you?’
‘Whatever you like – I am not your conscience, or your keeper.’ Looking hurriedly away, she smoothed her hand over the skirt of her gown. ‘I-I’m sure Alyssa will be here any moment,’ she said, adding, ‘where are you staying?’
‘With James Westwood and his family, outside Dorchester.’
‘We have heard of the Westwoods; Mrs Nash told us of them.’
‘Mrs Nash? I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting that lady – a gap in my knowledge, for which I apologize.’
‘She is the mother of Caroline Nash, Sir Giles Maxton’s friend, and a grande dame of local society,’ said Letty, with a shudder.
‘Ah! I take it she does not meet with your approval?’
‘She’s an interfering sort, as is her daughter.’
He grinned. ‘I’m sure my cousin dealt with them accordingly.’
‘She did,’ said Letty, with an answering smile.
‘Has Alyssa met Sir Giles yet?’
‘She dined with him last Saturday.’
‘Hmm. And have you seen any of the estate?’ asked Piers.
‘Only a fraction, but Ennis, the land agent, introduced us to the labourers,’ said Letty. ‘Alyssa is with Ennis now – he invited her to attend when the wages are paid. She takes her new responsibilities seriously.’
‘Why must she be so tediously righteous?’ protested Piers with a sigh.
Letty chuckled and said, ‘She wants to learn more about the property she has acquired.’
‘How obliging of you to remind me of my disappointment,’ he muttered.
‘Oh, pray do not take refuge in sulking,’ pleaded Letty, reproachfully. ‘I find it dreadfully lowering to be with a person who is miserable for no good reason. Charles has the same effect on me.’
At this comparison, Piers leapt to his feet and paced about the room, expostulating , ‘Charles! Good God, don’t, I beg of you, draw parallels between me and that prosy bore! We are not at all alike.’
‘Well, you don’t appear to be a prosy bore—’
‘Thank you!’ he threw over his shoulder.
‘—but before he went back to London, Charles cast a damper over everything with his sulks. I would not like to see Alyssa made unhappy again by unwarranted petulance on your part, Mr Kilworth.’
He stopped his pacing and stared. ‘My dear girl, I’ve had every expectation removed by a single sweep of my uncle’s pen – under the circumstances, I hardly think my resentment is unwarranted.’
‘Some initial anger was understandable but you should not still be wallowing in self-pity. Why do you behave like a spoilt child?’
‘No one has spoken to me in this manner before – not even Alyssa!’ he exclaimed, a fierce rasp in his voice.
‘Perhaps if they had, you would not act as you do,’ observed Letty, offering a serene but knowing smile.
He glared and a deep frown gathered on his brow. He was about to voice a biting riposte but, observing Letty’s smile and charming features, Piers suddenly seemed unable to sustain his rancour. His sneer died away, his bellicose manner softened and his mouth began to curve in genuine amusement. Taking a step towards her, Piers laughed and said in a low, husky voice, ‘Why, Miss Ravenhill, you are the most—’
His reply was cut short by the door opening to admit Alyssa. She halted on the threshold, her surprised glance flicking between the two occupants. ‘Piers! I did not expect you so soon.’
Swiftly, he moved away from Letty and drawled, ‘Hello, Coz.’
‘When did you arrive?’
‘A short time ago. Didn’t Rowberry inform you?’
‘I asked not to be disturbed and came straight here from meeting Ennis,’ she explained.
‘I left London sooner than anticipated and wanted you to know I am in the area. Once it became known I could not settle my most pressing debts, it became a little uncomfortable there.’
‘No doubt an unpleasant experience,’ said Alyssa. She sat at the bureau and looked through the letters which had arrived earlier, adding, ‘You have clearly introduced yourselves. Has he made
‘Whatever you like – I am not your conscience, or your keeper.’ Looking hurriedly away, she smoothed her hand over the skirt of her gown. ‘I-I’m sure Alyssa will be here any moment,’ she said, adding, ‘where are you staying?’
‘With James Westwood and his family, outside Dorchester.’
‘We have heard of the Westwoods; Mrs Nash told us of them.’
‘Mrs Nash? I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting that lady – a gap in my knowledge, for which I apologize.’
‘She is the mother of Caroline Nash, Sir Giles Maxton’s friend, and a grande dame of local society,’ said Letty, with a shudder.
‘Ah! I take it she does not meet with your approval?’
‘She’s an interfering sort, as is her daughter.’
He grinned. ‘I’m sure my cousin dealt with them accordingly.’
‘She did,’ said Letty, with an answering smile.
‘Has Alyssa met Sir Giles yet?’
‘She dined with him last Saturday.’
‘Hmm. And have you seen any of the estate?’ asked Piers.
‘Only a fraction, but Ennis, the land agent, introduced us to the labourers,’ said Letty. ‘Alyssa is with Ennis now – he invited her to attend when the wages are paid. She takes her new responsibilities seriously.’
‘Why must she be so tediously righteous?’ protested Piers with a sigh.
Letty chuckled and said, ‘She wants to learn more about the property she has acquired.’
‘How obliging of you to remind me of my disappointment,’ he muttered.
‘Oh, pray do not take refuge in sulking,’ pleaded Letty, reproachfully. ‘I find it dreadfully lowering to be with a person who is miserable for no good reason. Charles has the same effect on me.’
At this comparison, Piers leapt to his feet and paced about the room, expostulating , ‘Charles! Good God, don’t, I beg of you, draw parallels between me and that prosy bore! We are not at all alike.’
‘Well, you don’t appear to be a prosy bore—’
‘Thank you!’ he threw over his shoulder.
‘—but before he went back to London, Charles cast a damper over everything with his sulks. I would not like to see Alyssa made unhappy again by unwarranted petulance on your part, Mr Kilworth.’
He stopped his pacing and stared. ‘My dear girl, I’ve had every expectation removed by a single sweep of my uncle’s pen – under the circumstances, I hardly think my resentment is unwarranted.’
‘Some initial anger was understandable but you should not still be wallowing in self-pity. Why do you behave like a spoilt child?’
‘No one has spoken to me in this manner before – not even Alyssa!’ he exclaimed, a fierce rasp in his voice.
‘Perhaps if they had, you would not act as you do,’ observed Letty, offering a serene but knowing smile.
He glared and a deep frown gathered on his brow. He was about to voice a biting riposte but, observing Letty’s smile and charming features, Piers suddenly seemed unable to sustain his rancour. His sneer died away, his bellicose manner softened and his mouth began to curve in genuine amusement. Taking a step towards her, Piers laughed and said in a low, husky voice, ‘Why, Miss Ravenhill, you are the most—’
His reply was cut short by the door opening to admit Alyssa. She halted on the threshold, her surprised glance flicking between the two occupants. ‘Piers! I did not expect you so soon.’
Swiftly, he moved away from Letty and drawled, ‘Hello, Coz.’
‘When did you arrive?’
‘A short time ago. Didn’t Rowberry inform you?’
‘I asked not to be disturbed and came straight here from meeting Ennis,’ she explained.
‘I left London sooner than anticipated and wanted you to know I am in the area. Once it became known I could not settle my most pressing debts, it became a little uncomfortable there.’
‘No doubt an unpleasant experience,’ said Alyssa. She sat at the bureau and looked through the letters which had arrived earlier, adding, ‘You have clearly introduced yourselves. Has he made
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