Chapter Six

H e liked her. Quite a bit, as it happened. Alden wasn't entirely certain liking Lady Bernadette as much as he was beginning to was such a good thing. One was generally expected to maintain a distance between the ladies one hired to plan balls and assist with house improvements, were they not?

As he and Bernadette continued to comb through the rooms on the first floor, where the workmen were set to replace floorboards, re-plaster ceilings, and refresh everything with new paper and paint for the walls, a strange ache formed in Alden's gut. He had begun a lengthy and expensive process for finding the perfect wife to satisfy himself and his uncle, but a niggle at the back of his brain was already whispering that the whole endeavor was a useless extravagance, and that he could forgo the whole thing by courting Lady Bernadette herself.

However, if he canceled his plans for the ball, Lady Bernadette would have no reason to stay at Lyndhurst Grove. Her presence there would suddenly be scandalous instead of practical. He would not be able to come to know her better without everyone talking. Lady Bernadette herself might not wish to stay in such a precarious situation.

By the time they had finished checking all of the rooms on the first floor, save the one where the workmen had reported a large snake, which must have been one of the boa constrictors, Alden had made up his mind that he would continue with preparations for the ball, but that he would subtly court Lady Bernadette as they worked together with the possibility of calling the ball off entirely, once he and Lady Bernadette were able to determine whether they suited each other.

As far as her suitability to be the lady of his manor was concerned, Bernadette was showing remarkable signs of fitting that role perfectly.

"I see it, I see it!" she gasped after the two of them had pored over the larger guest room where the snake had been sighted earlier.

Alden rose from where he'd been on his hands and knees, looking under yet another bed. "Which one is it?" he asked, stepping over to the side of the room, where Bernadette had pulled her body tight, with her arms crossed protectively across her chest, but was inching toward the corner. "Is it Julio or Anjelica?"

She pulled her gaze away from the sunny corner to stare at Alden as though he'd lost his mind for a moment. The look had Alden's insides turning somersaults.

"Have you named all your snakes?" she asked him, dropping her arms a little.

"Most men name their snakes at some point," Alden said, mouth twitching around the ribald joke.

As soon as he'd made it, he hoped Bernadette failed to understand what he was talking about. What sort of fool said such silly and inappropriate things to a fine lady?

A fool who was losing his heart to a brave maiden who was giving her all to help him, that was who.

A slight movement from the side of the wardrobe in the corner pulled both of their attentions before any further comments could be made. Alden stepped forward, pressing his body against the wall – which was rather warm from the sun that beat against that side of the house – and squinted into the shadows. Sure enough, one of the medium-sized boas was curled up in the space, likely enjoying the heat.

"I've named all of my specimens," he said as he crouched and reached in to pull the snake out into the open. "It helps me to distinguish them from each other when observing their behavior. I've given some of them Spanish names because they were procured from Spanish-speaking nations. Isn't that true, Anjelica?" he asked the snake as he pulled her into the open and was able to identify her.

"Oh, I see," Bernadette said, still a bit breathless. She had loosened her stance a bit, and instead of hugging herself defensively, she only had one hand pressed to her stomach.

"Anjelica here is a boa constrictor occidentalis from Argentina," he went on, adjusting his hold of the snake so that he could cradle most of her like a baby as he showed Bernadette. "She's still a juvenile, which is why she's only three feet long instead of twice that, like Phyllis."

"I remember Phyllis," Bernadette said in a shaky voice.

Alden couldn't help but smile at the endearing combination of fear and determination in Bernadette's expression as she stared at Anjelica.

His mouth twitched with inappropriate humor again before he asked, "Would you like to pet her?" He'd once had a colleague in the Amazon who had seduced women by asking them if they'd like to pet his snake.

Bernadette surprised him by saying, "Al-alright," and inching forward.

She stretched out her hand, looking as though she were fighting to keep it steady, then gingerly brushed her fingertips along Anjelica's middle.

At that first touch, she blinked and raised her eyes to Alden. "She's not slimy at all," she said.

Alden could have laughed. "You expected her to be slimy?"

"She's quite … shiny," Bernadette said, giving the snake another stroke. "I had assumed that meant she would be at the very least damp to the touch."

"No, not all," Alden said. "My snakes are all very clean and without disease of any sort."

Again, he had a nearly impossible time keeping a straight face as past memories of his wickeder days came to mind.

Come to think of it, watching Bernadette stroke Anjelica with increasing ease was most definitely reminding his personal snake of wickedness.

"Er, your lordship?" the gruff worker, who had stayed in the hallway for the entire rescue mission, said from the door, clearing his throat. "Might we get to work?" The poor man seemed unwilling to venture any farther into the room.

"Yes, of course," Alden said, all smiles and good spirits, his crisis of propriety averted. To Bernadette he said, "We should return Anjelica to her home in the terrarium."

Bernadette's gaze was still fixed on Anjelica as she continued to pet the snake. She pulled her hand back a minute later, then smiled up at Alden and said, "Yes, of course."

Alden's heart couldn't have felt lighter if he'd been back in the Caribbean, discovering new subspecies of geckos in the crystal-blue afternoon near aquamarine waters. Yes, Bernadette was simply wonderful. He wished he'd discovered her before hatching the idea of a ball.

