Read Online Ivory Innocence by Susan Stevens - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susan Stevens
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locked with Rob's. The young farmer stood with clenched hands and set jaw, but eventually backed off from a confrontation. "Yes, I've got to get the horse-box back to the farm. I'll… see you soon, Ivory."
As he strode away, Ivory watched him unhappily, wondering why she had let Matthew walk in and take charge so easily. There ought to have been something she could say, some protest that would have put him in his place as her employer, not her keeper. But in fact, she had not been anxious to prolong her meeting with Rob. Matthew had rescued her from what might have proved to be an awkward situation—though he needn't have done it so high-handedly.
"I had no idea he was a friend of such long standing," Matthew said, tilting a quizzical eyebrow. "Did he say he'd known you most of your life?"
"Yes, we—" She hesitated, glad of the sunglasses that hid her confusion. She could hardly say she had lived in Hedley Magna since she was four years old, or he might guess the rest. "His family were friends of my grandparents. Rob and I have… kept in touch."
"How nice for you," Matthew said mockingly. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything just now."
Her nerves all stood to attention. The need to practice deception irritated her. "Only my day off," she said shortly.
"You've been able to try your wings for a whole week now," he replied, one corner of his mouth lifting wryly. "I understand you've been making the most of my absence by taking Janey out for trips. Along with your old friend Rob Garth?"
"He's much too busy with his farm," Ivory retorted. "Anyway, those outings were educational."
"Naturally, you being so conscientious in your work. There's no need to go on the defensive, Ivory. I have no objections to your taking Janey out. Last time I was angry only because you left her with strangers."
She opened her mouth to say that the Garths were not strangers to her, but the memory of how that day had ended made the words die in her throat. And something about the way Matthew was looking at her told her that he, too, was recalling their last encounter.
"I'd better go and find Janey," she said hurriedly.
"Yes, do that. Bring her to the car. It's quite near the gate."
There was no escape from having dinner with him that night. As she came down the stairs, he stood in the dining room doorway lazily surveying her loose summer dress.
"That's better. Why do you spend your days in those hideous jeans? They're so unfeminine."
"They're comfortable," Ivory said. "And they're practical. I'm a teacher, not a decoration." She paused in front of him, waiting for him to move aside. But instead he leaned casually against the doorjamb.
"You could be both, if you tried," he said in a low voice. "In fact, you accomplish the miracle without trying. You're—" The phone rang sharply in the hall and he broke off, swearing under his breath. "I'll get that. Tell Mrs. Barnes to start serving."
Wondering exactly what he had been about to say, Ivory sat at the table as Mrs. Barnes ladled out soup. She could hear Matthew's voice, though his words were not clear, and she awaited his return nervously, fearing the trend of that broken conversation. In a flattering mood, he could be formidable. She had not forgotten how easily he had made her respond to his kisses. Every time she was near him she felt tense and prayed that he would not touch her. If he did, her bones might turn to jelly again.
But when he came back, he had apparently forgotten what he had been saying earlier. He took his place at the head of the table with a curious glint in his eye.
"We've been invited to a party."
"We?" Ivory said in disbelief.
"You and I. That is, Carla is inviting me and Corin is inviting you. A Midsummer's Eve dinner party, at Meddlingham Manor. I said we would go."
Her eyes widened as she remembered why the name Forsythe had seemed familiar. Meddlingham Manor was the home—the stately Elizabethan home—of Lord and Lady Forsythe. Carla and Corin must be their
As he strode away, Ivory watched him unhappily, wondering why she had let Matthew walk in and take charge so easily. There ought to have been something she could say, some protest that would have put him in his place as her employer, not her keeper. But in fact, she had not been anxious to prolong her meeting with Rob. Matthew had rescued her from what might have proved to be an awkward situation—though he needn't have done it so high-handedly.
"I had no idea he was a friend of such long standing," Matthew said, tilting a quizzical eyebrow. "Did he say he'd known you most of your life?"
"Yes, we—" She hesitated, glad of the sunglasses that hid her confusion. She could hardly say she had lived in Hedley Magna since she was four years old, or he might guess the rest. "His family were friends of my grandparents. Rob and I have… kept in touch."
"How nice for you," Matthew said mockingly. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything just now."
Her nerves all stood to attention. The need to practice deception irritated her. "Only my day off," she said shortly.
"You've been able to try your wings for a whole week now," he replied, one corner of his mouth lifting wryly. "I understand you've been making the most of my absence by taking Janey out for trips. Along with your old friend Rob Garth?"
"He's much too busy with his farm," Ivory retorted. "Anyway, those outings were educational."
"Naturally, you being so conscientious in your work. There's no need to go on the defensive, Ivory. I have no objections to your taking Janey out. Last time I was angry only because you left her with strangers."
She opened her mouth to say that the Garths were not strangers to her, but the memory of how that day had ended made the words die in her throat. And something about the way Matthew was looking at her told her that he, too, was recalling their last encounter.
"I'd better go and find Janey," she said hurriedly.
"Yes, do that. Bring her to the car. It's quite near the gate."
There was no escape from having dinner with him that night. As she came down the stairs, he stood in the dining room doorway lazily surveying her loose summer dress.
"That's better. Why do you spend your days in those hideous jeans? They're so unfeminine."
"They're comfortable," Ivory said. "And they're practical. I'm a teacher, not a decoration." She paused in front of him, waiting for him to move aside. But instead he leaned casually against the doorjamb.
"You could be both, if you tried," he said in a low voice. "In fact, you accomplish the miracle without trying. You're—" The phone rang sharply in the hall and he broke off, swearing under his breath. "I'll get that. Tell Mrs. Barnes to start serving."
Wondering exactly what he had been about to say, Ivory sat at the table as Mrs. Barnes ladled out soup. She could hear Matthew's voice, though his words were not clear, and she awaited his return nervously, fearing the trend of that broken conversation. In a flattering mood, he could be formidable. She had not forgotten how easily he had made her respond to his kisses. Every time she was near him she felt tense and prayed that he would not touch her. If he did, her bones might turn to jelly again.
But when he came back, he had apparently forgotten what he had been saying earlier. He took his place at the head of the table with a curious glint in his eye.
"We've been invited to a party."
"We?" Ivory said in disbelief.
"You and I. That is, Carla is inviting me and Corin is inviting you. A Midsummer's Eve dinner party, at Meddlingham Manor. I said we would go."
Her eyes widened as she remembered why the name Forsythe had seemed familiar. Meddlingham Manor was the home—the stately Elizabethan home—of Lord and Lady Forsythe. Carla and Corin must be their
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