Page 40 of The Heiress's Daughter
Turning a corner, he found her alone, snipping off roses. A basket containing various flowers sat at her feet.
“Stealing flowers, eh?” he said.
She jumped and whirled around. “No, I have permission. And deadheading roses is good for them. It helps to bring on more flowers.”
“I was joking,” he said, strolling forward. “Good morning, Miss Studley. Isn’t it a glorious morning?”
“G-good morning,” she stammered. “Yes, very nice. How did you get in? Did Treadwell—”
“No, Matteo.”
“Oh. I see.” She didn’t seem too pleased to see him. She kept glancing around as if expecting to see someone else.
“I came alone,” he assured her.
“Oh. Yes. Of course.” She bent and picked up her basket. “I should—”
“Allow me,” he said, taking the basket from her.
She frowned. “It’s not the least bit heavy.”
He ignored that. “I wanted to have a private word with you.”
She glanced at the basket. “I really need to get them into the drying cabinet.”
“I won’t take long.”
She glanced around again, as if looking for someone, then said, “Very well. Shall we sit over there?” She gestured toward the wooden rose arbor. Which was too open for his liking.
“The summerhouse.” Race led the way, trusting she would follow. Of course she would. He was holding her flowers hostage.
He found the hidden key—she frowned at that; it was supposed to be a residents-only secret—unlocked the door and waved her inside.
She chose a seat near the door. It wasn’t the delightfully squashy seat he’d seen her use in the past. She sat on the edge of her seat, feet together, hands folded in her lap like a schoolgirl awaiting a trimming by the headmistress, dammit.
It was not the kind of mood he was hoping for.
“What did you wish to speak to me about, Lord Randall?”
“You accused me last night of committing, what was the word? Oh yes, watchdoggery. On Leo’s behalf.”
“Yes.”
“It’s not true.”
She raised her brows skeptically.
‘It’s not, I assure you. I admit, Leo did suggest that I could invite you out for an occasional ride, and I assured him it would be my pleasure. But that was all.”
“Really?” Her expression made it clear she didn’t believe him.
“Yes, really. In fact he actually said that he wouldn’t expect me to attend balls and so on, that your chaperone would be perfectly sufficient.”
“Protection?”
“Yes.”
“In other words, you and Leo were discussing how to protect me.”
