“Well now, what a relief it will be for Mr. Buxley to know the shop is being cared for. He has a shipment of stationary coming in next week and has been fretting about it. I’ll be right back.” She bustled off, disappearing through a door to the back of the shop.
Charlotte caught Olivia’s gaze. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
Olivia nodded. “Don’t you see, this is precisely what I need to keep my mind off the estate and Maxwell Drake. It could be just the thing to help me figure out what my next step will be. Plus, we can’t let the only bookshop for miles and miles just close. It is really for the community.”
“And our book club!” Ellie chimed in. “I’m happy to help. Lucius is busy with the new brewery. I’m at loose ends now that I have the house set up.”
Charlotte smiled. “I will help as well.” She patted her belly. “As long as there is a comfy chair for me to manage you all from.”
They all turned to Susanna.
“You won’t be able to keep me away. Mother and Father won’t approve, but when has that ever stopped me before?” She shrugged. “I’ll just pretend I’m shopping.”
Mrs. Buxley returned to the table. “Here is the key to the shop. And thank you again. If you have any questions, you can go have a visit with Mr. Buxley. I’m sure he would talk your ear off.”
Olivia accepted the iron key. The weight of it felt right in her hand, a sign that this was the right choice. This was the first time in a long while she felt a sense of purpose. Getting through the holiday without Henry had seemed impossible. And now, with the arrival of his heir, she was also forced to think about where she would live and what path her life should take. Olivia gripped tight onto the key. She would lose herself in running the bookshop. Perhaps if she kept busy, the answers to what to do with her life would come to her.
Chapter Five
Tea with herfriends was precisely what Olivia had needed to lift her spirits. She snapped the reins to gently urge her stubborn mares to keep going. The pair were new and needed a firm reminder of their job. “Come on, girls, it’s freezing. Let’s get home. How are you doing, Jimmy?” she called back to her tiger.
“Just fine, ma’am.”
But moments later, it began to snow. The delicate small flakes drifting down grew into big fat snowflakes. Jimmy released the ribbons that tied back the hood of the curricle and lifted it in place. She was glad for the cover as her velvet bonnet did not have a wide brim, and snowflakes kept landing on her eyelashes. Once shielded by the cover, Olivia could enjoy the snowfall. The flurry of snowflakes fell steadily but melted on contact with the ground. Snow this early in December may be a warning of a cold winter this year.
They turned onto the estate’s long drive. Olivia immediately felt on edge again. This place she had for so long called her home was not hers any longer. Maybe she should travel abroad. She used to have aspirations to see different parts of the world. Max and she had shared those aspirations, laying in the tall summer grass in their favorite spot by the stream they had talked of the Italian countryside, the clear blue waters of the Caribbean, the Great Pyramids of Giza. Olivia frowned. All those dreams had been replaced by the reality of her mother’s illness and her father’s cruel plans for her. It wasn’t that Henry wouldn’t have taken her abroad, but rather that she had felt so beholden to him for his kindness. She never wanted to ask too much, be too demanding. Belhaven Hall had become her safe place. It had been enough.
Max had gone on to travel the world. He had probably seen all those places they had spoken about. Men always had the advantage to do as they pleased. She tightened her cold hands on the reins. Well, she could do what she wanted now. She had no father nor husband to tell her what to do. The question remained: what did she want?
They turned onto the drive that led to the Hall. The bare branches of the trees sported a delicate layer of snow, like a table decorated with fine lace doilies. The house loomed ahead, and in front stood Maxwell Drake, his face tilted up to the sky. His arms stretched out to the sides, palms up. As they got closer, she could see that his eyes were closed and his eyelashes dusted with snowflakes. What was the foolish man doing?
As with each time she saw him, her stomach fluttered in response. She couldn’t help but peruse his profile, the slope of his nose, his full lips, and his sharp jawline. She wanted to run her fingers across his cheek and lose herself in those amber eyes. She wanted to feel again the pull of attraction that had always been between them and see his lips curve into that half smile right before he kissed her. Olivia sighed at her inability to keep her thoughts in check. No use living in the past. He was the new earl, and she was a problem he needed to have settled.
She guided the curricle around the circular drive and pulled to a stop near Max. He didn’t wear a hat, and his hair was dusted with snow. “What are you doing out in this weather?” she called out.
Max swiveled to face her. A grin stretched across his face. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen snow. I looked out the window of the library and felt as giddy as a schoolboy when I saw the snowflakes.” He walked over and held out a hand to help her down.
She couldn’t help but return his smile. His enthusiasm for something generally viewed as an inconvenience was adorable. “Mr. Feeney, one of my tenants, swears we’re in for a snowy winter. Says the signs are all there, something about woolly caterpillars.” She shrugged. “He is rarely wrong.”
Max didn’t let go of her hand but gave it a tug instead. “Let’s go for a walk.”
“In the snow? I’m already frozen from the drive home from town. I’d prefer a hot cup of tea.”
Max took hold of her other hand, and his eyes roamed over her. “Yes, I can see your nose is quite red. We’ll go inside, but first, you must taste the snow. The first snowfall always tastes the best.”
Olivia rolled her eyes and tried to tug her hands from his. “What nonsense. Snow doesn’t taste like anything at all.”
Max tipped his head back, and her breath caught as his tongue darted out to catch a snowflake. When he looked back down at her, his eyes twinkled with mischief. “Hmmm, tastes like Christmas.”
Olivia laughter bubbled up in her chest. She tried to frown at his foolishness, but it was no use; the laugh escaped between her lips. Max laughed too; his deep chuckle filled the freezing afternoon air.It tastes like Christmas.What nonsense. She stepped back and turned to make her way up the stairs to the front door. She refused to be charmed once again by Maxwell Drake.
Chapter Six
Max hummed ‘GoodTidings to All’ as he followed Olivia into the house. He’d been sitting at Henry’s desk attempting to concentrate on the estate ledgers when he noticed the snowflakes swirling around out his window. Despite his aversion to the cold, there was something magical about snow. The fresh canvas it created as it covered the ground in a blanket of sparkling white. Perhaps the snow was a good sign.
Mr. Daniels appeared with a small brush. “Sir, let me dust off the snow.” The man tutted as he circled Max attacking his jacket with a brush. Max should have called for his greatcoat, but in his enthusiasm, he had strode outside without thinking of bundling up.
Max watched Olivia hand her cape and bonnet to one of the footmen. She patted her hair and pushed a couple of loose pins back into place. Her smile had disappeared, and her polite façade was back in place. But he had made her laugh. And it had felt marvelous to crack her shell, if only for a moment.