Dearing.
If only Andrew Lawton could see her like this.
No. She could not allow herself any more indulgent thoughts about him. Beginning tomorrow, she would be introduced to English society, and she must begin her quest for a husband. A wealthy husband. And if he were not as good looking as Andrew, or if he did not share her love of the outdoors and green, growing things, well, then, that was a regret she would have to learn to live with. For the regret of knowing her family suffered through her selfishness was one she could not live with.
While one of Caddy’s assistants hemmed the gray-and-blue dress and the other worked on taking in the waists of three of Kate’s existing gowns, Kate and Caddy picked out fabrics and notions for new dresses, including a ball gown that Caddy promised would be ready for a fitting by the beginning of next week.
Caddy had just finished fastening the hooks at the back of Kate’s newly altered day dress when the Wakesdown driver knocked on the door. Thanking the seamstress profusely, Kate draped herself in her navy wool cloak and hurried out to the carriage. As usual, Dorcas gave a friendly greeting while Edith acted as if she resented the necessity of stopping to pick Kate up on the way home.
By the time they got back to Wakesdown, the clouds eased and strips of sunlight filtered through. Eager to get out of doors, Kate did not bother changing clothes, but only replaced her shoes with her old, comfortable walking boots and headed out into the grounds.
Before she realized what she was doing, she found herself stopping beside the scrubby little boxwood. She smiled over the fact that it still stood—though the leaves remaining on it were mostly brown.
“You realize now, certainly, why the shrub cannot remain.”
Kate drew in a breath of cold air until her lungs felt fit to burst. With as pleasant an expression as she could muster, and ignoring the pounding flutter in her chest and heat in her cheeks at his deep voice, she turned. “Good afternoon to you as well, Mr. Lawton.”
He doffed his round felt hat. “I do apologize. Good afternoon, Miss Dearing.”
“Tell me, Mr. Lawton, do you wait here every day just to see if I will come by?”
Andrew Lawton’s thick brows raised a fraction. Once again, Kate found herself mesmerized by his eyes, unable to draw her gaze away. How had she never noticed before the chip of brown in the green iris of his left eye? She leaned forward as if to step closer to examine his eyes more carefully, to ensure her own did not play tricks on her, but managed to stop herself before doing so.
“Waiting for you? No. Truthfully, I had come to finish the job you interrupted.”
“That was days ago. Why have you not completed the job before now?”
Andrew looked away, but the rising color in his planed cheeks wasn’t just from the chill mid-February wind.
He tapped the point of the long-handled spade against the gravel path.
Kate couldn’t hide her amusement, guessing the reason for his embarrassment. “Did you leave the shrub at my request?”
He turned his gaze heavenward before heaving a sigh and giving her a pointed look. “Yes, Miss Dearing. I found myself unable to dig the shrub up again—though it has no place in the design for this section of the park. But now—”
“But now it is dying and a blight to anyone’s gaze. Here—give me the shovel.” She reached for it.
He stared at her mittened hand, brow furrowed. “Give you the spade? Whatever for?”
Kate allowed a derisive sound to escape her throat. “What for? Why, to dig up this dead shrub, of course. I replanted it; therefore, I should be the one to dig it up again.”
When Andrew did not seem inclined to give her the tool, Kate stepped forward and took it from him, waiting until she turned her back to him before smiling. Though physically on his feet, the way he reeled from her surprising action had figuratively knocked him to the ground, more than making up for the
If only Andrew Lawton could see her like this.
No. She could not allow herself any more indulgent thoughts about him. Beginning tomorrow, she would be introduced to English society, and she must begin her quest for a husband. A wealthy husband. And if he were not as good looking as Andrew, or if he did not share her love of the outdoors and green, growing things, well, then, that was a regret she would have to learn to live with. For the regret of knowing her family suffered through her selfishness was one she could not live with.
While one of Caddy’s assistants hemmed the gray-and-blue dress and the other worked on taking in the waists of three of Kate’s existing gowns, Kate and Caddy picked out fabrics and notions for new dresses, including a ball gown that Caddy promised would be ready for a fitting by the beginning of next week.
Caddy had just finished fastening the hooks at the back of Kate’s newly altered day dress when the Wakesdown driver knocked on the door. Thanking the seamstress profusely, Kate draped herself in her navy wool cloak and hurried out to the carriage. As usual, Dorcas gave a friendly greeting while Edith acted as if she resented the necessity of stopping to pick Kate up on the way home.
By the time they got back to Wakesdown, the clouds eased and strips of sunlight filtered through. Eager to get out of doors, Kate did not bother changing clothes, but only replaced her shoes with her old, comfortable walking boots and headed out into the grounds.
Before she realized what she was doing, she found herself stopping beside the scrubby little boxwood. She smiled over the fact that it still stood—though the leaves remaining on it were mostly brown.
“You realize now, certainly, why the shrub cannot remain.”
Kate drew in a breath of cold air until her lungs felt fit to burst. With as pleasant an expression as she could muster, and ignoring the pounding flutter in her chest and heat in her cheeks at his deep voice, she turned. “Good afternoon to you as well, Mr. Lawton.”
He doffed his round felt hat. “I do apologize. Good afternoon, Miss Dearing.”
“Tell me, Mr. Lawton, do you wait here every day just to see if I will come by?”
Andrew Lawton’s thick brows raised a fraction. Once again, Kate found herself mesmerized by his eyes, unable to draw her gaze away. How had she never noticed before the chip of brown in the green iris of his left eye? She leaned forward as if to step closer to examine his eyes more carefully, to ensure her own did not play tricks on her, but managed to stop herself before doing so.
“Waiting for you? No. Truthfully, I had come to finish the job you interrupted.”
“That was days ago. Why have you not completed the job before now?”
Andrew looked away, but the rising color in his planed cheeks wasn’t just from the chill mid-February wind.
He tapped the point of the long-handled spade against the gravel path.
Kate couldn’t hide her amusement, guessing the reason for his embarrassment. “Did you leave the shrub at my request?”
He turned his gaze heavenward before heaving a sigh and giving her a pointed look. “Yes, Miss Dearing. I found myself unable to dig the shrub up again—though it has no place in the design for this section of the park. But now—”
“But now it is dying and a blight to anyone’s gaze. Here—give me the shovel.” She reached for it.
He stared at her mittened hand, brow furrowed. “Give you the spade? Whatever for?”
Kate allowed a derisive sound to escape her throat. “What for? Why, to dig up this dead shrub, of course. I replanted it; therefore, I should be the one to dig it up again.”
When Andrew did not seem inclined to give her the tool, Kate stepped forward and took it from him, waiting until she turned her back to him before smiling. Though physically on his feet, the way he reeled from her surprising action had figuratively knocked him to the ground, more than making up for the
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