Page 22 of An Earl Like You
But goodness, she took far too much pleasure in the man’s polite attention.
When she wasn’t daydreaming about the earl, Eliza had more to worry about. Her friend Sophie had landed in a spot of scandal. Sophie, who supported herself by gambling at the Vega Club, had made a shockingly large wager with the Duke of Ware, who was known to be adamantly opposed to wagering. Georgiana had teased Sophie about the duke’s rakish young brother, Lord Philip, whom Georgiana believed—or more likely, hoped—to be madly in love with Sophie, but Sophie laughed and called him more trouble than he was worth. Eliza didn’t think Sophie, who had watched out for herself since she was orphaned at the age of twelve, would lose her head over Lord Philip or his brother, but her concerned letters had gone unanswered, which was very unlike Sophie. When she turned to her father for help, he promised to find out what he could, but then reported that Sophie had not been out in London as usual; he thought she might be ill. Eliza was becoming worried.
She went to her garden to think, as was her habit, pacing the gravel paths and cutting flowers while she pondered what to do to help Sophie. Miss Jane Harby was getting married tomorrow, and since Jane’s sister Mary was Eliza’s personal maid, Eliza had offered to supply flowers. Mary had just taken in the first basket of freshly cut lilac and columbines when Eliza looked up from neatly raked beds to see Lord Hastings making his way out to her.
She almost dropped her shears. Willy, who had been sunning himself on a patch of grass, leapt up and bounded toward the earl, who gave him a pat on the head. He was here again. At least this time she was presentable. She curtsied as he drew near, her heart hammering.
“I hope you’ll pardon me, Miss Cross,” he said, his eyes crinkling in that way that made Eliza willing to forgive him anything on the spot. “Your butler agreed I might walk out to join you as it’s such a fine day.”
“Of course, sir,” she said. “I suppose Papa has been delayed? He did tell me he would be home early today.” He’d made a special point of telling her so this morning at breakfast. He hadn’t said why, but he must have been expecting the earl.
“We had an appointment for two o’clock,” confirmed the gentleman in question. “Do you mind if I wait and hope he arrives soon?”
She smiled, all worries about Sophie fading for the moment. “Certainly.”
He fell in step beside her. Willy barked and sniffed around their feet before trotting off to investigate the rosebushes. “I feel as though I have imposed on you a great deal lately, Miss Cross. I must apologize.”
“Not at all!” Her face felt hot, remembering how she’d daydreamed about him. “Of all Papa’s partners, you are by far the most charming and least imposing.”
He laughed. “You’re very kind. Is there a steady stream of them through your drawing room? Men discussing steam engines and balloons and other investments?”
“Not a steady stream, no.” She glanced up at him. “Are you investing in railway steam engines? Papa thinks they’re death machines, liable to explode.”
“I happen to agree with him,” said the earl with a wink. “If they can stop them exploding, though, that would be a different matter.”
“Yes, not killing everyone nearby would be a great improvement,” she said somberly.
Hastings laughed again. Eliza’s heart seemed to dance around her chest at the sound. “There may be ore on my Cornish property,” he said. “Your father has offered his expertise.” He made a slight grimace. “I know nothing about ore.”
“Neither do I. But I have heard Cornwall is beautiful.”
“It is—at least, the small part of it I own.” Real pride warmed his voice. “Have you never been to Cornwall?”
“I would like to go,” she said frankly. “Papa has been, many times. He always tells me he visits the dirty disagreeable places and I wouldn’t like it.”
He made a softtsk. “Then you must never go with him. I could show you the most beautiful spot on earth—Rosemere House. It sits above Plymouth Sound near Saltash. My father rebuilt the house, but there are the remains of a Norman keep on the grounds. You can see the sea from the house, and there is a reflecting pool in the garden that looks like a map of the celestial sky on clear nights.”
“How lovely!”
“It’s the most peaceful place on earth,” the earl went on. “The name, Rosemere, is for my mother—a Rose by the sea.” He glanced around. “Although I do believe the gardens are a trifle more ordinary than yours, Miss Cross. You would surely work wonders if you were given free rein there.”
She warmed with pleasure. “Thank you, sir. I’m sure they are splendid—I plant what I like to see when I look out the windows. There’s no art to it, only my personal whim.”
He stopped. Eliza looked up in surprise. “Never say there’s no art to it,” he told her. Goodness, his eyes were dark and mesmerizing. “I know peace and beauty when I see it, and there is more in this garden than anywhere else I’ve ever been.”
She knew it was flattery, she knew it wasn’t true, but she still felt a small explosion of joy in her chest that he would say it. “That’s because the irises are in bloom,” she tried to say, but he shook his head.
“I don’t mean the irises.”
But he couldn’t meanher. Flustered, Eliza caught sight of Mary coming back with the empty basket. “Do you mind if I continue cutting flowers, my lord? A girl from the village is getting married tomorrow and I promised to send some to the church.”
“By all means. Is she a friend?”
“No, she is sister to my maid, Mary. She’s to marry a shipwright from Deptford.” Eliza took the basket from Mary and sent the girl off. There was no reason for that except that she wanted to have Lord Hastings to herself.
“How very generous of you to send the flowers,” he said as they strolled the paths.
“Generous!” She laughed, flipping one hand in dismissal. “Not at all. I have plenty, and no wedding should be without flowers. Jane was here this morning to choose the ones for her bouquet. These will only be on the altar.” She knelt down to cut some lilies and added them to her basket. And when Lord Hastings offered to hold the basket as she cut some irises and more lilies, she couldn’t keep a silly smile from her face.
