“Good Lord, you’re still here,” she muttered as she noticed him standing by a tree.
“You must have known I was out here waiting for you.” She’d deliberately kept him cooling his heels. Did this woman not realize who he was?
She shook her head. “I’d hoped you would grow bored with the wait.” She took a step down the path as if their conversation had finished.
“I need a word with you, Miss White.”
She rolled her green eyes and then turned her back to him. “Indeed. I do hope you shall attempt to keep your clothes on this time.”
Colin walked closer to her as his fury ignited. The woman was walking around with her hair unbound as if she were still a child, not to mention she had the nerve to chastise a duke! “Keep my clothes on? You entered my bedchamber unannounced and yet you criticize me on good form?”
“You arrived early.”
“Which has nothing to do with you being in my bedroom.”
“What do you wish to speak to me about, Your Grace?” she asked with a sigh.
What did he want to speak with her about? He could not remember. There had to be a reasonable explanation for following her and then waiting for nearly an hour. “What were you doing in the cottage?”
That was not what he wanted to know. Dammit! This little hoyden had disturbed his thought process.
“Little Raymond was stung by a bee yesterday. I was just making certain everything was all right with him. His brother died of a bee sting a few years ago.”
A bee sting could kill a person? He’d never heard of such nonsense. “Was he all right?”
“Yes. The mark is still a little red but he shall be just fine.”
“Excellent.”
An uncomfortable silence filled the air around them. He had no idea how to broach the subject. “Miss White, I do hope you understand—”
“Of course, Your Grace. You did not expect someone to disturb your peace while you slept. It is completely reasonable that you might have been irritable this morning.”
Did she actually think his petulance had something to do with lack of sleep? “I believe you misunderstand me, Miss White.”
“Oh?”
“I don’t want you here,” he said quietly. Shame heated his cheeks. But he had no reason for embarrassment. Her mother, with her assorted herbs and nonsense, had caused his sorrow. Colin had never thought that the dreadful woman’s daughter would still be here on the estate. As Kate had told him, it was time to grow up and take charge of his life. It was strange to hear such a mature speech from a woman ten years younger than him.
“I understand, Your Grace. I shall stay away from your bedchamber.” She started to walk away again.
“Miss White,” he called out.
She stopped and looked back at him. “Are we not finished, Your Grace?”
“No.” He waited until she turned to face him. “I don’t want you in my home.”
“Very well,” she replied tightly.
“I also don’t want you here any longer.”
Her mouth dropped open. “I don’t believe I understand, Your Grace.”
“I wish for you to leave your cottage while I’m here.”
“Leave?” she repeated.
“Yes. I’m quite certain you realize why I would like you to depart. I’m not asking you to leave Northrop Park permanently, only until after the wedding. Obviously, the tenants appreciate your work here. But I . . .” Dear God, she had him babbling like an idiot! “I don’t want the reminder of what happened.”