"Is there a way to secure the doors to make certain your friends do not escape again and bother the workers?" Bernadette asked once they were all safe in the terrarium and Alden had let Anjelica slither off to her favorite of the trees.

"I was convinced the doors were secure already," Alden said with a small frown, glancing around the room. "I wonder if they've been escaping through the walls."

He caught Bernadette's small shiver.

"Perhaps something should be done before the ball to shore up the walls?" Bernadette suggested.

Alden didn't think that was likely to happen. He suspected that there would always be reptiles wandering the halls of Lyndhurst Grove, and that whichever bride he chose would need to be comfortable with that.

Which was yet another reason to explore whether Bernadette could be that bride.

"I will do what I can," Alden said, glancing around once more to prevent himself from staring and smiling at Bernadette like a lovesick fool. He noticed what might have been a crack in the top of the wall, near where the glass-paneled ceiling joined with the house, near the branch of one of the trees, that might have been the lizard escape route. "I suppose the amount of work that should be done to prevent escapes would need to coincide with your plans for the ball," he said, returning his gaze to Bernadette.

Bernadette was studying the terrarium with an equal amount of intensity to him. "I think it would be best to limit entry by your guests into this room," she said, a delightful crease forming between her brows. It showed both that she was older than she first appeared, and that she was more intelligent than most men would give her credit for. "The ball itself should be held in the garden, as we've decided upon, but all other activities that weekend should be focused in other parts of the house as well."

"And have you conjured up any further details of this grand ball?" Alden asked, stepping subtly closer to her.

"I think I have," Bernadette said, finishing her glance around and turning to smile at him. "I think it would be both wise and exciting to plan both the decorations and the activities of the entire weekend around your travels."

A small thrill shot through Alden, and he could not control the broadness of his smile. "Truly?" he asked.

"Yes," Bernadette went on. "I should like to consult with you on the flowers and colors of the Amazonian basin, or perhaps another of the locations of your expeditions, so that we might make the garden outside appear to be a seamless extension of the terrarium."

"That sounds like a magnificent idea," Alden said, inching closer still to Bernadette.

"Further," Bernadette went on, all business, without any trace of fear or hesitation, "I think it would be amusing for your guests to be able to decorate their gowns and masks with any remnants of feathers or flowers left behind by your extraordinary collection. Whatever might be spared to reflect their ideas of the exotic. Any bride of yours would need to be adventurous enough to wear bright colors at the very least."

Alden suddenly noted the vibrant blue of Bernadette's gown. It set off the blonde of her hair and the pink in her cheeks perfectly. It reminded him of the Caribbean, all vibrant and serene.

"I quite agree," he said, a moment belatedly. "Perhaps my guests would also be interested in lectures or stories of my travels, both to entertain and to educate."

"Yes," Bernadette said enthusiastically. "That would be marvelous. You could take the various ladies on tours of the terrarium, pointing out all of the magnificent creatures who call this place home and sharing stories of their origins."

Alden was too overcome to reply immediately. He very much wanted to capture the magnificent creature in front of him and make Lyndhurst Grove her home.

He shook himself a moment later. Just as when searching for new species in the wild, he could not be too forward or pounce too soon where Bernadette was concerned. He could not honestly say he had the slightest notion of where her affections lay. He was forced to admit that he was letting his pleasure at her beauty and his delight over her fearlessness, along with her openness to his scientific pursuits, color his thoughts toward her.

If she truly was the ideal wife for him, he needed to be more circumspect and learn about her in a similar manner to how he educated himself about other things.

"I don't suppose it would be appropriate to teach my guests some of the more colorful dances of the natives of South America," he said, half in jest. It occurred to him that he would rather like to see Bernadette dressed in the more revealing manner of some of the locals of those warmer climes.

Bernadette blinked, not catching his jest. "Are there such dances? It might be amusing to teach them. The ton is always on the hunt for newness and novelty."

Alden laughed. "I'm not certain these dances would be appropriate."

He expected Bernadette to laugh with him, or perhaps blush, but her thoughtful look grew even more pronounced. "Perhaps we could hire a dancing instructor to invent a new, appropriate dance based on what you might be able to recall of the foreign dances you have seen."

Alden needed to catch his breath, he was so impressed by Bernadette's cleverness. "I would be happy to share my knowledge in order to help invent such a thing."

She was perfect in so many ways. He did not need to know more, to uncover her origins, or to learn whether her family was suitable. He didn't have the slightest need of the ball either, but the picture of it that Bernadette was creating thrilled him. He would have gladly dropped to his knees and offered Bernadette his heart and his world right there and then.

But sense prevailed. Alden knew he was prone to flights of fancy, and if he did not proceed cautiously, there was every chance that The Curse of Godwin Castle would sneak up and bite him, like a particularly fierce monkey once had in Guyana.

"Perhaps we could serve some of the exotic foods of South and Central America before the ball as well," he said, scrambling for something to say that would stop him from doing something rash, like grasping Bernadette's hand, pulling her into his embrace, and kissing her until they were both senseless.

