, and she was the one who needed to clean herself up. Someone downstairs must have mixed up the messages.
“I need to clean up,” she said archly, looking down at the ink stains on her dress. Hopefully they hadn’t seeped through all the layers of fabric and reached the skin of her legs. That would be a nuisance to scrub off.
She was about to ask the footman to change his course and deposit the water into the tub inside her room when he said, “The tub in this room is almost full. This is the last bucket. I can—”
“No, no need to fix this. I’ll take care of it.”
The footman’s eyes widened but for a moment, and then he maintained his stoic mien and kept walking.
Well, she would never ask them to redo all that work. She would have thought that the servants would know that about her. It rankled a bit that he might think she would make such unnecessary demands. To put him at ease, she smiled at him when he turned back to look at her before entering the room.
She would just take a quick bath in the guest room. No big deal.
That’s what she thought. That’s what her mind and heart agreed upon. There was no reason to think otherwise.
Hope waited in the corridor for the footman to exit the room, and then she crossed the threshold. Locking the door, she quickly slipped out of her clothes. If the servants had put the tub here, surely her lady’s maid would be up shortly with a new frock for her, so she didn’t give it a second thought. The steam from the tub invited her to take a moment to clean up and unwind before any guests arrived.
She hopped in quietly and felt her muscles immediately relax. Her head fell gently back against the tub and she closed her eyes. The house party was going to be fun. It was a choice, and she was going to enjoy herself. It wouldn’t be the same without the whole family there, but there were enough guests attending to keep her busy. She outlined in her mind the particular needs of certain guests. Michael always enjoyed a good philosophical read. She would be sure to point out the new books they had acquired. Perhaps he would like the Wollstonecraft book she had just reread. A smile curved up on her lips. Doubtful. The man was as rigid as they came. But Isaac, on the other hand…
Her limbs felt loose, and her hand grew restless. Isaac…he might be open to the ideals. She sunk lower in the tub, feeling a hot liquid pool between her legs. The water was hotter than she remembered. Her stomach tightened and her feet arched. She stretched out, trying to release the tension. Behind heavy lids, she saw his face. Isaac’s dark eyes had a way of piercing into her soul, laughing each inch deeper that he went. It was almost unsettling. If it wasn’t so…how could she describe the feelings he gave her when she didn’t even understand them herself.
He made her laugh. That, she knew. She felt comfortable around him and could tell him anything. In an unconventional way, she trusted him, despite the fact that he was a rake. So really, she amended, she trusted him with her heart and mind. But not her body. That, she would never give him. For the obvious reasons. And for all the normal reasons a virtuous woman should never trust a rake; namely, that he treated women like trophies.
A small sigh blew from her lips. Time to stop thinking of Isaac. Time to soap up and get ready.
Drat. The soap must be in the inner room. She jumped out of the tub and made her way to the door. Just as she was about to open it, someone stepped out.
