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But it was possible they had eventually been introduced and had been attracted to each other Dr Gibsonwooed by a handso the proximity of a fes

Phoebe forced her o to the local bookshop and order o over the crop book with her, and hopefully it wouldn’t overtax him to explain some of it to her

“Milady,” calanced over her shoulder

“Yes, Arnold?”

“A hired carriage froson is speaking to a entleman”

Phoebe registered the information with a quick double blink and turned toward him From the station yard? She couldn’t think of anyone ould visit her by railway, except

“Is he old or young?” she asked, distantly amazed at how calm she sounded

Arnold had to lend the question serious thought “Young to middlish, milady”

“Tall or short?”

“A big strapper” At her riveted expression, Arnold added helpfully, “With a beard”

“A beard?” Phoebe repeated, perplexed “I’ll go see who it is” She rose to her feet, feeling weak kneed and loose jointed, like a htened the skirts of her dress, a pale green poplin print, she discovered a few spots of applesauce on the bodice Impatiently she dampened a napkin and dabbed at the stains Hopefully they would be concealed by the pattern of tiny white and amber flowers

By the time she reached the entrance hall, she was shaky with anticipation Oh, let it be him, let it be Westbut perversely, she was afraid to see hier there, and they turned out to be polite and aith each other? What if he’d only come out of a sense of honor, and not because he’d truly wanted to? What if—

The visitor stood at the threshold, tall and lean, his posture relaxed as he stood in the open doorith a black leather Gladstone bag in hand The sunlight was at his back, casting his face in shadow, but his silhouette, with those powerful shoulders filling up the door fraer than life, and outrageously rowth darkening his jaw

The force of Phoebe’s heartbeat resounded through her body as she drew closer

West focused on her with a disar his lips “I hope you weren’t asking for literal rope,” he said casually, as if they were in the middle of a conversation

“I didn’t expectyouyou cah as she heard how breathless she was “I aiting for your reply”

“This is

Delight filled her until the sheer weight of the feeling alulfed it in both of his, his grip warht it to his lips

For a moment Phoebe couldn’tShe felt lightheaded, almost euphoric

“How are you?” West asked quietly, retaining her hand longer than he should have

“I’ed to say, “and so are the boys But I think the estate is in trouble—I know it is—and I need help assessing how bad it is”

“We’ll sort it out,” he said with calm assurance

“Is that your only luggage?”

“No, there’s a trunk on the carriage”

Better and betterhe had brought enough to stayto appear coson, we’ll need Mr Ravenel’s trunk brought to the guest cottage in back Tell Mrs Gurney to air out the rooms and make them ready”

“Yes, milady”

As the butler went to the bellpull, Phoebe turned her attention back to West “You’ve caught etically

“I could go,” West offered, “and come back later”

Phoebe s anywhere” Unable to resist, she reached up to his beard-roughened jaw The neas thick and scratchy soft, like a blend of cut velvet and wool “Why did you grow a beard?”

“It wasn’t intentional,” he said “I had no ti It took every h to keep pace with the harvest”

“All this after only a fortnight,” she co the luxuriant beard Poor Edould have been incensed at the sight of it

West shruggedopera or learn foreign languages I grow hair”

“It ,” Phoebe said, “but a bit villainous”