Page 31 of Discovering Her Earl

“You truly do not mind moving the dirt about?” she asked.

“No. I assumed there would be a great amount of dirt moving actually.”

“But wouldn’t you rather be the one digging? So you might find some vast treasure?”

His brows pulled together as he looked around the area.

“My understanding was that we were here to unearth something of interest. I don’t think we Scots were left with anything to be called vast treasure after the English stripped everything at the end of the Jacobite rising.”

“Yes. You are right. I assumed—”

“I think it’s safe to say you have assumed a great deal about me, and while I’m not usually so pleased to tell a beautiful woman she is wrong, well…” He sighed dramatically, letting his shoulders fall as if in utter disappointment. His wicked smile, however, proved otherwise. “You should know, I don’t want to go to Egypt to find vast treasure either.”

“You don’t?”

“No. Not that I would shove it back in the sand if I were to find some.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at the very idea.

“Then why do you want to do this so badly?” It was clear by now that he had no intention of giving up because the work was difficult. He was not a bored dandy, but rather a conscientious student.

“I have my reasons.” He frowned and she thought perhaps she’d found a weakness. “But they are my reasons. You only need to know that I understand this is hard work, with possibly no reward. But it is something I have always been interested in. And I want the opportunity to see the process up close while I still can.”

While he still could? Did that mean… Was the earl sick? Was this his dying wish?

She swallowed down her shame at how she’d treated him. He looked the picture of health, strong and virile. Surely, she didn’t need to consider that last thing, but couldn’t help herself.

Though not all illnesses left the person stricken to their beds until they were more advanced.

She would watch him more closely, not that she’d had any difficulty with that thus far. If he grew weak and needed to rest, she would accommodate his needs. He seemed the type that wouldn’t stop until he had no choice.

“It is certainly not my business, but I will be sure to keep from making assumptions in the future. We all know that assumptions often get one into trouble. Please accept my apologies.”

He smiled that devilish smile, the one with the dimple that proved it was sincere and not a mask he put on for the masses. She almost felt as if it was just for her. How ridiculous.

“Come on, then. Leave that dirt for now and come with me so I can show you how to dig for nonexistent treasures.”

They spent the rest of the day with their heads bent close together, sifting through dirt and finding nothing. But a smile remained on Julian’s face throughout the day. There was no hint of disappointment to be seen.

And before she realized it, she was having fun and smiling back.

Revenge set aside yet again, and she couldn’t bother to care.

*

“How was the first day?” Ben asked as he put everything in place for Julian’s bath. And Julian surely needed a bath more than he probably ever had. Not just because of the dirt—which seemed to find its way into every crevice of his body, including the very uncomfortable bits—but from the sweat of physical exertion the likes he’d never known in his pampered life.

It was incredibly fulfilling.

His father always frowned on physical activities and didn’t approve of anything that remotely resembled labor. It wasn’t done by their kind.

But it was invigorating. Especially when Miss Bantham was right there beside him.

He was impressed not only with her knowledge, but by her entire lack of decorum while on a dig. She was every bit as dirty and sweaty as he had been and from the smile on her face, she had enjoyed it just as much.

He had seen her at the ball last month and knew she was able to transform into ballgowns, curls, and feathers when needed. Somehow knowing both women were wrapped up inside such a delectable package made her even more alluring.

At one point during the day, he’d said something witty and she’d tossed a clump of dirt at him which exploded all over his shirt. His response was, of course, to throw one back and for the next several minutes, a war of dirt throwing ensued until they were both laughing and covered in the substance.