Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Phillip stood at the window of his study and stared out over the grounds he could see. The day was wet. The storm raging through had been over the island for the past two days, almost like it had been moving and decided to stop for a spell.

He had sent out the invitations and had given the books to Fyre to take home. She had been a bit unsure about that, but he trusted that with Damon and his brothers watching out for her, she and the books would be safe. Not necessarily true, but it was the only thing he was able to tell himself to keep from hovering over her like he wanted to.

The downside to all of this was her telling him she would not be able to come to Hawk’s Cove and get the books done. So he was not seeing her all week. And that pissed him off. He wanted her where he could watch her. And do other things to and with her. Even though the week was nearly up, he was close to going out of his mind.

Sure, Damon and his brothers were great, but what could he say, he was possessive of the woman who was his but didn’t know it yet.

His nights and days were spent dreaming of how she’d come apart in his arms, and that hadn’t even been with his fingers inside her. God, she would kill him when they were actually allowed to touch intimately. Without clothing.

He continually flashed to their picnic, where she’d shattered beneath his touch. Her gasp, the arch of her back as she’d come against his hand, the way her eyes had become nearly luminous with her desire and passion.

His body ached for hers. He readjusted himself and continued staring out the pane of glass that had not gotten any warmer throughout the day.

“My lord, you have a visitor.”

He had no desire to see anyone if it wasn’t Fyre and he knew that wouldn’t be the case. Covering up his yawn was harder than he’d thought it would be. But he did, turned, then waved at Keating to bring this person in.

It wasn’t who he had expected. He had figured that her brother, Elonne, would be showing up but it wasn’t him. It was Albie Caulfield.

The man swaggered in like he was more powerful than everyone believed. Hell, perhaps more than he believed, but Phillip wasn’t impressed. At all.

Did it help that this man was after the woman he wanted? Nope, just made his disdain worse.

“Mr. Caulfield. Must be something important to get you out on a day like today. To what do I owe the honor?”

Silence stretched as Albie removed his hat and walked to a chair before the desk. Phillip sat after he did, not offering him a drink or anything of the sort. Didn’t matter to him that the man was wet from his ride here.

“I have come to return your invitation and to speak to you about another matter.” He cleared his throat. “A bit more delicate.”

God, he wanted to punch him in his face.

“And where is the invitation?”

“I gave it to your butler. Accepted of course.”

“Of course,” Phillip replied dryly. “And this other matter?”

He licked his thin lips and shifted on the chair. “It is about Miss Gwen.” A bit more shifting. “Have you seen her this week?”

Annoyance unfurled in his gut, stretching its tendrils to hit as much of him as it could. Then grew.

“I hardly think you are in a position to ask who I have seen this week. But to answer your impertinent question, no, I have not.”

Anger and something else flashed across Albie’s face. “She has said she is unable to add more of her time for me. I did not think you had seen her.”

Phillip wanted to lean forward, reach over the desk and throttle this man. He did neither. Going against his body’s demand, he leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers like he was bored. In truth, it was the only way he could keep from leaving Albie Caulfield a bloody pulp.

“Just because I do not see her, does not mean she has not shown to do her work. Mr. Caulfield, your obsession with my employee has passed the line of being a nuisance.”

Caulfield narrowed his eyes. “She worked for me first.”

Phillip waved away that claim. “She is too kindhearted to tell people no, unlike myself. I know that you and her brother are trying to trap her into working only for you. Kind of like you are buying her. She has told both of you no and yet you persist.” Now he leaned forward, resting his hands and forearms on the desktop. “She is my employee and always has a place here, so when she comes to you and tells you she is no longer doing your books, you will take that and be a gentleman, bowing out of her life.”

“You think her brother will approve you getting a hold of her? We all know what members of the peerage think of women and how little respect you have for them.”

“This coming from a man who I see with his hands up the skirts of a whore at a pub, all the while professing to care about another?” Phillip shook his head. “My personal relationship with anyone is not your fucking business and you would do well to remember that. And do not forget that yes, I am a member of peerage, and my reach is far greater than yours.”

“Are you threatening me?”

An indolent shrug. “A threat would be for someone who was a worthy opponent. That, Mr. Caulfield, was simply a statement of fact.” He got to his feet. “Now, if you will excuse me and see yourself out. I have more things to do for this party to be ready.”

Albie also stood. “You are not rescinding your invitation?” Shock and a slight hint of worried suspicion tinged his question.

“No reason to. You, as a businessman and fellow plantation owner, are still welcome to attend. The more delicate matter between us is done. I have told you where I stand on it.”

“What if she agrees to my courting her? Will you back off?”

Anger grew wings and flew. “No.”

The man blinked a few times, like he hadn’t expected that word to leave Phillip’s mouth.

“It would be her decision.”

