control of any part her life with Rafe was rather…
Thrilling.
“I will do my best to pick hosts who you will like,” she said.
“Very good.” He pushed to his feet. “Now, all this planning has made me bored. Would you like to take a tour of my home?”
She blinked not just at his rapid change of subject, but at the way he leaned down, offering his hand to her. He smiled, and she found herself unable to do anything but take that hand and rise to her feet.
“Certainly,” she managed to squeak out as they stood, face to face, him looking down into her eyes. He wanted to kiss her, that much was plain. Shockingly, she wanted him to do just that, standing in the dining room where anyone could see.
It was odd that he could touch her in his bed, awaken her to pleasure, and yet having a conversation at his breakfast table, holding his hand in his dining room...those things felt more intimate. And if there was one thing she knew, she did not want an intimate or emotional connection with his man.
She wanted her freedom, so she had to be careful.
“What do you think?” Rafe asked an hour later, after they had toured the entire house save the damaged kitchen. He had saved his library for last, and now she stood amongst the books, looking around with eyes wide with wonder.
“It is magnificent,” she breathed.
He laughed. “The house or the library?”
“Both.” She smiled in return.
Those smiles were becoming more common now and more real. Serafina was without a doubt one of the most beautiful women he had ever encountered. But when she smiled and her face lit up? Well, there was no “one of.” She was simply the most exquisite creature who had ever walked the earth. And she was his.
At least in name.
He found his own smile falling. “Of course, any area of the household is yours to explore or utilize. The servants have all been told that you are the lady of the house and shall be treated accordingly.
“Likely why Lathem listened to me this morning,” she said with a wicked glint to her eyes.
Rafe feigned a scowl. “Yes. Apparently he is of a mind that the lady of the house rules the roost.”
He saw a shadow cross her face at that comment and frowned. Cyril’s abuse and her father’s belief that she was worthwhile only as a bargaining point had obviously scarred her.
He heard Lathem clearing his throat at the door and glanced over. The butler gave him a slight nod, and Rafe smiled and returned the motion. Lathem, as always, understood and slipped away.
“I have someone I would like you to meet,” Rafe said, turning back to find Serafina had edged over to the bookcase and was staring intently at titles, occasionally let her fingertip crest over the well-worn spines of his favorites.
“Meet?” she asked, abandoning the books to look at him in question.
“It turns out Annabelle’s maid has a sister in service. She trained to be a lady’s companion, but could not find work and has been in another household. I’ve had her brought here for a trial with you, just to fulfill the role as maid since you don’t have one. If you like her, wonderful. If not, then we will tell her it won’t work out.”
Serafina frowned. “But if she has left her current position, wouldn’t this trial period result in her being out of a job? I wouldn’t feel right putting her on the street.”
Rafe smiled at her attention to the situation of others. In his life, he had seen plenty of women of rank and privilege who didn’t think twice about those in their service. Certainly Serafina had not been taught to care for others by her father. It seemed to be simply in her nature.
“I will recommend her to a friend looking for a maid and she will be none the worse for the experience, I promise you,” he reassured her gently.
She nodded. “Then let us meet the young lady.”
He motioned to the door, and she followed him into the hallway and back through the house to the foyer. A young woman waited there
Thrilling.
“I will do my best to pick hosts who you will like,” she said.
“Very good.” He pushed to his feet. “Now, all this planning has made me bored. Would you like to take a tour of my home?”
She blinked not just at his rapid change of subject, but at the way he leaned down, offering his hand to her. He smiled, and she found herself unable to do anything but take that hand and rise to her feet.
“Certainly,” she managed to squeak out as they stood, face to face, him looking down into her eyes. He wanted to kiss her, that much was plain. Shockingly, she wanted him to do just that, standing in the dining room where anyone could see.
It was odd that he could touch her in his bed, awaken her to pleasure, and yet having a conversation at his breakfast table, holding his hand in his dining room...those things felt more intimate. And if there was one thing she knew, she did not want an intimate or emotional connection with his man.
She wanted her freedom, so she had to be careful.
“What do you think?” Rafe asked an hour later, after they had toured the entire house save the damaged kitchen. He had saved his library for last, and now she stood amongst the books, looking around with eyes wide with wonder.
“It is magnificent,” she breathed.
He laughed. “The house or the library?”
“Both.” She smiled in return.
Those smiles were becoming more common now and more real. Serafina was without a doubt one of the most beautiful women he had ever encountered. But when she smiled and her face lit up? Well, there was no “one of.” She was simply the most exquisite creature who had ever walked the earth. And she was his.
At least in name.
He found his own smile falling. “Of course, any area of the household is yours to explore or utilize. The servants have all been told that you are the lady of the house and shall be treated accordingly.
“Likely why Lathem listened to me this morning,” she said with a wicked glint to her eyes.
Rafe feigned a scowl. “Yes. Apparently he is of a mind that the lady of the house rules the roost.”
He saw a shadow cross her face at that comment and frowned. Cyril’s abuse and her father’s belief that she was worthwhile only as a bargaining point had obviously scarred her.
He heard Lathem clearing his throat at the door and glanced over. The butler gave him a slight nod, and Rafe smiled and returned the motion. Lathem, as always, understood and slipped away.
“I have someone I would like you to meet,” Rafe said, turning back to find Serafina had edged over to the bookcase and was staring intently at titles, occasionally let her fingertip crest over the well-worn spines of his favorites.
“Meet?” she asked, abandoning the books to look at him in question.
“It turns out Annabelle’s maid has a sister in service. She trained to be a lady’s companion, but could not find work and has been in another household. I’ve had her brought here for a trial with you, just to fulfill the role as maid since you don’t have one. If you like her, wonderful. If not, then we will tell her it won’t work out.”
Serafina frowned. “But if she has left her current position, wouldn’t this trial period result in her being out of a job? I wouldn’t feel right putting her on the street.”
Rafe smiled at her attention to the situation of others. In his life, he had seen plenty of women of rank and privilege who didn’t think twice about those in their service. Certainly Serafina had not been taught to care for others by her father. It seemed to be simply in her nature.
“I will recommend her to a friend looking for a maid and she will be none the worse for the experience, I promise you,” he reassured her gently.
She nodded. “Then let us meet the young lady.”
He motioned to the door, and she followed him into the hallway and back through the house to the foyer. A young woman waited there
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