How to Turn a Frog into a Prince - Bree Wolf Page 0,60

but hanging his head, Pierce sighed. “All right,” he said, his brown eyes lingering upon hers. “I assure you, I do not wish to cage you in any way. I was simply worried and thought to put you on your guard.” For a moment, he remained silent, his gaze still lingering. “Is there a reason why you invited Nathanial here beyond the one you have shared with us?”

Charlaine tensed, feeling an odd tingle dance over her skin at the underlying suggestion in Pierce’s question. “I do not know what you mean.”

A slow grin spread over his face. “Let’s just say I believe you,” he remarked, then paused once again. “Do you trust him?”

“I do,” Charlaine replied without hesitation.

“Fully?”

“Yes!”

For a moment, Pierce’s fingers drummed upon the desktop. “You’ve known him for only a short time,” he pointed out correctly. “How well can you truly know him?”

“Are you suggesting anything?” she demanded, her own gaze now inquisitive and locked upon his. “For I must say, it does sound as though you are. Are you testing me? Or do you truly distrust him?”

Again, a chuckle rose from Pierce’s throat. “You know me too well, dearest Charlie. Indeed, Peter was right to put me on my guard about you. You are a handful.”

Charlaine’s heart paused in her chest. “Are you disappointed?”

Pierce shook his head, that grin back on his face. “Not in the least. You’re exactly how I remembered you, and I’m glad for it. Strong and resourceful, and I have the utmost faith in your judgment.” Pushing to his feet, Pierce walked around the desk, then held out his hands to her.

Charlaine grasped them and rose as well.

“Nonetheless,” Pierce told her with a new warmth in his eyes, “be careful and watchful.” He chuckled. “You don’t know what men are like.”

Charlaine laughed, loving the way he worried about her. Even though she knew it to be unnecessary, it felt so very good to have someone care in such a profound way. “You are aware, are you not, that that statement says more about you than anyone else? Do I dare ask?”

Pierce laughed, then took a step back as the desire to flee her question danced across his face. “Whether you ask or not does not matter for I surely won’t answer.”

Charlaine smirked up at him. “Well, in that case, I’ll just go and ask Caroline.”

His gaze darkened, but he was still smiling. “Don’t you dare.” Then he gestured toward the door. “Go and change for supper.”

Charlaine looked down at her dress, then back at him. “Why?”

Seating himself back behind his desk, Pierce rolled his eyes at her in a very exasperated way. “Forget I said anything,” he replied, then turned back to the papers before him.

Charlaine left his study with a wide smile upon her face and a lingering warmth in her heart, knowing how truly fortunate she was to have family around her once more.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

A Dance in the Meadow

Nathanial stood in front of the mirror and stared at his reflection.

What he saw was a man without a jacket or necktie. A man with rolled-up sleeves. A man in old, worn breeches, his hair tousled and a wide smile upon his face.

A man without shoes!

It was a man Nathanial hardly recognized.

Three weeks had passed since his arrival at Markham Hall, and Nathanial had loved every minute of it. Yes, he had been reluctant at first. These days, he woke every morning with a deep longing to begin the day. He could not remember when he had last felt like this. Neither could he remember when he had last slept so well or so much. His insomnia seemed to have retreated a little more every day, his nights now peaceful and refreshing, his limbs rested when he awoke in the morning. Charlaine, as well as the children, had swept him off his feet, pushing him out into the world, demanding he join them.

And he had.

Nathanial was strangely proud of himself. Life at Markham Hall had made it easy.

In London or Boston, Nathanial would have felt self-conscious walking through the house without shoes. It would have felt highly inappropriate, and even the servants would have cast disapproving looks at him. As would have Albert. He, however, had remained in London to see to the management of Caroline’s orphanage.

Indeed, Markham Hall seemed like straight out of a fairy tale.

While Pierce and Caroline were lord and lady of the house, they never acted as such. Pierce, too, walked around in casual dress, and Caroline never saw