“Her decision was made long before I set foot onto this island or you would have married her already.” He gestured to the door. “Good day, Mr. Caulfield.”

Once he’d departed, Phillip went to the sideboard and poured himself a drink, downed it then poured himself another.

The insufferable ass.Until Fyre told him no in his own personal pursuit of her, he would allow no other a chance. He rubbed the heel of his palm over his aching cock. Day or night, all he had to do was think about her and he was hard.

Finishing his second drink, he glanced out the window once more at the storm raging and was glad that he had given his people the day off so they could be inside and dry.

Glass down, he strode to the door and went to find the woman who was making his party happen. His housekeeper.

This woman had been a godsend to him and was essential in keeping his house running at optimal efficiency. Even Keating didn’t challenge her.

She was in her small office and got up from her desk when he knocked on the doorframe.

“Mrs. Alison.”

“My lord. How may I be of service?”

Grinning as he walked in, he waved her back to her seat then took one for himself. “I am here to talk about the house party and see what else you need from me.” He stretched his legs out. “More staff? What?”

“Everything is fine, my lord.”

He leaned forward. “You sure? I am happy to get you more if you need it. I do not want you quitting on me in the middle of this, Mrs. Alison, or your husband to come after me because I am stressing you out.”

She flushed, her tanned skin unable to hide the red racing up her cheeks.

“You should not say such things, my lord.”

Phillip slumped back in his chair, hand over his chest. “Crushed. All the beautiful women are taken.”

She waggled a finger at him. “I see plenty of women who would love to be the mistress of this house for you, and not just for the party.”

With a wink, he sat forward. “None of them are you, Mrs. Alison.”

He was thrilled she was teasing him back. It had taken him a while to get his people to trust him. To understand he wasn’t like the man who had been here before, when Trace had been presumed dead. That wasn’t him and that would never be him.

But again, trust was a delicate being and he had to earn it. Phillip didn’t mind putting in the work. This was his place and these were his people.

“I have more things to work on once you approve the menu.”

He leaned back, shaking his head. “I trust you, Mrs. Alison. You make the menu and approve it. I will also want to do another party this Christmas, but for the staff. All of them. Not a house party, but a celebration for a good year of work.”

She paused and put down her pen as she looked at him.

“What is it?” he asked after a few moments.

“If our stations were not so different, my lord, I would kiss you for that.”

Eyebrows waggling, he bounded up from his chair and bent down to her, tapping his cheek. “I never turn down a kiss from a beautiful woman. Lay one on me.”

* * * *

The knocking startled her, but Fyre had become quite efficient at making sure the earl’s books remained out of sight when someone came to the door. Hiding them, she hurried to let whoever was there in. The rain still came down in sheets, blowing in all directions and making her so glad that the small cottage she rented was sound and kept her safe and dry.

The door opened before she could get there and in stumbled her brother, sister-in-law and her nephews and niece. Soaked to the bone.

Swarmed by the children, she didn’t mind how wet they were as she had missed them so much. Hugging them, she kissed each of the young ones while she handed out towels as they told her how much she had been missed.

Composing her features, she handed cloths to her brother and his wife. “What are you doing here?”

Elonne didn’t meet her gaze and she was hurt yet okay with it. She hadn’t forgiven him for his behavior. Not that she was good with Cara either, but she adored her nephews and niece.

“Can we not stop by and see their aunt?” Cara’s tone grated on her nerves.

“Of course,” she assured the children. “They are always welcome in my place.”

The adults picked up on her tone. Elonne glowered in her direction but still wouldn’t hold her stare. Cara just glared.

“You need to watch them.”

Eyebrows up, she waited for her sister-in-law to elaborate on the statement. No one said anything further.

So she prompted, “Why?”

“There is a thing we have to attend tonight but they are too young.”

“Have they eaten?”

“No, it is too early. You will feed them.”

Fyre narrowed her eyes at Cara, knowing full well the woman was lying through her teeth. It was past the time they should have eaten.

“And are you back for them tonight or do I get them until morning?”

“Morning.”

She grinned at the kids, who watched her with uncertain expressions. “Wonderful. We will make a grand time out of it. You two have fun.” Just like that, she dismissed them.

It broke her heart how the children weren’t sad to see their parents go, but she thrived on how they hugged her.

“Now, let me see, it has been a while since I have seen you. I hope I have not forgotten your names.”

They all looked at her, lips pursued as she tapped a finger against her chin.

“Aunt Fyre, surely you remember me. I’m Carlo.”

She gripped his chin and angled his head to the side. “Are you sure? I thought you were Elonne II.”

He giggled and wrapped his arms around her. “I missed you.”

“Missed you too. All of you, you also, Isabella. We need to get dry and after, we will get some food in our bellies.”

