what I have done to be deserving of such an accolade…?’
‘Papa!’ Amanda’s previous anxiety disappeared like a summer mist as she ran across the schoolroom to launch herself into his arms.
‘Careful, pet,’ her father advised gently as the kitten looked in danger of being squashed between them. ‘What do we have here?’
He gently took the kitten and held it up for his inspection.
‘I have given Amanda permission to keep the kitten,’ Elena, sensing another crisis looming on the horizon, rushed in to claim decisively.
‘Indeed?’ Adam spared her only a cursory glance before turning his attention back to his daughter. ‘What do you call him?’
‘Samson,’ Amanda supplied almost shyly.
He smiled. ‘You called this little fellow Samson…?’
‘He will grow into his name, I am sure,’ Elena defended briskly, feeling slightly indignant on behalf of both Amanda and the tiny kitten. Admittedly the kitten was probably the runt of whatever litter he had come from, which was perhaps why he had been cast out, but he had huge paws that must surely one day support an equally as large body.
Her employer gave her another enigmatic glance before smiling down at Amanda as he gave the kitten back into her care. ‘He is a fine little fellow.’
‘And I may keep him, Papa?’ Amanda prompted.
‘How can I possibly decide anything else when Mrs Leighton herself has declared me to be such a fair and reasonable gentleman?’
The underlying sarcasm of that comment was completely lost on the now-beaming Amanda. Not so on Elena, who was only too well aware that he had to be mocking her.
‘It is so good to have you home again, Papa.’ Amanda’s pleasure shone in her sapphire-blue eyes.
‘It is very good to be home again, pet,’ he assured gruffly. ‘I have missed you.’
Elena eyed him sceptically; if he truly had missed the company of his young daughter then he should have returned sooner, rather than leaving Amanda in an agony of anxiety for the past five days over their strained parting.
‘As a special celebration of my return, perhaps you and Mrs Leighton would care to join me downstairs for dinner this evening?’
‘Really, Papa?’ Amanda’s eyes were wide with disbelief at the offered treat.
Elena, on the other hand, was still too irritated and annoyed by his long absence to be able to contemplate spending the evening in his company, or to enjoy how dashingly handsome he looked now in a deep-green superfine and buff-coloured pantaloons and black Hessians. ‘You will have to excuse me, I am afraid, Lord Hawthorne.’
‘Indeed?’
Elena ignored the coolness of his tone. ‘My evenings are my own to do with as I wish, I believe, and I have several other, personal and more important things in need of my attention this evening.’
Adam eyed her mockingly. ‘Such as?’
She gave him a reproving frown. ‘Such as my ironing and washing my hair, sir!’
So now he knew where he stood in Elena Leighton’s list of considerations, Adam acknowledged ruefully—obviously placed after her ironing and hair-washing!
Her manner had been more than a little frosty since he first entered the schoolroom, Adam acknowledged ruefully, and also defensive in regard to Amanda and the kitten. The latter might be attributed to the protective role she held in Amanda’s young life and the manner in which father and daughter had parted five days ago. Yet he sensed there was more to it than that, that whether she was aware of it or not, the indignation was also on her own behalf.
Because of the way in which he had spoken to her before his departure?
No doubt about it.
Amanda had obviously already forgiven him for going away so suddenly and remaining away longer than he had anticipated. Elena Leighton, apparently, was of a less forgiving nature altogether…
‘Both of those chores might wait another day, I am sure,’ Adam briskly dismissed her excuse. ‘Perhaps it would help if you were to look on this evening
‘Papa!’ Amanda’s previous anxiety disappeared like a summer mist as she ran across the schoolroom to launch herself into his arms.
‘Careful, pet,’ her father advised gently as the kitten looked in danger of being squashed between them. ‘What do we have here?’
He gently took the kitten and held it up for his inspection.
‘I have given Amanda permission to keep the kitten,’ Elena, sensing another crisis looming on the horizon, rushed in to claim decisively.
‘Indeed?’ Adam spared her only a cursory glance before turning his attention back to his daughter. ‘What do you call him?’
‘Samson,’ Amanda supplied almost shyly.
He smiled. ‘You called this little fellow Samson…?’
‘He will grow into his name, I am sure,’ Elena defended briskly, feeling slightly indignant on behalf of both Amanda and the tiny kitten. Admittedly the kitten was probably the runt of whatever litter he had come from, which was perhaps why he had been cast out, but he had huge paws that must surely one day support an equally as large body.
Her employer gave her another enigmatic glance before smiling down at Amanda as he gave the kitten back into her care. ‘He is a fine little fellow.’
‘And I may keep him, Papa?’ Amanda prompted.
‘How can I possibly decide anything else when Mrs Leighton herself has declared me to be such a fair and reasonable gentleman?’
The underlying sarcasm of that comment was completely lost on the now-beaming Amanda. Not so on Elena, who was only too well aware that he had to be mocking her.
‘It is so good to have you home again, Papa.’ Amanda’s pleasure shone in her sapphire-blue eyes.
‘It is very good to be home again, pet,’ he assured gruffly. ‘I have missed you.’
Elena eyed him sceptically; if he truly had missed the company of his young daughter then he should have returned sooner, rather than leaving Amanda in an agony of anxiety for the past five days over their strained parting.
‘As a special celebration of my return, perhaps you and Mrs Leighton would care to join me downstairs for dinner this evening?’
‘Really, Papa?’ Amanda’s eyes were wide with disbelief at the offered treat.
Elena, on the other hand, was still too irritated and annoyed by his long absence to be able to contemplate spending the evening in his company, or to enjoy how dashingly handsome he looked now in a deep-green superfine and buff-coloured pantaloons and black Hessians. ‘You will have to excuse me, I am afraid, Lord Hawthorne.’
‘Indeed?’
Elena ignored the coolness of his tone. ‘My evenings are my own to do with as I wish, I believe, and I have several other, personal and more important things in need of my attention this evening.’
Adam eyed her mockingly. ‘Such as?’
She gave him a reproving frown. ‘Such as my ironing and washing my hair, sir!’
So now he knew where he stood in Elena Leighton’s list of considerations, Adam acknowledged ruefully—obviously placed after her ironing and hair-washing!
Her manner had been more than a little frosty since he first entered the schoolroom, Adam acknowledged ruefully, and also defensive in regard to Amanda and the kitten. The latter might be attributed to the protective role she held in Amanda’s young life and the manner in which father and daughter had parted five days ago. Yet he sensed there was more to it than that, that whether she was aware of it or not, the indignation was also on her own behalf.
Because of the way in which he had spoken to her before his departure?
No doubt about it.
Amanda had obviously already forgiven him for going away so suddenly and remaining away longer than he had anticipated. Elena Leighton, apparently, was of a less forgiving nature altogether…
‘Both of those chores might wait another day, I am sure,’ Adam briskly dismissed her excuse. ‘Perhaps it would help if you were to look on this evening
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