Page 5 of Kiss Me Lady One More Time
“Welcome, my lord. And welcome to ye, Mr. Sterne, for ’tis good to see ye back in the neighborhood. Come. I’ve a good table for ye, right near to the fire. The air has a bit of a chill tonight, don’t it?”
They sat and Sterne took a second to savor the surprised pleasure he felt at his inclusion in the man’s warm reception. He’d visited Greystone Park often enough, it seemed, to be accepted as a regular and valued guest. Past experience had taught him not to take such gratifications for granted.
The tavern keeper delivered two pints to their table and hesitated, a bit of anxiety showing in his wringing hands. “I’d be pleased, sirs, should ye allow me to introduceMrs. Thomkins.” He beckoned a woman standing at the end of the bar. “We’ve only just married, near on a fortnight ago.”
Sterne and Tensford both stood as the woman approached. She had a cloud of brown hair, a fine figure and a smile on her face. The earl bowed as the introductions were made and her grin widened.
“This is Veracity, my lord. She comes from over to Stonehouse.” Thomkins turned to his wife. “Veracity, these are Lord Tensford, of Greystone Park, and his friend, Mr. Sterne.”
She bobbed a curtsy and focused her grin on Sterne. “Sterne? Such a harsh name for nice-looking gentleman! Ah, well. Not that a bit of it ain’t called for at times. My da’ was so stern he beat us everyday and twice on Sundays, for good measure. I only agreed to marry Mr. Thomkins here when he agreed to stick to one beating a week.”
Behind her, Mr. Thomkins shook his head.
“Well, now, it’s lovely to meet ye both,” she said brightly, “but I’ve chickens roasting, and must check them!” Curtsying again, she headed back toward the kitchens.
“Don’t mind her stories, sirs,” Thomkins urged. “She does enjoy telling a tale, but she’s got a good heart.”
“Your new wife seems a delight. Congratulations, Thomkins. I know Lady Tensford will be pleased to hear your news.”
“Thank ye, sir. I’ll bring out a bit o’ seedcake.” He looked bemused. “We’ve got that sort o’ thing, now.”
“Love is a strange and fascinating thing,” Sterne mused as the man retreated.
“Mark my word, you’ll be next.” Tensford raised his glass in a toast.
“Not likely,” Sterne snorted. “I’ve got a good deal more to accomplish before I plan to start the search for a wife.” He pushed away the image of Miss Munroe smiling up at him.
“Plan all you like. Love will have its way with you on its own timetable, as it has done with so many of us.”
“You only sound so smug because you and Keswick managed to scoop up the most amazing set of sisters in England.”
“Hope would be both flattered and disappointed to hear you say so. She was under the impression that you had found someone to fascinate you.”
Sterne took a long drink, hoping to hide the heightened beat of his pulse. He’d noticed a time or two, the countess bending a sharp eye on him and Miss Munroe. Lady Tensford was right. He’d been more than a little fascinated. He’d met the girl at Greystone Park, during a house party earlier this summer. He’d been struck at once. She was lovely—those slanted green eyes loomed large in her dainty face and over a decidedly pointed chin. And between them sat the most intriguing mouth—with a smaller top lip that sat like the lid of a jar atop a wider, lush bottom. He’d actually awoken from dreams of that mouth . . . Pair all of that loveliness with a nimble mind, varied interests and genuinely engaging conversation and it was as if she’d been made to tempt him.
He’d thought of her often since, and his chest had tightened a little more each time. When he’d first glimpsed her this afternoon, the tightness had suddenly eased, as if a band around his ribs had snapped loose. He sighed. There was nothing to be done about it, unfortunately. He was in no position to seriously pursue a woman—and naught else either, until he shook this current burden off of his back, and off of his conscience.
“I am fascinated at the prospect of finding the villain who stole your fossil,” he replied at last.
Tensford shook his head. “I tell you again, we should just let it go. It’s a fool’s quest, and I’ve already been made to look a fool, thank you. I’ve no wish to compound the impression.”
“I am the one who looks a buffoon, here. The fossil was stolen on my watch. You can only be faulted for trusting the wrong man.”
“No one thinks such a thing. Least of all, me.”
“You’ve searched for such a specimen for years. I know how happy you were to have found it at last. It’s an exciting time for such studies. Your name should be forever listed among the serious scholars and scientists in the field. You were wary, worried. You trusted me to stand guard over your discovery—and I failed you.”
“You did not. A blow to the head struck you down from behind. Sterne—I want you to listen closely. I am sad to lose the fossil, it’s true. But I would have been devastated to lose you.”
“You shall lose neither, for I won’t rest until you have it back.”
“Don’t you have work of your own to focus on?” the earl asked. “I heard that you’ve had interest from several historical scholars on your comparison of old English folk customs and those in European villages.”
“I have. We are talking of establishing our own journal, specializing in the study of historical and social customs. But the article they wish me to lead with will require a bit of travel, and I won’t go until this matter is solved.”
Tensford sighed. “You are not going to give this up, are you?”
“No.” Sterne wasn’t sure why he could not. It was more than the blow to his pride. Partly it was because he’d so often felt thwarted and frustrated in his own interests and studies, he hated to see Tensford set back in the same manner.
