Page 23 of Tempting a Lonely Lord
“Lady Bella… Here… Now?” William said, bolting upright so abruptly that he nearly tumbled out of bed. Scrambling to focus his bleary eyes, he fixed a questioning look on his valet. “What time is it?”
“It’s almost noon, my lord.”
“Damn,” William muttered. “Help me dress, will you?”
“I live to serve, my lord,” Patrick replied, his words carrying just enough sarcasm to earn him a raised brow. Nevertheless, he swiftly laid out William’s buckskin trousers, a crisp shirt, and a neatly folded neckcloth.
William shot his valet a pointed look but didn’t bother hiding his smirk.Cheeky fellow.
Fifteen minutes later, dressed and marginally more awake, William descended the stairs and made his way to the drawing room.
Pushing open the doors, he found Bella seated on the settee, flipping through a newspaper he’d left on the side table a few days ago. At her feet, Lacey lay curled up in a warm pool of sunlight, her tail occasionally twitching in contentment.
William paused for a moment, taking in the scene. Bella, as always, was a balm to his weary soul and, in this case, a sight for his sore, sleep-deprived eyes.
“Good day, Bella,” he greeted her as he approached.
“Good day, William,” she replied, looking up with a smile that seemed to illuminate the room. He resisted the urge to sigh again—this time from sheer admiration. Her beauty was a perfect blend of refreshing and breathtaking.
“Are you finished with this?” she asked, holding up the latest edition of theTon Tattler.
“That old thing?” William chuckled. “It arrived a week ago. I suppose it’s past its expiration date. Of course you may have it.”
He had little patience for gossip and only read theTattlerout of necessity.
Bella grinned. “Oh, the gossip is entertaining, but I’m more interested in fashion. There are two lovely patterns on the second page.”
“Well, I’m glad it’s getting another life. I was about to toss it,” he admitted.
“Happy to be of service,” she said, her tone playful. “My grandmothers love gossip, even though they claim otherwise. They refuse to subscribe to theTattler, but I’ve caught them reading over their friends’ shoulders at the tearoom.” She giggled. “Honestly, I don’t know anyone whodoesn’tsneak a peek at it, no matter what they say. Even if most of it is probably nonsense, there’s some value in it.”
“I suppose so,” William replied with a deep laugh, suddenly grateful he hadn’t been featured in its pages—at least not to his knowledge. “I’ll ask Harlow to see that theTattleris delivered to you from now on—after I’ve had the chance to read through it, of course.”
“Thank you, William. You are most kind,” she said, her sunny smile bright enough to light the dimmest corners of his day.
How he yearned to kiss those radiant lips, to taste the warmth of that smile and claim it as his own. But he held himself in check, his hands curling at his sides as though restraint alone could tether the desire threatening to overwhelm him.
~*~
Bella had to keep reminding herself not to stare, though she could easily spend the entire day gazing at him without tiring. He was utterly captivating—a man seemingly oblivious to the effect his rugged, masculine beauty had on her, and undoubtedly on countless other women. She couldn’t help but wonder how many hearts William had unknowingly—or perhaps knowingly—broken in the course of his work. With his golden waves of hair and those striking sky-blue eyes, it seemed inevitable.
Whenever she found herself this close to him, her breath caught in her throat, her chest felt impossibly tight, and her mouth was as dry as a parched desert. Good heavens, if she wasn’t careful, she might very well swoon on the spot, reduced to little more than a hopelessly smitten fool in his presence.
“I understand you came to talk to me about something?” he said.
“I did,” she said, clearing her throat. She had given a lot of thought to what Michael had told her the other day. Only she didn’t want to go by herself. “Is Michael with his governess?” she blurted, without thinking.
He glanced at the light gold Ormolu clock on the mantel. “Michael’s having riding lessons about now. The boy has probably been up for hours.”
“I didn’t know he was getting riding lessons,” she said.
“I realized it was high time he learned how to ride,” William admitted with a sheepish smile. “It’s entirely my fault that it’s taken this long.”
“I’m pleased to hear that. I’m sure he’ll pick it up quickly,” she replied with a smile.
“Michael is a clever boy,” he said with a chuckle. “And he’s strong, too—much better at climbing trees than I ever was at his age.”
The door opened, and Harlow stepped inside, followed by a footman pushing a cart. “My lord, I thought you might like some refreshment,” he said with a deferential bow.
