Page 37 of Discovering Her Earl

It was an overt hint that she give him permission to use her name. Elaina, or Lainey, as her aunt and uncle referred to her. But instead, she turned to her meal and ignored him.

He conversed with the Leightons as she ate her breakfast and gulped down her coffee hastily.

“I am ready. I will bring the wagon around.”

“I can bring the wagon. Why don’t you take a moment to visit with our guests?” he suggested.

“How kind of you, my lord.” If he was attempting to charm Mrs. Leighton, he could call it a huge success. But Miss Bantham was another thing. She was not so easily won. He knew because he’d been trying for some time.

But in this, she simply offered a tight smile and a single nod.

“Thank you, Lord Melville.” Not Julian. He chose to take her reluctant agreement as a symbol of goodwill.

“I’ll meet everyone out front in a few minutes.”

He headed to the mews and met up with the groom who had the wagon ready and waiting. Taking the team in hand, he led the wagon around to the front of the house noticing how much more difficult it was to drive a rickety wagon than to maneuver his fancy curricle. How had the woman handled it so efficiently?

But of course, he knew. She was unlike any woman he’d ever met. He doubted there was much she could not do. Except perhaps give him a chance.

When he reached the front of the manor everyone was waiting. He jumped down to assist, but Miss Bantham managed on her own and Mr. Leighton assisted his wife.

Following the same path Lainey had used the day before, he set the team on their way as the Leightons chatted easily. He found it interesting that the Leightons—Mrs. Leighton, particularly—spoke to him and Elaina as if they were a couple.

He pulled up to the site and saw to the mules as Mr. Leighton set up a chair and table in the shade for his wife. Apparently, Mrs. Leighton didn’t mind being on expedition, but drew the line at getting dirty herself. It was nice to see how easily she sacrificed her time for her husband. Though Julian doubted she would see it as a sacrifice at all.

Lainey was already setting up her tools and supplies where she’d been working the day before. Julian followed suit, moving to his corner of the recessed area.

“I will work over here unless you have another suggestion,” Mr. Leighton offered.

Lainey gave the man a smile Julian wished had been directed at himself.

“Wherever you would like to work is fine with us. Please select the area you feel will uncover the greatest treasure.”

Julian thought his greatest treasure would forever be seeing that smile. If only he could be the one to earn it.

He wasn’t ready to give up. He would win her smile eventually.

But then what? He wouldn’t be content with a smile. He would want more. He would want all the things he thought of late at night in his lonely bed.

And he couldn’t have them. He couldn’t have her. She would certainly never pass his father’s strict criteria for Julian’s wife.

And why was he even considering such a thing?

Elaina as his wife?

He would never be bored, that was for sure. Or so he would have thought.

For the next few days, they fell into a routine that was almost boring in its lack of deviation.

They rose and ate every morning to ensure they left promptly at half past five. They arrived and started working without so much as a misguided lump of dirt aimed in his direction the entire day. Luncheon was brought around midday and they paused to eat in near silence. The Leightons occasionally spoke about their new grandson or about other digs they’d been on, but Lainey hardly shared anything of herself.

Even when he asked direct questions, she often responded without any elaboration.

What made it worse was she didn’t seem to be angry with him anymore. Rather she was resolved to be only pleasant.

Had he thought he wanted her to be pleasant? Now he wished for a stinging lash of her tongue so he could volley back something equally witty. He missed sparring with her.

And that is something he never thought he would say.