“Yes...but what exactly happened?” She reached up and he dodged her touch.
Goddamn it. Did she think because they shared a brief kiss that he would tell her every minute details about himself? Did she believe he owed her something in some way?
She clasped one hand in the other in front of her and took a slight step back. “You do not have to wear it all the time. I see you touch it, you know, like it is uncomfortable.”
Well, this explained it all. Why she didn’t mind his touch, why she allowed him to kiss her and even found pleasure in it. She had to be mad. No one in their right mind would wish to look upon such a thing.
“I think it’s about time I went to bed,” he said as though she hadn’t uttered a word.
Ivy’s shoulders dropped a little. He felt an ass.
“I have a busy day tomorrow,” he added and nearly snorted at the weakness of his words. Like that would help explain why he was running away.
“And I shall likely not see much of you, I suppose.”
Cillian hated her disappointed tone. Couldn’t understand it either. What did she really think he could offer her? Gentlemanly companionship? Picnics in the parkland? Lemonade by the river?
He nodded toward the box. “If you need anything from me, do let me know.”
She lifted her chin and turned away, arms wrapped about herself. “I shall be just fine, thank you.”
Yes, she probably would. Ivy didn’t need him, not really. He’d witnessed her capability when she’d ordered everyone all in the name of a tiny hedgehog.
Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t sure he would be. Not after that kiss.
Chapter Nine
Muriel stepped around an apparently fresh pile of horse manure, clutched her skirts, and wrinkled her nose.
Ivy held back a giggle. No wonder Mrs. Baxter thought her lady’s maid above her station. She certainly did not fit in with the rest of the servants.
Thank goodness.
At this point, Ivy didn’t care if Muriel forgot her station entirely. How pleasant it was to have someone who would actually talk to her, properly.
“So you are to turn this stable…” Muriel came to her side and peered into the gloomy opening of the building “…into some sort of animal sanctuary.”
Ivy nodded. “Cillian—his lordship—says I can use it for any animals I find in future.”
Muriel eyed her. “And you are likely to find more animals? Surely one screeching hedgehog is enough.”
She shrugged. “It just seems to happen.”
Muriel sniffed. “It smells old. And damp.”
“It will need clearing out and some fences made.” Ivy stepped into the stone entrance of the building to see piles of damp straw and the remnants of the barriers that once divided a whole stable full of horses. Though Charington was grand indeed and by all accounts, belonged to two viscounts who thought quite highly of themselves, Ivy kept spying signs of neglect.
It was mostly hidden away, in places like the rear staircase where some of the wallpaper peeled away or in the servant’s hall with its paint flecked window frames. This stable was no different. Who knew when it had been last used?
The building was set away from the rest of the stables and had likely been used to house guest’s horses, but it didn’t look as though they would be receiving guests anytime soon, so it didn’t matter that the main stables were full. Most of Bath society likely wished to avoid any hint of scandal given the circumstances in which she and Cillian had been discovered.
Which suited her. She loathed most of Bath society anyway. They were only marginally better than thetonin that her family weren’t given the cut direct, however, the comments and gossip was more than enough to persuade her she could happily do without all those people.
It seemed her husband felt the same.
“What’s that?” Muriel remained by the open entrance and angled herself to peer into the straw.
“Oh. Cats!” Ivy pressed hands to her cheeks and smiled. “Young cats.”