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Heavens! He nearly scared her to death. She spun on her heel to find him leaning against the doorjamb to the dressing room that led to his chambers from hers, that wolfish look in hislighteyes.
“You don’t like what?” sheasked.
He frowned a bit and gestured to her entire person. “Can’t even make out the outline of your breasts in that. You’ll have to wearsomethingelse.”
She rolled her eyes. Ridiculous man. “Yes, well, until my clothes are washed and pressed, you’ll have to livewiththis.”
His frown deepened a bit. “You have nothing else to wear? What didyoupack?”
“There was no room after making sure the girls hadclothes.”
“Selfless.” He shook his head and sauntered into her chambers. “You, my love—” he slid his arms around her waist “—would make a horrible operative. Do youknowthat?”
She probably would, especially if she had to go around lying to everyone she knew all the time. She still had no idea how he kept it all straight in his head. “You said to only bring a small valise so we wouldn’tstickout.”
“I did,” he agreed. “Foolish me. You stick out wherever you are. Like a beacon of goodness and happiness wherever you go. Definitely not operativematerial.”
Oh, she didlovehim.
“I’m certain Miss Gleadhill has something you can wear until we figure out what to do about yourwardrobe.”
“MissGleadhill?”
“Callista’s governess,” he explained. “I supposeshecould even send out for some new dresses in the village without raisingsuspicions.”
Which begged the question… “Marc, how did that farmer not know you?” She shook her head. “You come here every several weeks? Wouldn’t he have seen you at some point? Or the hostlers at the coachinginn?Or—”
“I always stop further away at Garton-on-the-Wolds, rent a horse there, and ride the rest of the way. They think I’m a traveling salesman. But that ruse wouldn’t have worked for four of us. It was better to come all the way to Driffield and make our way to the Hall under the guise of looking foremployment.”
“No one in the village knows whoyouare?”
“Only by reputation,” hereplied.
“Isn’t that very…isolating?” she asked. After all, she didn’t know everyone in Staveley, but she knew most of them and would be surprised if anyone back home in Westmorland wouldn’t know her bysight.
“It’s verysafe.” He tipped her chin up with his finger and brushed his lips across hers. “And that is what I’m concerned about.” Then he pushed back slightly from her and wrinkled his nose. “You smelldifferent.”
Oh no! Did she still smell like a sheep cart? She took a step away from him, completely horrified. “On my word, I scrubbed and scrubbed. Do I still smellawful?”
An amused expression flashed in his eyes. “I didn’t say you smelled awful. Just not like yourself. Miss Gleadhill will have to send out for some lilac soap while she’s ordering newdresses.”
Was that all? Caroline breathed out a relieved breath of air. “Honestly, Marc, your courtship skills are sorely out ofpractice.”
He laughed lightly. “Yes, well, they’ve never beeninpractice, love, as I’ve never courted anyone before. So you’ll have to grant me someleeway.”
“Your courtship skills have never beeninpractice?” she echoed. What a ridiculous thing to say. “Youweremarriedonce.”
Marc agreed with an incline of his head. “Aye. My father courted her father’s empire. And her father courted my father’s title. They both found themselves quiteinlove.”
She laughed at his description. Even so, he was hardly the only lord in England to have had his marriage arranged, or even the only lord in England who had married for money. From the grand look of things at Saddleworth, his late-wife’s fortune had not gone to waste. If the marquessate had ever been destitute, it appeared far from it now. But regardless of his courtship or lack thereof withCarys Pugh, Marc had been betrothed previously to his ill-fated marriage. That Miss Burke for whom things hadn’tendedwell.
“What is that look?” He frowned at her, like he could almost readhermind.
Caroline shrugged slightly and lifted the edges of his robe so she could make her way to the four-poster just a few feet away. “Well, therewasanother girl you were betrothed to, before you marriedMissPugh.”
And then his light blue eyes seemed to assess her rather seriously. “MissBurke.”
Caroline nodded. “I have heard of her,” she said as she settled on the edge of the bed and tucked her legs upunderneathher.
