Page 27 of A Rogue to Resist
“You’ve hardly imposed,” Drake replied, surprising himself. “Your insights have been valuable, if unexpected.”
She regarded him with that same penetrating blue gaze that seemed to see more than he intended to reveal. “Perhaps next time I’ll send advance notice of my arrival.”
“That would be...” he sought the appropriate word, “civilized.”
A smile touched her lips briefly. “I’m gratified to hear you find me capable of civilization, Lord Greythorne.”
“Drake,” he said impulsively.
“I beg your pardon?”
“My name is Drake,” he repeated, unsure why it suddenly mattered that she use it. “All this ‘Lord Greythorne’ business becomes tiresome, particularly when knee-deep in mud discussing roof repairs.”
She hesitated, clearly uncertain about this sudden shift toward informality. “I’m not sure propriety would permit—”
“Propriety be hanged,” he interrupted. “We’re going to be dealing with each other on estate matters for the foreseeable future. Might as well dispense with unnecessary formalities.”
Lady Katherine considered this for a moment before inclining her head slightly. “Very well... Drake. Though I would request that such informality be reserved for private conversations regarding estate business.”
“Naturally,” he agreed. “I wouldn’t dream of compromising your reputation in public.”
Was that a flash of humour in her eyes? “How considerate of you. Then I suppose you must call me Katherine in these... private estate discussions.”
“Katherine,” he repeated, testing the name.
It suited her—direct and unpretentious, yet with an undeniable elegance.
The moment stretched between them, charged with something Drake couldn’t quite identify. Then she nodded briskly, reverting to her business-like demeanour.
“I’ll have my steward send over the contact information for the Thornfield quarry,” she said. “And any other suppliers I think might be useful to you.”
“Thank you,” Drake replied, matching her professional tone. “That would be most helpful.”
As he watched her walk toward her waiting carriage, her straight-backed posture and measured steps revealing nothing of their unusual conversation, Drake found himself wondering about the woman beneath the carefully maintained facade of the Dowager Countess. Today he had glimpsed aspects of her character that contradicted his initial assessment—compassion beneath her cool exterior, vulnerability beneath her strength, warmth beneath her reserve.
What other assumptions had he made about her that were wrong?
Chapter Seven
“If you would stopdisagreeingwith me simply to be difficult, this process would be far more efficient,” Katherine said with as much politeness as she could muster, closing the ledger without a thud.
They had been working in Greythorne’s great hall for the better part of three hours. Papers and ledgers were strewn across the massive oak table, and Katherine’s carefully organized notes had gradually descended into chaos as Lord Greythorne—Drake, as she was now permitted to call him in private—challenged virtually every recommendation she made.
“I’m not being difficult,” he replied with infuriating calm. “I’m being practical. Prioritizing repairs to the tenant cottages is admirable, but if the main house roof isn’t addressed before autumn, the damage will double.”
“The tenants cannot simply move to another house if theirs becomes uninhabitable,” Katherine countered. “You, however, have multiple properties at your disposal.”
Drake’s eyebrows rose. “Are you suggesting I abandon Greythorne Manor to the elements while I reside elsewhere?”
“I’m suggesting,” Katherine said, “that a family with small children huddling in a leaking cottage presents a more urgent need than some water damage to an unused guest wing.”
They had been having variations of this same discussion since Katherine had arrived that morning.
She hadn’t intended to return to Greythorne so soon after their encounter at the Collins cottage, but the lists she’d compiled of necessary repairs and their costs had grown too comprehensive to simply send via messenger. And if she were being entirely honest with herself, she’d been curious to see whether Drake would follow through on his promises of immediate action.
To her surprise, he had.
In the week since their last meeting, work had already begun on the Collins cottage, materials had been ordered for the mill repairs, and Thompson had conducted a thorough survey of all tenant properties requiring attention. It was more progress than Edmund had made in five years.