* * * *

Two hours later, the trio of children were fed and drowsy as the rain continued to pound the windows. As they began to doze, she moved them to her bed and tucked them in, heart aching over their absence from her life.

After she was positive they were out cold, she pulled the two books she was currently working on back to the table. She didn’t want to have all of them in the open now in case they woke, she could easily move these to where she was hiding them as opposed to trying to make six books vanish quickly.

She worked diligently until the candle was low in the holder and her eyes burned. Shaking out her hand and the cramping that had started, she closed the books and put them away.

Then she headed for bed and climbed in with the kids, who moved and shifted for her before draping all over her. She woke the same way and the rain still pounded down.

While they continued to sleep she fixed a special breakfast to share with them. They all ate together, sharing stories and memories that made her heart ache. The children helped her clean up—she never let them skip that part, wanting them to grow up knowing how to keep a tidy house.

She kept a sharp eye on the hour .

Where are Elonne and Cara?

She couldn’t leave the children alone. Not here. They were notoriously nosy and she didn’t want them finding the books by accident. Even if they weren’t here in her place, she was nervous about leaving them, given what Phillip had told her of the plan.

Just thinking about him had her lips curling up with pleasurable memories.

“Why are you smiling, Aunt Fyre?”

“Happy to see the three of you,” she said without missing a beat. “I miss you all so much.”

Opening her arms, she hugged them all.

It was time for her to head to work and they still hadn’t arrived to pick up the kids.

Elonne II watched her and cocked his head to the side. “You have to leave.” It was a statement.

“I do, yes.”

“And we are in the way.”

She shook her head right away. “You are children, precious, and never in the way.”

“Not what Mom and Dad say.”

She froze. Closed her eyes and counted to get control of her emotions. Then she looked at him again.

“Are you underfoot when she says this? Or are they speaking in general?”

Part of her knew it was wrong to pry through the children but she also had no doubt that her sister-in-law would lie through her teeth.

He glanced over at his siblings and shrugged. She got it, he didn’t want to speak in front of them.

“Carlo and Bella, can you check the bedroom please and make sure you did not leave anything?”

They dashed off and she focused on her oldest nephew. “What is it you are not telling me?”

“They fight. All the time. I think Mama is sleeping with other men and Papa is always angry.”

“I will speak with him. Right now, I have to get to work. I will take you to Mrs. Marta and see if she cannot keep an eye on you three. But you have to be good for her.”

“We cannot come with you?”

“No.” She softened her refusal with a small smile and shake of her head. “Mr. Larson will not be happy if I have children running around his store while I work.”

More and more the thought of taking Phillip up on his offer of only working for him crossed her mind. She was exhausted, and was getting nervous about who else was watching her.

Elonne II’s face fell. She cupped his cheeks and kissed his forehead.

“I wish you could.”

“What about if you work at Lord Edais’? Would we be okay there?”

“I would have to ask him first. But I am not going there today.”

“Could we come with you when you go?”

Suspicion raised its head inside her. Ensuring it didn’t show on her face, she shrugged.

“I do not know, sweetie.”

“What about for the party?” Carlo posed the question as he and his sister walked out of the back room.

“What party?”

“The one that earl invited all of us to. A house party,” Bella said, clapping her hands excitedly.

Her smile didn’t slip even though pain lanced her. “I have not gotten an invitation to that, so I do not know what you are talking about.” Sure, he had mentioned it, but no invitation had arrived for her and she wasn’t going to alert them that he’d told her but didn’t send her one. That would lead to nothing but more questions from these three. And to be honest, she was putting all her free time into getting the second set of books completed in time for the party.

Except she did know. He had told her she was doing all these extra hours to get the books ready for this party. She hadn’t known, however, that he had invited her brother and his family but not her.

The door flew open and she spun around, putting the kids behind her. Elonne stood there, face angry.

“We have to go.”

She glared at him but didn’t say a word, just kissed each of the kids and walked with them to the door.

He sent them on the way out the door and stared at her. She didn’t back down from his glare. A brief flash of shame filled his expression, but it lasted about as long as a heartbeat.

“You are welcome,” she snapped when he began to close the door.

“For what?”

“Watching your kids with no warning it would be needed. And for keeping them even though I will be late to work now.”

“They will be here again tonight.”

“No.”

He blinked and froze. Damn if that fear didn’t start to creep back into her.

“No?”

“I no longer live with you, Elonne. I said I would help if I could. I cannot. I have late work tonight with both Mr. Caulfield and Lord Edais. I cannot have the children here. It will be late when I get home. I will not have time to care for them. You and Cara watch them or pay someone else to do it.” She shooed him out the door and closed it after her. “I have to get to work.”

Waving to the kids as she walked briskly away, she wondered if they would be there when she got home that night.