He heard her sigh as she mounted the stairs behind him, and he wondered if she made the same sound when she was pleasured, if the same expulsion of air came from those magnificent lips when fingers probed her.
They entered the entrance hall, and he forced away the image of her naked and with her head thrown back in delight. The hall was as grand as he remembered, the room as big as his entire kitchen in Grosvenor Square.
The floor had been marbled black and white, and the walls were adorned with portraits of his ancestors. From here, he could see several oak doors, and he could just about remember where each of them led, but he was looking forward to rediscovering it all again.
“Charlotte, Grace,” Lady Theodora said in a matronly manner, “there is tea in the drawing room. Why don’t you take Lord Kingsbury’s little friend here while we meet the staff? We’ll meet you there afterward.”
“Little friend?” Maxim raised his eyebrow again, amused by her attitude. Still, ‘little friend’ would become an amusing moniker for William; the pair loved to tease one another as all best friends did. “This is William Worthy—Mr. Worthy to those who prefer formality—and he is my closest friend in the entire world.”
“I don’t consider myself that little, either,” William muttered. “My father, Earl Weatherhead, had three sons, and alas, I am the third, but as my mother has always assured me, that does not make me any less than my brothers. Though it is a pleasure to make all your acquaintances.”
He laughed at his own quip, then glanced at Lady Charlotte as if to ensure she had found it funny. Maxim stored away that look, thinking to ask William about it as soon as they were alone.
“He’s training to be a barrister, but he kindly joined me here to help me settle in.”
“How very honorable,” Lady Theodora replied.
Her lips were tight as her eyes ran up and down the length of him, appraising him. Maxim found himself wishing he were on the receiving end of such a hard and open stare.
“Now, if you don’t mind,” Lady Theodora said.
As soon as the three had disappeared into the drawing room, Lady Theodora rapped on the door to the butler’s pantry. He opened it, clearly prepared, and he bowed to Maxim.
“Mr. Bankes,” she said, always polite, “I’d like to introduce you to the latest Earl of Kingsbury, inheritor of dear Gideon’s title. Lord Kingsbury, this is Horton Bankes, butler of Winterheath for the past thirty-three years and a true marvel. If there is anything you need to know or need assistance with, Bankes is the man to see.”
“Indeed, Mr. Bankes and I have met several times,” Maxim said. “Though I am much changed since our last meeting, and he has not changed at all.”
The butler offered him a weak smile, and Maxim felt his light heart shift a little. He remembered the old man from when he was a child, but he was disappointed if he had hoped for any sort of warm, nostalgic familiarity between the two. He sighed. He had thought coming here would be a fresh start for him, a way for him to reform his ways and become a good man. But perhaps it would take longer than anticipated.
“Lord Kingsbury,” the butler said, bowing again. “Allow me to show you around the house.”
Chapter 2
As Lady Theodora and Bankes gave him a tour of Winterheath and its grounds, Maxim could feel his heart sink lower and lower. He had not received the warm, happy welcome he had expected, and the house was not quite the grand palace he remembered. Indeed, the place was in a state of disrepair.
There was a lot of work to be done, and he wondered whether it had always been like that or whether Gideon had let it slip in later years. Perhaps, as a child, Maxim had only seen the gloss that covered what was beneath it, as children so often did. Still, he was here now, and he was determined to make the most of it.
“You’ve been living here for ten years, I understand?” he said to Lady Theodora as they made their way from the east wing back toward the entrance hall. They were to examine the gardens next, and Maxim only hoped they were in a better state. That would be something, at least.
“That’s right,” she replied, looking straight ahead. “Ever since my parents died when I was ten-and-four.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, my lady. It sounds as if you’ve truly experienced grief and loss in your life. First your parents and now Uncle… Lord Kingsbury. I admire your ability to carry on in the depths of such sadness.”
And you remain so beautiful with it.
“Thank you, but your admiration is not required.”
Her gaze flicked to him, as if checking his response, and he allowed himself a small smile. Admiration may not have been required, but she certainly liked it. Everyone did, didn’t they? Even if, like Lady Theodora, they hid that fact.
“I understand you’ve done a sterling job looking after the estate until I arrived,” he said, determined to get her to like him. “Thank you for such diligence, it’s greatly appreciated.”
“Again, your appreciation is not required. I have only done what is necessary to protect my sisters. It is the least I could do for my dearly departed parents, especially after…”
She trailed off, and he could see she was annoyed at herself for having revealed too much. She turned pointedly away, her chin in the air.
“After what?” he pushed. If he could get her to open up, to talk, then just maybe they could become friends. And maybe more.
Lady Theodora let out a loud huff as Bankes pulled open the door. “Nothing. Forget I said anything. But you ought to know this: the protection of my family is the only thing I care about.”
He could feel his irritation rise, but he pushed it back down. It seemed that, try as he might, she would not give in—not even slightly. He could sense something warmer beneath her ice-cold exterior, and he couldn’t understand why she didn’t show it.
“As is quite right,” Maxim nodded, following her through the open door. “And I assure you, my lady, that I have your best interests at heart, too. In my new role, I wish to repair the house, of course, but I equally want to help you and your sisters.”
Lady Theodora stopped suddenly and spun around on her heels to glare at him. Maxim clenched his teeth together, still refusing to allow her to get to him. He had done all he could to be pleasant, to put her and her sisters at ease. But she seemed hell-bent on making the experience as unpleasant as possible. Beautiful she may have been, but she was equally infuriating and rather petulant to boot.
“And I assure you, Lord Kingsbury, that my family does not accept charity. We are quite capable of looking after ourselves, and if you are hoping to alleviate your soul by doing a good deed or two, do not look toward your new guardianship for inspiration.”
Alleviate my soul?
Lady Theodora marched off, her footsteps ringing loudly on the hall’s marble floor, and she flung the front doors open herself. Bankes remained motionless for a minute, as if unsure whether to follow her or not, and finally turned to Maxim.
“If you’ll excuse me, my lord, I ought to check on our guest.”
“Very well, Bankes,” Maxim replied, though he had not taken his eyes from the now-empty doorway. “Thank you for showing me around. Do tell Mr. Worthy I won’t be long.”
The butler bowed, and Maxim followed Lady Theodora out into the garden. His head whirred with thoughts and concerns, not just about the house but about the way she was behaving. Her final words before storming out had set his heart on edge. Had she heard about the scandal he had found himself in a few years previously? It seemed like everyone else had.
He found her at the bottom of the steps, her back to him, her arms crossed around her body. She was almost as beautiful from behind, her body shapely, her gown catching her in just the right places. His eyes lingered on her buttocks for a moment too long before he remembered himself.