"Oh!" Bernadette exclaimed with a wide smile. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. What sort of preparation would be needed for that sort of food?"

Alden's enthusiasm faltered. "To be honest, we may not be able to find many of the proper ingredients in Wessex," he said. "Rice, beans, chicken, and fish, yes. But some of the spices, not to mention things like conch, would be harder to acquire."

"Conch?" Bernadette blinked in confusion, though she seemed interested.

"Yes, conch fritters are a particular favorite of mine," he said.

"Then we should endeavor to at least try to acquire them," Bernadette said definitively.

Alden had the feeling that Bernadette would go to the ends of the earth to find him the things he wanted, if he asked her. It was a strange feeling, since he was convinced he should be the one to scour the Earth for every little thing her heart desired. He would do it gladly.

"Is there anything else you believe to be essential for the perfect ball?" he asked, moving closer to her still. He was close enough that the slightest bit of movement would allow him to take her hand or brush his fingertips against her arm.

Bernadette sucked in a breath, as if she had suddenly become aware of their proximity, and of the charge in the air between them. "I am certain we will discover new things that we need as we go along," she said, her voice as soft and warm as the summer wind through southern palms.

"Yes, I know we will discover a great many things," Alden said, leaning close to her.

Caution be damned. Alden was intoxicated. From her bravery to her cleverness, Bernadette was everything he'd ever wanted. Why should he not claim her immediately? She certainly seemed as open to him as he was to her.

Carefully, he rested his hand on her arm, just above her elbow. As soon as their skin touched, both of them breathed deeply, in accord with one another. Bernadette gazed up at him, deep emotion in her eyes that Alden couldn't quite work out. All he knew was that he wanted her, and he sensed the feeling was mutual.

Daringly, he raised his other hand to cradle the side of her face. Bernadette's face flushed pink, and she parted her plump lips, ready for a kiss. Alden's heart pounded as he dipped down to her, bringing his lips to within a hair's breadth of hers. He closed his eyes, filling himself with the feeling of her right there with him, physically and emotionally, and parted his lips.

"My lord?" Smythe's awkward call came from the far end of the room, near the door.

Bernadette gasped and jumped back, out of his reach. Alden made a sound of frustration mingled with embarrassment, heating as if he'd stepped into the Amazonian sun and been stung for his efforts. He cursed himself as he cleared his throat and tugged at the hem of his jacket. Too soon. It was much too soon for advances like that.

"Yes, Smythe?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

For all that he was young, Smythe knew what he was interrupting. "Terribly sorry, my lord, but the workmen have a question about where they should dispose of rubbish as they remove old floorboards and furnishings."

Alden winced. He was a man of nearly fifty, but it felt very much like his young butler was scolding him with those words.

"Tell them I will be there directly," he said.

"Very good, my lord," Smythe said with a nod. He glanced to Bernadette, then back to Alden, one eyebrow arched.

Alden nodded to acknowledge his indiscretion. As soon as Smythe was gone, he turned to Bernadette to see if he'd caused any damage that needed repair.

"I think a ball out of doors will be something that the ton talks about for years to come," she said, as if ignoring everything that had almost happened, though her voice was rough. "As long as the weather holds."

"I shall have the workmen construct a grand tent or a series of marquees to shelter everyone in the event of rain," he said, feeling just as awkward as he could tell Bernadette did.

"Yes, I think that would do," Bernadette said, glancing everywhere around the terrarium but at him.

Alden stepped closer to her and touched her arm softly. "I am sorry," he said, owning up to his bad behavior. Even though it hadn't felt bad to him at all. Quite the opposite.

Bernadette dragged her eyes up to meet his. Her deep, blue eyes were far too filled with regret and sorrow for his liking. "I … I forgive you, my lord," she said, making Alden wince at the use of the formal term. "I should not have allowed myself to indulge in something so wonderful."

Her eyes turned sultry and sad at the same time as the two of them stared at each other. There was more to Lady Bernadette's story than he yet knew, he could tell. She wanted him, he was certain, but something was holding her back.

Which was precisely why he should have held back himself and waited to know her more before taking any liberties with her. As he needed to remind himself yet again, Bernadette was not as young as she appeared, which very well meant she could have had a lifetime of experience behind her. That experience had clearly made her more open to her desires, but it was also preventing her from further openness.

A thought occurred to Alden that caused him to pull his hand back and clench his fist. So help him, if someone had hurt Bernadette in the past, causing her to be so cautious with him now, he would end them.

He cleared his throat and stepped back before those emotions could get the better of him. "Perhaps we should revisit this at another time," he said, deliberately vague, but hoping Bernadette would understand his meaning.

"Yes, that would be wise," Bernadette said. "We have the ball to concentrate on for the time being."

"We do," Alden said. "That should be our primary concern until everything is taken care of and the weekend has come and gone."

"Agreed," Bernadette said.

They both sounded outwardly certain, but Alden was old and wise enough to know there was more between them. He pledged to himself that he would proceed with more caution in the coming days, but also that he would discover whatever it was that had put the sad expression in Bernadette's eyes and make whatever was wrong with her right.