Free Lord Greywell's Dilemma by Laura Matthews

attract him. Here, well, everyone knows him.”
    “Maybe he likes it that way,” Greywell suggested, catching her drift. “Here he’s on his own territory.”
    “Would you care for a glass of wine?”
    “Thank you, no. My uncle mentioned you’re active in parish work, Miss Parkstone. Does it take up a great deal of your time?”
    “Not an excessive amount, except around the times when we’re planning a fete.” Elspeth had returned her gaze to him, and now admitted, “It’s not a very large parish, and there are half a dozen of us who vie for the honor of doing the most work. I’m sure you’d consider it perverse of us; Papa does. Why is it we’d want to prove our mettle to people who already know exactly what we’re capable of?”
    “Maybe it’s not a matter of proving yourselves, but of doing your share.”
    “Perhaps.” She seemed dissatisfied with his response but allowed the subject to drop. Long ago she’d discovered other people weren’t as curious as she was about what motivated people to do things, and it seemed discourteous to press any subject which held no appeal for her companion. His halfhearted attempt to make a reply was almost worse than not saying anything at all. There was little that irritated Elspeth more than not being taken seriously, but she was unaware of the small expression of annoyance that came and went on her face. No one had ever bothered (or been quite brave enough) to tell her how expressive her face was of exactly what she was thinking, so she assumed she wore as efficient a mask as any other woman bred to country society.
    Lord Greywell was a reasonably acute observer, and the flicker of annoyance did not escape his notice. When Sir Edward joined them the viscount was beginning to wonder once again whether he should have come to Lyndhurst at all.
    “Ah, good.” the baronet announced, rubbing his hands together happily, “the two of you have had a chance to get acquainted.”
    “Indeed,” Elspeth said dryly. “Lord Greywell has shared several fascinating perceptions with me.”
    Goaded, Greywell retorted, “And Miss Parkstone has illustrated a most interesting turn of mind.”
    Sir Edward beamed on them. “Excellent, excellent. I knew the two of you would have a great deal in common. It stands to reason.”
    “Why?” Elspeth inquired. “Because you wanted us to?”
    “Of course not.” He frowned slightly at her but turned to smile at Greywell. “Because you are opposite sides of the coin. I should have thought you’d see that, Elspeth. Lord Greywell has a problem to which you are the solution. And you have a problem to which Lord Greywell is the solution. What could be more perfect?”
    “What indeed?” Greywell retorted, smiling sardonically past the baronet at the outraged Elspeth.
    “I was not aware I had a problem,” she stated flatly, ignoring Greywell altogether, though she knew exactly what sort of look appeared on his countenance.
    “Well, you do,” her father informed her succinctly. “In fact, you are a problem, my dear. It’s not that I don’t appreciate your companionship or your usefulness around Lyndhurst, but you need an establishment of your own. What is the value in your being here doing what my housekeeper could accomplish, when you could be employing your talents much more profitably elsewhere?”
    “This is my home. And Mrs. Hinton could not accomplish the same things I do here.”
    “She could accomplish as many of them as need doing.” Sir Edward ran one hand through his graying hair. “Lord, Elspeth, how did you become so stubborn?”
    “Mama said I took after you.”
    There was a snort of amusement from Greywell, and Sir Edward leveled a haughty gaze in his direction just as Beeton entered to announce dinner.
    “Not a moment too soon,” Elspeth murmured, rising.
    Greywell offered her his arm, the amusement gone from his mouth, though a trace of it lingered in his eyes. Elspeth could feel her chin come up as she laid