They were awfully keen to keep him away.
“You could have told me,” the maid muttered after a moment of silence.
Felix had already counted five missing windowpanes. “Why didn’t you fix these at the same time as the roof?”
“I have a plan,” Caro ground out. “A budget.”
“You have money.” Her own and his if she wished it.
“Yes, but I lack a certain organ between my legs that makes men take a person seriously.”
He tripped, righted himself, turned slowly. “Pardon?” Though he’d heard what she’d said.
“The roofers, the glaziers, every cursed tradesman I speak to refuses to respect me! They speak to me like I’m a child, and look at me as if I’m simple. You try accomplishing a half of what I’ve done under such circumstances.”
Men could be nodcocks, including himself. He pulled at his cravat. “You should have told me. Asked me to help.”
Caro snorted. “They should treat me like I am in possession of a brain.” She wagged her finger at him. “Do not call me ‘stubborn.’”
“I thought that a virtue, and thus a compliment, in your eyes.” He turned and continued down the hall.
Caro likely simmered behind him, but she didn’t respond.
Instead, the maid whispered, “You should have told me he was a prime one.”
Caro groaned.
Miss Polly chuckled. “Arse looks good walking.”
“I can hear you,” Felix snapped. Was Caro looking? He flicked his hand above his head, a dismissal. “And no need for the two of you to follow me about. I’ll be done in a quarter hour at most, then I’ll head to the village to procure laborers and supplies.”
Silence. Not a footstep oryes, my lord, to be heard.
Felix glanced back at them to find Polly’s gaze skittering between her mistress and him.
“You may go,” Felix said.
“Apologies,” Polly mouthed to her mistress before sketching a curtsy and running off.
Caro reaching for her, grabbing nothing but air. “Traitor!” Then she rounded on him. “What are you doing?”
He opened his mouth.
“You do not care about this house. You do not care aboutme.”
“Correct.” He did not care about her. Did not want to care about her. “But while I’m more than happy to neglect a house, I cannot bring myself to neglect my wife.” Duty, honor, friendship.
They drove his actions.
And, perhaps, a little bit, the need to see beneath her skirts. He’d been able to keep that particular desire dormant for years only to have Caro teetering on a ladder, skirts swinging, bring it roaring back to life. Now, apparently, he could think of nothing else. But that wasn’tcaring.
“I’m not your wife,” she grumbled. “Not really.”
Irritation felt sharp. Like a pin prink on his chest. It felt… strangling… like a hand wrapped tightly about his throat. “You are. And you will not stay here another moment unprotected. I’ll see to the windows. Something you should have already done. And then I’ll see to hiring staff.”
Frustration made her whisky eyes burn. “Will you leavethen?”
He could get drunk on whisky-colored eyes. It would only take one tiny, perfect sip. “Why so eager to see the back of me? Hoping to watch my arse once more?” He couldn’t help the smile sliding across his lips.
