“Do you make it a habit of arriving at other’s residence without prior announcement?”
The grumble from behind sent her heart racing. Lavender let out a calming breath before turning to face him, a retort ripe on her tongue.
It died the moment she laid eyes on the earl. He looked…handsome. Not the rough handsomeness that had been hiding under layers of scowls and an unkempt attire. It was as if it had all been scrubbed away, revealing the gorgeous man underneath. His hair looked like it had been brushed and styled away from his face, with a healthy sheen that made it seem like he had washed it just this morning. His waistcoat was fitted to his body, the white shirt underneath molded to his muscular forearms. The bruises he’d sported yesterday had faded to a dull brown color.
It was like he had stepped right out of every lady’s fantasy. One of her fantasies.
Even that ever present scowl was not enough to slow her racing heart. Goodness, what had gotten into her?
“Well?” the earl growled.
Lavender turned her back to him, taking a discreet deep breath. “I thought it would be best if I came to you, my lord,” sheexplained, grateful that her voice sounded normal. “I did not want to leave it in your hands.”
“How kind of you,” he drawled. She listened to his approach and steeled herself. Something odd was happening in the pit of her stomach. Like a host of birds were swarming her insides. “Let us get this over with then.”
Unable to help herself, Lavender risked looking at him. He was only two feet away from her, frowning out the window. “You look well put together, my lord,” she said. “Perhaps a smile will be enough to complete it.”
“I have no reason to smile. I have been dreading this from the moment you gave me that foolish list.”
“You will thank me when we arrive at the party and no one will have any reason to speak badly about you.”
He scoffed. “If you think they need a reason to do such a thing, you don’t know the kind of people you’re dealing with.”
Fair enough. Her father had seen firsthand how damaging the wagging tongues of the Ton could be. And she was sure Lord Derby was no stranger to their harsh words.
“Forgive me,” she murmured. “That was insensitive of me.”
“Why? Because I am a bastard?”
“Yes,” she replied without hesitation.
For a beat, the earl said nothing. Lavender was almost certain that she’d upset him further by being so blunt. Just as she was about to apologize, he exhaled sharply, the sound sounding suspiciously like a breathy laugh.
“For such a small lady,” he said, “you certainly enjoy playing with fire.”
“A small flame never hurt a soul before,” Lavender said, giving him a small smile. He didn’t smile back. But he didn’t scowl either. He only stared at her without saying a word, eyes searching her face as if he were looking for something.
Lavender turned away, heat crawling up her neck. “You have a lovely home, my lord.”
“Sarcasm does not become you,” he drawled from behind.
She wandered over to the unlit hearth, staring up at the white molding lining the ceiling. “I speak the truth. Certainly, it is alittle worse for wear but I can see the charm hidden beneath it all. What are the renovations you intend on doing?”
He didn’t answer right away. After a few seconds of silence, she didn’t think he would answer her at all. But then he said, “I am only going to repair all that are damaged. I have no intentions of changing anything.”
“Good. I wouldn’t want you to.”
She sensed his surprise before she saw it. “You don’t?”
“Of course not.” Lavender ran her hand over the mantle. “You have a lovely home, my lord. And I can see the charm hidden underneath it all. I would hate for you to change the true character of this beautiful house.”
“I…did not expect you to say that.”
“Why?” Lavender raised a brow at him, a mirthful smile playing around her lips. “Did you think I would criticise every inch of this place?”
To her surprise, he hesitated before he nodded, “Yes.”
Her mirth spilled over into true laughter. “Well, you needn’t worry about that. This is your home, my lord. You can do whatever you wish with it. Even if I did not approve of your plan, you do not strike me as the type to care.”
