“I wouldn’t let Aunt Margaret hear you say that.” Gray shuddered.
“Because I am indeed an intelligent man, I would never allow her to do so,” Win said in a lofty manner, then thought for a moment. “It was the surprise, I think. Lady Garret caught me unawares. I simply wasn’t prepared for a woman—for her. I shall be better prepared for our next meeting.”
“Then you wish to continue with Garret and Tempest?” Gray studied him closely. “In spite of the indomitable Lady Garret?”
Win blew a resigned breath and sank into the chair that matched Gray’s. “I don’t see any other option.”
“We could hire someone else, you know.”
“No one else can take this on in as timely a manner.” Win shook his head. “I don’t want Fairborough Hall moldering in disrepair for the next six months. I want rebuilding to begin as soon as possible.” He aimed an accusing look at his cousin. “Pity you won’t be here to keep an eye on the work with me.”
“I am sorry, Win, but I do have to return to America. There are matters I need to settle before I can again make England my home.”
Gray had left some eleven years ago to make his fortune, and make it he had. His varied investments in shipping and railroads and imports had made him almost obscenely wealthy. Win had followed his lead and had vastly increased the Elliott family fortunes as well.
“I will make every effort to conclude my business as quickly as possible. I plan to be gone no longer than a month and less if all goes well.”
“Hopefully, we should be nearing completion by your return and you will have missed it all.”
“With any luck at all.” Gray grinned. “But Lady Garret did say she could not guarantee completion by late June and I intend to be back by then.”
“Their references were excellent,” Win said under his breath. He wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince Gray or himself.
“Then it seems to me dealing with Lady Garret is a small enough price to pay,” Gray said slowly.
“Yes, I suppose.”
Gray leaned forward and met his cousin’s gaze firmly. “What is it about this woman, Win? You’ve always been very good at handling women. In spite of any number of misdeeds I can name, there wasn’t a single governess who came through this house that didn’t vow you were the most delightful charge she had ever had. Growing up, you managed to avoid consequences of questionable behavior by dint of little more than your charming nature and your irresistibly wicked smile. It drove me quite mad, I can tell you.”
“My apologies,” Win said wryly.
“Why, I can recall seeing you wrap even the most formidable mothers of fresh-faced virgins around your little finger. And that despite an already somewhat wicked reputation.”
“Well . . .” Win smiled modestly. What could he say? His cousin was right.
“The fine art of managing women has been a skill, no, a talent, even a natural gift of yours since you were a boy. Women of any age have always been putty in your hands. As long as you don’t ask them to marry you, that is.” Laughter gleamed in Gray’s eyes.
Win snorted back a laugh. “That does seem to be my undoing.” He thought for a moment. “I don’t know why I found Lady Garret so annoying. I did make every attempt to be most charming and even, perhaps, a bit flirtatious. She would have none of it.”
“No doubt that is precisely why you found her annoying.” Lady Lydingham, Camille, swept into the library and the cousins rose to their feet at once.
Camille’s parents owned Millworth Manor, and while they had invited the Elliott family to stay as their guests in their absence, Win’s father had insisted they lease the manor instead. He was well aware of the costs of maintaining a country house. Camille and Gray had been engaged since Christmas. Win was fairly confident this was one wedding that would indeed take place, although why they were waiting until autumn to wed made no sense to him. The more time one gave a woman to ponder anything—especially marriage—the more time she had to reconsider. Still, in hindsight, in his experience, that had ultimately been for the best.
“Are you helping Winfield reach a rational, intelligent conclusion?” Camille moved to Gray’s side and Win suspected would have kissed him in a most improper manner had Win not been present. From the look in Gray’s eyes, he thought the same. “Or has his absurd and unreasonable dislike of Lady Garret vanquished all possibility of rational, intelligent behavior?”
“You know me so well, Camille.” Win flashed her a smile.
“You are a dashing devil, one does have to give you that,” Camille said in a reluctant manner although, until recently, Camille had barely spoken to him at all. “I can’t imagine any woman not falling prey to your dubious charms.”
“And what of me?” Gray cast her an offended look. “Am I not a dashing devil with dubious charms?”
“You always have been, Grayson,” she said in an overly prim manner as if now, having decided to marry him, she should observe certain rules of society. But there was a subtle gleam in her eye when she looked at Gray that hinted that her thoughts were anything but proper.
“I do wish you would stop looking at him like that.” Win glared at his cousin’s intended.
“Like what?” Innocence rang in Camille’s voice belying the wicked look in her eyes.
“Like he was a cake and you had a passion for sweets!” Win huffed.
“I like it.” Gray cast his fiancée a wicked smile of his own.
“Oh, but I do have a passion for sweets,” Camille said with a pleasant smile.
Win stifled a groan. Not that he wasn’t happy for his cousin; he was delighted that Gray and Camille had found one another again after years apart. And delighted as well that Gray was so annoyingly happy. Admittedly he might be a touch envious that Gray had found what Win had not, but now was not the time to dwell on what he didn’t have.
“She’s a Hadley-Attwater, you know,” Camille said abruptly.
Gray frowned in confusion. “Who?”
“Lady Garret, of course. She’s the youngest of the Hadley-Attwater brood.” She glanced at Win. “Weren’t you friends with one of the sons?”
“Sebastian.” He nodded. “Sir Sebastian now. We had some grand times together before he went off to explore the world. I haven’t seen him in years.” Perhaps it was time to renew that acquaintance. “What else do you know about his sister?”
“Nothing really.” Camille shrugged. “I don’t know her at all save to nod a greeting to in passing. Beryl would know more.”
“And isn’t that surprising?” Gray murmured.
Win bit back a grin. Beryl was Camille’s twin and she was not at all fond of Gray. If there was one thing Win didn’t envy his cousin about it was his future sister-in-law. Not that Win and Beryl hadn’t always gotten on well together. Indeed, Beryl might well have been his first fiancée had things worked out in a different manner. But though he did enjoy sparring with the lady even now, they never would have suited. That was a marriage that would have been disastrous for them both. One would surely have killed the other.
“Beryl makes it a point to know whatever there is to know. It can be most beneficial. And what she doesn’t know, she knows how to find out.” She studied Win curiously. “Do you really want to know everything there is to know about Lady Garret?”
“About Garret and Tempest,” Gray said.
Camille raised a disbelieving brow.
“Indeed I do. About both the firm and the lady.”
“If that is the