“I purchased Hearsely Estate six months ago. The lack of decoration does not represent my lack of wealth, for I am wealthy. I simply don’t see myself remaining in Chatsworth very long, so why bother changing the decor?”
“Why is that?” Miss Dunston asked. “Why purchase an estate only to leave it immediately after?”
The truth was that the gentlemen’s club was only one of what he hoped to be many ways of gaining the approval of the nobility. Once he finished here, he planned to go in search of other, larger pursuits, quests that will make him even more renowned. What those pursuits might be or where they would lead him remained to be seen.
Yet saying so would make him seem vain, and he did not want anyone to believe he thought so much about himself.
“I enjoy traveling the country,” he explained as they walked down the corridor. “Therefore, I prefer not to remain in one place for very long.” He pushed open the door to his study and stepped aside to allow the two young ladies to enter. A single desk of high-polished birch sat in the middle of the room, a single bookcase housing several of his ledgers beside it. A large window looking over the gardens made the otherwise small room bearable. “Why did you wish to see my study?”
“Oh, I find it so fascinating to see where a man works,” she gushed, using that same tiny smile she wore when mentioning the mistreated boy. “Here, I can imagine you working late into the night, doing all you can to increase your worth. You must hold the most interesting meetings. And the number of men who are jealous of you must be great. Trust me when I say a lady will find such things captivating.”
Her front teeth nibbled her bottom lip, and fire erupted inside Aaron. In that moment, he wished they were alone, for he would have pulled her into his arms and kissed her again!
But a grunt from her companion dissuaded him of such a thought.
“Oh! My stomach! The pain,” Miss Lockhart said, clutching at her abdomen. “I’m not feeling well.”
Aaron hurried to the young woman. “Are you all right?”
She doubled over in pain, but her pallor did not change. “I’m so sorry, and I do hate to be a burden, but do you have a room where I may sit and rest a moment?”
“Of course. I can take you to the drawing room and have Scriven bring you tea if you would like. I’m sure Mrs. Pentham has something that can provide a remedy of some sort for you.”
“I’ll wait here,” Miss Dunston said. “There’s no need for both of us to accompany her. Once she’s settled, we can resume the tour.”
“Are you sure?” Aaron asked. “I wouldn’t want you to think me rude.”
“Not at all. I’m sorry, Ruth. I forgot you cannot eat anything with mint. It bothers her stomach terribly, you see.”
Aaron nodded, although he thought it a strange reaction to an herb typically used for indigestion. He led Miss Lockhart to the drawing room. “Sit here,” he said, helping her to the couch. “I’ll go in search of Scriven. Will you be all right here alone?”
“I believe so,” she whispered. “I only need a moment. Please, don’t go to any trouble.”
Aaron’s heart clenched. Many years ago, his mother fell deathly ill, and it began with stomach pain. He sat at her bedside day and night, doing whatever he could to help. Whatever sickness had taken over her had not killed her, but she never fully regained her strength. Since then, seeing any woman in pain caused him distress. “It’s no trouble at all. I assure you. I’ll return momentarily.”
He hurried from the room in search of the butler before remembering he could have rung the bell in the drawing room. Before he could turn back around, Scriven appeared, and Aaron sent him to Mrs. Pentham for the tea.
Relieved to have Miss Lockhart seen to, he returned to the study only to take a quick step back into the corridor. Did he see what he believed he saw? Peeking around the door jamb, he watched a hunched Miss Dunston rifle through the small stack of letters on his desk.
What was she doing? How dare she look through his things! Then to his astonishment, she took one, folded it, and slid it into her reticule.
Clearing his throat, he entered the room. She pulled her hands behind her back with a gasp.
“What are you doing?” he demanded.
She flushed. “I was… it’s just that I saw how disorganized your desk is, so I thought I would tidy it up for you.” She straightened up the letters and placed them in the center of the desk. “You see? Much better, would you not say?”
Aaron took a step forward and closed the door without taking his eyes off her. “How kind of you. I’m lucky to have such a considerate friend.”
“Friend?” she asked. “What an honor to be considered your friend, sir.”
Aaron could not help but smile. This young lady was skilled at the art of dodging the truth it seemed.
“May I ask why you closed the door?”
He eyed her for several moments. Then a mischievous idea came to mind. He could counter her game with one of his own. “Because there is something I want from you, Miss Dunston.” He looked her up and down. “Surely, you know what it is, for you’ve made it clear you want the same from me.”
Her eyes went wide, and she placed a hand to her breast. “If you think I’ll allow you to kiss me again, you’re sadly mistaken. Now, I must go see how Ruth is feeling.”