For a moment he remained quiet, and Louisa wondered if he would reject her offer. Then, to her surprise, he smiled. “I must admit, spending time with you is a pleasant thought. And it will keep other men at bay.”
Her breath caught at this. Was he jealous?
“We’ll do this together as you propose,” he continued. “And regardless of the decision Mr. Barker makes, at least the theater will not be empty for its upcoming—and perhaps final—production.” He stuck out a hand. “We businessmen shake hands as a sign of agreement.”
Louisa eyed his hand skeptically. “Are you certain you wish to do business with a woman?”
This time when he laughed, her heart gave a pleasant flutter, for it was not filled with contempt nor was it degrading as it had been in the past. Instead, it was filled with what she could only define as happiness.
“Since you and I have become acquainted, I’ve reconsidered my stance on conducting business with women. You, Miss Dunston, are a sharp young lady who can achieve anything you set out to do. So yes, in this matter, we are equals.”
Confidence filled her heart. and she shook his hand. “Thank you. It’s pleasant to be recognized for more than my outward appearance.”
“Trust me,” Sir Aaron said with a wide grin. “You’re more than just a beautiful woman. I’d say you have many wonderful qualities I find appealing. So many that if I listed them all today, we would be here all night.”
Louisa’s head swam, and she hoped she would not faint. “I must admit that your list would be exceptionally long as well.”
Silence settled around them for several moments as they looked at one another. Was it possible for time to stop just for them?
Sadly, the spell broke when he cleared his throat and said, “I really should be going.”
He stood and offered a hand to help her up from the bench. As she stood before him, she contemplated this new path they had begun. They were now business partners, but she could not ignore the romantic attraction that had budded between them.
Gazing into his deep-blue eyes, Louisa wished he would kiss her. That he would give her a gift that she could savor until they met again. This time, however, she restrained herself. Not for the sake of protecting herself but rather because she wished to protect him. For the first time in her life, she felt like more than a simple schoolgirl who used her feminine wiles to get men to do her bidding. Now, she felt like a woman of worth.
He offered her an arm, and she took it. They strolled through the park, Ruth silently falling in behind them. When they reached the exit, Sir Aaron said, “We really should devise a plan for how we’ll sell these tickets. Have you any ideas?”
Louisa smiled. How wonderful that he asked her opinion rather than dictating his plans to her!
“Mrs. Rutley has an extensive list of acquaintances. I can write to many of them and request a meeting. There, we can offer them the tickets and discuss the possibility of donations. We’ll explain that Mr. Barker will decide how those funds are used but that he has mentioned renovations and repairs to the building in which the theater sits. If someone seems disinterested in that plan, you can then bring up what you hope to see happen with the building.” She looked up at him. “What do you think?”
“I think it a wonderful idea,” he said, coming to a stop in front of his carriage. “I’ll call over to you on Wednesday at midday.” He glanced around. “Would you like a ride back to the school?”
“Thank you, but no. I’ll walk. It allows me to exercise as well as to contemplate our next steps.”
After Sir Aaron’s carriage pulled away, Louisa and Ruth made their way back to the school. The days ahead would be interesting, to say the least. But spending time with Sir Aaron while working toward her goal delighted her.
Yet a small amount of worry tugged at the back of her mind. What was going to happen once the tickets were sold, and the production was successful? Would their conflicting objectives create a rift so great that no amount of romance could bridge it?
ChapterTwenty-Three
Mrs. Agnes Rutley had enjoyed only a handful of significant friendships. Acquaintances, she had many. But true friends she kept to a select few because too many people were untrustworthy. She would trust Mrs. Shepherd with her life. None held the same status in Agnes’s life. Except perhaps Henry, Lord Walcott.
Lord Walcott’s friendship began more than twenty years earlier. And most unconventionally. It was born out of an argument—or rather with her chastising him—which quickly evolved into an unmatched camaraderie. They became so close that they set aside the need for formal address.
The late-afternoon sun poured through the large window of her office as she sat behind her desk, listening to Henry expressing his frustration with a lazy maid—or so he believed—as if he had taken over his title yesterday. Why did he not simply give the girl the sack and hire a replacement? Or have Deacan, his butler, do it if he found the task distasteful. After all, was that not why the man received one of the highest earnings of any other butler in the area?
Despite her ready suggestion, Agnes offered no counsel on the matter. Over the years, she had learned that once Henry verbalized his frustration, he either found a solution to the problem or realized it had not been as bad as he first believed. If he did not, then she would speak her mind. But it was always better to allow men to work out things for themselves. Few were willing to take a woman’s suggestions to heart, anyway.
And indeed, it was not long before he decided to give the girl a sharp talking-to and allow her one more chance to show her capabilities.
“I hear she’s providing for five siblings after the death of her parents,” he explained. “I cannot be the cause of the family losing their home.” Henry really was a good man.
The conversation soon turned to his visit to the village. “Barker appears to be struggling with what to do with the theater. Were you aware that our newest resident wishes to purchase the building and turn it into a gentlemen’s club?”
Agnes smiled. “I’m well aware. But as you know, Louisa Dunston is on a quest to see it remains a theater. What’s more, she and Sir Aaron have joined forces to sell tickets together for the next play.” She went on to explain what Louisa had told her the previous day after her encounter with the knight. “I think it will do them both good. Sir Aaron is trying to find his place in this world just as much as Louisa is.”
Henry crossed an ankle over the opposite knee. “Agnes, you do realize this man is high in the instep and doesn’t even realize his knighthood does little more than lift him from the dregs of society.”