Page 7 of Tempting a Lonely Lord
They walked for a good fifteen or twenty minutes. Bella hadn’t realized how deep onto his property she had gone. She’d need to use Lacey’s leash in future if the dog was going to continue running off. She’d had the dog since she was a puppy, and now that Lacey was two, she wasn’t as rambunctious and was less inclined to disobey, usually. Bella shuddered at the thought of the trap. “Do you trap animals on your property… Lord Dudley?”
“No, I don’t. And please, I fear we’ve met in the unlikeliest of places. Call me William,” he said. “I’ve only recently becomea viscount, so I am unused to this formality. But we were discussing the trap. I admit, it was a shock to discover it, and I don’t condone those traps. I need to investigate and make certain there are no others. I wouldn’t want anyone to be injured—horse or a person… or your brave Lacey.”
As they reached the front door of her home, Bella turned to William. “Would you come for tea tomorrow?” she asked. “As a proper thank you. And my grandmothers, Grandmama and Grandmère, would love to meet you.”
“I’d be honored,” William replied. “Though I should mention that my younger brother, Michael, will be arriving tomorrow morning. He’s eight years old. Would you mind if I brought him along?”
“Of course not. We would love to meet your brother.”
Bella smiled up at him. But as she spoke, William blinked at her, his expression shifting, as though she were some new enigma he hadn’t quite figured out.
“Would two o’clock be a good time for you and Michael?” she asked.
“Two it is,” he answered, wearing a warm smile.
“Thank you again for saving me, Lord Dudley,” she said softly.
“William,” he corrected her gently.
“William,” she repeated, the name feeling familiar and comforting on her lips.
“You’re welcome, Bella,” he said.
~*~
Chapter Three
The next day
Cliffton Abbey
Dover, England
These tranquil walks at dawn had the potential to be a cherished routine, William mused as he found himself pausing at the spot where Lady Bella Connolly had slipped down the cliff. He leaned over the edge, scanning the sandy ledge where he had caught her and where the faint imprint of their footprints still lingered. A wave of gratitude washed over him, his heart swelling as he recalled the adrenaline of yesterday’s close call.
Bella was, without a doubt, the most vivacious and enchanting young woman he had ever encountered. The mere thought that he’d see her later today filled him with an anticipatory warmth. William couldn’t recall when a woman had captivated his attention so completely. But an exhilarating spark in her playful spirit made him want to uncover more layers of her personality.
His mind drifted deeper into contemplation, and he became momentarily lost in the memory of her laughter and the light in her eyes.
As a gentle breeze stirred the air, a delicate trace of jasmine drifted past him—her scent, light and sweet, as if she had just been there. The fleeting fragrance startled him, and he looked at his surroundings, half expecting to find her standing nearby. But reality settled in a moment later—he was alone.
Then movement off in the distance caught his eye. As he strained against the brightness of the rising sun, he thought he saw a ship. He’d been here almost three weeks and hadn’t seen a single vessel. Quickly, he slid his spyglass from the holster onhis belt and directed it at the ship. The boat didn’t appear to be moving.
With the spyglass, he could make out a small dinghy being rowed out over the crest of the waves to meet it. He shifted his view to the flag being hauled to the top of the mast, hoping he might recognize some kind of identity. But whoever was manning the vessel was flying it under a flag he’d never seen before. It certainly wasn’t the Union Jack, nor was it one of the merchant ships. Considering the time of day, this all felt suspicious. Taking a seat on a nearby rock, he withdrew a small sketchbook and drew the flag’s symbol.
Afterward, he made his way back to the manor, moving through the trees to avoid drawing the attention of whoever was manning the boat. Once he was back at the house, he hurried to his study to send a missive with his drawing to Colonel Harrison. He tugged on the shabby brown velvet cord near his desk. The door to his study immediately opened, and Harlow entered. William noticed how quickly Harlow always responded and fleetingly wondered if the man camped outside the door, waiting to be summoned.
“Yes, my lord?” Harlow said.
“Have Franklin see that this is delivered to Colonel Harrison’s office in London.” Before being hired by William, Harlow had retired from many faithful years of service with the Crown. William had also hired Franklin officially as a footman, but the young man had been one of the Crown’s most trusted messengers and continued to work with him in that capacity. “In addition, my younger brother should arrive this morning, and we have an invitation to meet the neighbors, Lady Connolly and her grandmothers… Er… I don’t seem to recall her giving me either of her grandmothers’ names.” He had been too distracted by the events, he assumed.
“If you will allow me, my lord,” Harlow said. “I may be able to help with the names. I had the pleasure of assisting the grand ladies when they stopped in town on their arrival several weeks ago. The shorter lady with gray hair is the Dowager Viscountess Elise Harrington. Her husband was the late Viscount Phillip Harrington. And the taller one is the Dowager Countess Anna Bridgewater. Lovely ladies, if I say so myself.”
The older man quickly stepped back, his face a mottled red. William had never seen Harlow embarrassed and momentarily turned his face away from the man to hide the smile that overtook his face.
Harlow handed him a missive from the Duke of Dorman and a carefully wrapped package. “They arrived with this morning’s mail, my lord,” he said.
William opened the package. “Excellent. Michael and I can bring some of these to tea at Bridgewater Manor this afternoon. Would you ask Mrs. Bradberry to find a decorative tin for them?”
