Page 50 of From Rakes to Riches

She slid her fingers under Hestia’s tiny belly, her fingers brushing against his neck, and he smothered a groan. She was his sons’ governess, for God’s sake. His sons’ governess. He repeated the warning in his head as she gently disentangled the kitten from his shirt, and dear God, it felt like she was touching him everywhere, her fingertips stroking the sensitive place behind his ear, her fingernails scratching lightly against his neck as she urged the kitten away from him.

By the time she gathered Hestia against her chest, his own fingers were twitching to wrap around her waist, and beads of sweat were sliding down the back of his neck. “There, Hestia,” he said. “You’re all right now.”

“It was kind of you to bring her inside, Lord Hawke.” She glanced shyly up at him from under her lashes. “I, ah…I know she’s not your favorite animal.”

He shrugged, but his head was still swimming from her touch. “Come now, Miss Templeton. I never said she was allthatterrible.”

She blinked up at him, then the corner of those delectable lips quirked into a grin. “You called her a demonic hellcat.”

He’d called her worse, too, but fortunately not in Miss Templeton’s hearing. “Yes, well, she’s rather grown on me since then.”

She studied him for a moment, her fingers slowly stroking over Hestia’s sleek gray back. “They do tend to do that, don’t they, Lord Hawke?”

Something in her gaze made heat rise in his cheeks. “Yes, well, I wouldn’t get my hopes up if I were you, Miss Templeton. I still don’t like cats.”

“Don’t you? Well, that’s an improvement over detesting them, at least.” Her grin widened. “I daresay by this time next week you’ll be as devoted of a slave to them as the rest of us at Hawke’s Run.”

He snorted. “I wouldn’t count on it.” Though it wasn’t quite as ludicrous a notion as it had been three days ago.

“Hmmm.” With that enigmatic reply, she gathered Hestia tighter against her chest, and turned to make her way up the stairs. He was struggling against the urge not to watch her go and failing miserably when she reached the landing, paused and turned to face him. “A question, if I might, Lord Hawke?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“What were you doing outdoors?”

“I, er…” Damn it, his mind was utterly blank. “What do you mean, Miss Templeton? I wasn’t outdoors.”

“But you said you found Hestia outside the kitchen door, my lord.” She arched an eyebrow. “And you have your boots on.”

Damn the woman. Did nothing escape her notice? Just as he was certain he was going to have to confess his furtive stable excursions, however, inspiration struck. “I might ask you the same question, Miss Templeton. Why are you wearing your cloak and boots?”

“I…I thought Hestia might have gone outside.”

“Indeed? It seems strange you would think so, given how far your bedchamber is from an outside door.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment, but just when he thought she’d march off back to her bedchamber, those full,plump lips he’d no doubt dream about tonight quirked with another grin. “Perhaps, but it wouldn’t be the only strange occurrence this evening, would it, Lord Hawke?”

“No, indeed. Not the only strange occurrence.” Not by any measure.

She hesitated, then asked, “You, ah, you didn’t happen to see a black kitten down there anywhere, did you, my lord?”

“A black kitten? What, you mean to say there’s a black one, too?” How many kittens was she hiding in his castle?

“Er, never mind, my lord. Goodnight!” With that, she turned and fled up the last few steps, Hestia peering down at him over her shoulder.

“Goodnight, Miss Templeton,” he murmured as she disappeared around the corner. “Sweet dreams.”

8

The day after Helena’s strange encounter with Lord Hawke passed uneventfully, one hour following after the next in a busy blur of lessons with the boys until the frosty afternoon gave way to a quiet, peaceful evening.

But the wee hours of the following morning, those dark, still hours before the sun ventured over the horizon, well…they were another matter entirely.

Helena waited until the mantel clock chimed four times before she tossed back the coverlet and rose from her bed. It was dreadfully early, and Hestia and Poseidon had once again kept her awake for hours the night before with their antics, but she wasn’t plagued with grogginess and bleary eyes this morning.

No, this time, she was wide awake.

She crept across the room, dropped into the window seat and folded her legs underneath her, knowing what she’d see before she glanced into the grounds below.

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