Cocky Earl - Annabelle Anders Page 0,77

life she’d left behind. It was the most she’d talked in all the time that he’d known her, and he wondered if it meant she’d softened her stance against his proposal.

“I’d like to show you something before we go to the abbey. If you don’t have any objections?”

“Will our absence be noted?”

“This won’t take long. And with so many different vehicles on the road, it’s likely no one will be the wiser.”

She laughed. “Except for Mrs. Crabtree.”

“I ought to hire her as one of my estate managers. That woman wouldn’t let anyone get away with anything.”

The sky had been a brilliant blue just a few hours before, but those clouds he’d considered too far distant were now rolling in their direction. It was quite possible the plans for the hike would need to be abandoned altogether and the tea moved back to the manor. He flicked the reins to increase their own pace. Driving her through a pouring rain couldn’t possibly help advance his cause.

“I know that you have more than one estate. How exactly does that work?” She seemed far more interested in him in that moment than the weather and he wouldn’t complain.

As Jules turned onto a less-traveled road, he explained to her the rudimentary aspects of managing the earldom’s various properties. He found himself telling her which ones were entailed and why a few were not—that they’d been parts of his mother’s dowry, and his grandmother’s before that. She asked questions that revealed he had not been mistaken in attributing her with unusual intelligence. Not only for a woman, for a lady, but for a person in general.

When he finally turned the corner, the building he’d always found fascinating, as well as something of a refuge since the first time his father showed it to him, came into view from behind a cluster of very tall, very old trees. Built with a combination of brick and stone, the structure sat naturally into the hill behind it. Almost as though it was part of the hill itself. A stream flowed beneath an ancient-looking bridge which allowed access to the main door. The building had character, but it seemed to be sturdy enough despite its apparent age.

He glanced sideways to see if her expression would give away her impression of it. Eyes wide, her mouth had dropped open and she tilted her head back so she could take in all three stories.

“It’s utterly charming. What is it used for?”

“I was thinking,” he ventured cautiously. “That we could turn it into a distillery.”

Chapter 22

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

Charley’s mouth dropped open. “You want to build a distillery?” The building seemed perfect for it.

“I want to build you a distillery. After we are married.”

He watched her expectantly. As if making her crave his kiss and intruding on her dreams at night, weren’t enough to win her over, this man had to go and bring out the most potent weapon he could possibly have in his arsenal.

“A distillery? For me?”

“I couldn’t very well expect you to give up something that mattered so greatly to you, could I?” His hand dropped to her knee. “Would you care to see the inside?”

She nodded, and while she beheld the building hidden so charmingly behind a small forest, he secured the horses to one of the trees. Charley gave him her hand trustingly when he came around to assist her off the tall vehicle.

“It’s older than the earldom itself.”

“Is it sound?”

“My father kept it maintained. As have I.” His voice caught, leading Charley to believe that there was more to the unique structure than he’d revealed.

He threaded his fingers between hers and led her along a narrow path and across the bridge. “There is a drive that leads up to it from the side so we wouldn’t have trouble bringing in supplies. I have a tenant who could design and build the barrels to your specifications, for storing your whiskey.”

Charley licked her lips, which had suddenly gone dry. No one. No one in all her life had considered her needs the way this man had.

Obviously, he’d put considerable thought into this. He removed a key form his pocket and opened a large lock on the door before sliding a metal latch to the side. Everything about the building seemed older than time itself and yet, the door opened easily and, instead of finding animal droppings and decay inside, it appeared to have been swept and dusted recently. Not a single cobweb in sight. The floor was stone, as