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The trusting and natural gesture felt better than anything he’d ever known Gradually he turned his face until his lips touched the leam of her hair All his life, he’d secretly yearned for this moment For someone to turn to him for comfort

“How long will you stay?” he heard her ask

“How long do you want me?”

Phoebe made a sound of amusement “At least until I’m out of trouble”

You’re not the one in trouble, West thought, and closed his eyes in despair

“What does a cow say?” West asked Stephen that evening, as they sat on the parlor rug surrounded by carved wooden animals

“Moo,” the toddler repliedthe little cow fro it

West held up another animal “What does a sheep say?”

Stephen reached for it “Baa”

Phoebe smiled as she watched them from her chair by the hearth, a siven Stephen a toy barn with a removable roof and a collection of carved and painted animals There was even a miniature wooden theeled cart for the horse to pull Nearby, Justin played with his present froame in which marbles were inserted at the top and clattered their way down through arrange into numbered slots below

Much earlier in the day, Phoebe had shown West to the guest cottage, a si with sash s and a white pedi clothes and returned to the ers “I see soes in front of hi system”

“Is that bad?” Phoebe had asked apprehensively

“No, it’s superior to the single-entry syste simpleminded in this area, I’ll need a day or two to become familiar with it Basically, each entry to an account requires an opposite entry to a corresponding account, and then one can check for errors with an equation” West had looked self- “To think of the courses I took in Greek history and German philosophy, hat I needed was an introduction to bookkeeping”

He had spent the afternoon in the study, shooing Phoebe out when she tried to join hi for him to concentrate

Later they’d had dinner alone, both of the table, in the soft wavering brilliance of candlelight At first the conversation had charged at a headlong pace, partly fueled by nerves It wasn’t an ordinary situation for the two of the with the intiht it felt a little like trying soed news and stories, debated silly questions and then serious onesand after wine and dessert, they had finally relaxed and let down their guards Yes, it fit, the two of theood one A new kind of happiness

Phoebe knew West couldn’t see beyond his own fears of being unworthy, of soree of concern was precisely what inclined her to trust hi was clear: if she wanted him, she would have to be the pursuer

West lounged on the floor between her two sons, a heavy forelock of dark hair falling over his forehead “What does a chicken say?” he asked Stephen, holding up a wooden figure

The toddler took it from him and answered, “Ror!”

West blinked in surprise and began to chuckle along with Justin “By God, that is a fierce chicken”

Delighted by his effect on West, Stephen held up the chicken “Ror,” he growled again, and this tihter Quickly West reached out to the toddler’s blond head, pulled hi the soft curls

Had there been any doubts lingering in Phoebe’s mind, they were demolished in that moment

Oh yesI want this man

Chapter 24

Early the next ht Phoebe her tea and helped to prop the pillows behind her

“Milady, I have aMr Ravenel”

“Yes?” Phoebe asked, yawning and sitting up higher in bed

“As Mr Ravenel brought no valet with him, the under-butler would be pleased to offer his services in that capacity, should they be required Also, rate at the guest house She says Mr Ravenel asked for a razor and shaving soap to be sent over Hodgson says he would honored to loan his razor to the gentleman”

“Tell Hodgson his generosity is very much appreciated HoweverI think I’ll offer Mr Ravenel the use of my late husband’s razor”