a knife. When he glanced her way, he realized she understood all the references perfectly well. What a cad she must think him, taking advantage of her when he was intended for another.
"Perhaps Miss Eastman has other things to attend to--such as Amanda. That is what she's paid to do, is it not?" Lycinda's voice held a cattiness that surprised Nicholas.
"You are right," Jaci replied, a mischief-making twinkle in her eye. "But you will be delighted to know Mister Westbrooke has given permission for Amanda to dine with the adults tonight. As her governess, I must be present, also."
He glanced from one woman to the other. "Perhaps tonight wouldn't be the best time to start Amanda's lessons."
"Of course it would. What better way to learn than from several older people conversing." Jaci's gaze included all the occupants in the room, but lingered on Lycinda. She swept past him on the way to collect Amanda, leaving Lycinda open-mouthed and Thomas choking on his brandy.
"I never thought to see a cat fight at a horse breeder's," Thomas chuckled quietly behind Nicholas. When he turned to his friend, Thomas added softly, "I like a woman with spirit, and it appears Miss Eastman has quite a bit of it. I'm glad you kept her on as Amanda's governess. It will give me an excuse to come out more often." He lifted his glass in mock salute and Nicholas ground his teeth.
"Since when did you need an excuse to womanize, Thomas?" Nicholas questioned, hoping any sound of jealousy was covered in sarcasm. They had both done a fair share of skirt chasing in their younger years, until Nicholas had been jerked to an abrupt halt when his parents died and he inherited Wildwood.
He would have to warn Jaci about Thomas Stillwell, he thought. Only because she was his responsibility, he added to convince himself. He also knew full well he would eventually have to straighten out any mess caused by having Jaci in his house. From the sounds of Thomas's obvious humor and the looks exchanged by the two women, at least it would make dinner entertaining. Anything was better than listening to Mason complain about having to foreclose on another farmer.
* * *
Nicholas confessed to a slight disappointment, for both Lycinda and Jaci decided to behave and the meal was relatively uneventful. At least from all outward appearances.
Amanda had politely introduced herself and followed all the proper etiquette; speaking when spoken to, using the proper utensil, and not talking with her mouth full. Nicholas was pleased that Jaci had requested the child's presence, for Amanda glowed with happiness when Thomas asked her a question. At the moment, she was sharing her tale of Sir Lancelot and the kittens, to which Thomas laughed with encouragement.
Thomas seemed quite in his element entertaining all the ladies. It appeared his friend's gaze lingered overlong on Jaci whenever he answered a question she posed about his medical practice. And Jaci seemed to be asking a lot of questions.
He scrutinized his friend. What was it about the fair-haired doctor that women found appealing? Was Jaci attracted to Thomas, or was she merely being polite? He scowled.
Since no one needed his guidance as host to keep the conversation flowing, he blocked it out and focused on the two lovely women who graced his dinner table.
There was a wholesome quality to Jaci that made her skin glow and her eyes sparkle with mischief. Her lush curves, though, had been created by the devil himself, enough to send any man's soul plummeting over the edge of control and desire. Her blonde hair was in direct contrast to Lycinda's dark curls.
She argued with him and had very outspoken ideas about Amanda's education, all of which did not lend themselves to being attributes of a fashionable young lady. She was anything but retiring, Nicholas thought, as Jaci laughed out loud at some remark Thomas made.
Yet, every time she put her fork to her mouth, Nicholas swallowed convulsively, recalling the taste of
"Perhaps Miss Eastman has other things to attend to--such as Amanda. That is what she's paid to do, is it not?" Lycinda's voice held a cattiness that surprised Nicholas.
"You are right," Jaci replied, a mischief-making twinkle in her eye. "But you will be delighted to know Mister Westbrooke has given permission for Amanda to dine with the adults tonight. As her governess, I must be present, also."
He glanced from one woman to the other. "Perhaps tonight wouldn't be the best time to start Amanda's lessons."
"Of course it would. What better way to learn than from several older people conversing." Jaci's gaze included all the occupants in the room, but lingered on Lycinda. She swept past him on the way to collect Amanda, leaving Lycinda open-mouthed and Thomas choking on his brandy.
"I never thought to see a cat fight at a horse breeder's," Thomas chuckled quietly behind Nicholas. When he turned to his friend, Thomas added softly, "I like a woman with spirit, and it appears Miss Eastman has quite a bit of it. I'm glad you kept her on as Amanda's governess. It will give me an excuse to come out more often." He lifted his glass in mock salute and Nicholas ground his teeth.
"Since when did you need an excuse to womanize, Thomas?" Nicholas questioned, hoping any sound of jealousy was covered in sarcasm. They had both done a fair share of skirt chasing in their younger years, until Nicholas had been jerked to an abrupt halt when his parents died and he inherited Wildwood.
He would have to warn Jaci about Thomas Stillwell, he thought. Only because she was his responsibility, he added to convince himself. He also knew full well he would eventually have to straighten out any mess caused by having Jaci in his house. From the sounds of Thomas's obvious humor and the looks exchanged by the two women, at least it would make dinner entertaining. Anything was better than listening to Mason complain about having to foreclose on another farmer.
* * *
Nicholas confessed to a slight disappointment, for both Lycinda and Jaci decided to behave and the meal was relatively uneventful. At least from all outward appearances.
Amanda had politely introduced herself and followed all the proper etiquette; speaking when spoken to, using the proper utensil, and not talking with her mouth full. Nicholas was pleased that Jaci had requested the child's presence, for Amanda glowed with happiness when Thomas asked her a question. At the moment, she was sharing her tale of Sir Lancelot and the kittens, to which Thomas laughed with encouragement.
Thomas seemed quite in his element entertaining all the ladies. It appeared his friend's gaze lingered overlong on Jaci whenever he answered a question she posed about his medical practice. And Jaci seemed to be asking a lot of questions.
He scrutinized his friend. What was it about the fair-haired doctor that women found appealing? Was Jaci attracted to Thomas, or was she merely being polite? He scowled.
Since no one needed his guidance as host to keep the conversation flowing, he blocked it out and focused on the two lovely women who graced his dinner table.
There was a wholesome quality to Jaci that made her skin glow and her eyes sparkle with mischief. Her lush curves, though, had been created by the devil himself, enough to send any man's soul plummeting over the edge of control and desire. Her blonde hair was in direct contrast to Lycinda's dark curls.
She argued with him and had very outspoken ideas about Amanda's education, all of which did not lend themselves to being attributes of a fashionable young lady. She was anything but retiring, Nicholas thought, as Jaci laughed out loud at some remark Thomas made.
Yet, every time she put her fork to her mouth, Nicholas swallowed convulsively, recalling the taste of
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