got dirt on your cheek.”
Cameron reached up and felt the dirt dusted on the side of his face and wiped it away. He’d kissed a few women in his life, but this was the strangest conversation he’d ever had after the kiss was over.
He almost laughed aloud but noticed that Claudia seemed ill at ease, so he held it in and motioned toward her chair again. “Why don’t you sit down and tell me whom you’ve gone to so much trouble to find?”
She did as he asked but seemed reluctant to talk. “It’s not important. You never did tell me what you are doing here, though, and what this place is.”
Cameron pulled a chair over and sat in front of her. He was determined to get the information out of her. “You tell me your story first.”
Claudia let out a breath. “I came because someone told me I might find my grandfather down here.”
“The marquis?” Cameron asked.
She shook her head. “No. My mother’s father. No one will tell me where he lives, especially my grandfather Moreland. But I did hear that he or someone who may know him might be down here by the river.”
Cameron suddenly understood why she’d gone to so much trouble. He might have done the same thing had he been in her shoes. “Tell me his name, and I might be able to help you find him.”
“Well, his name is—” She stopped and looked at him. “Wait one minute. That’s why you kissed me, isn’t it? You knew it would make me”—she waved her hand about in the air—“befuddled, and I would pour out my story to you.”
Cameron was taken aback by the sudden change in her mood as she sprang from her chair. He watched her grab the dirty cap off the desk, jam it on her head, and begin stuffing her russet locks under it.
He stood quickly and took hold of her hands. “That’s not why I kissed you. I—”
“Excuse me, my lord. Is everything all right?” Cameron recognized the voice as his butler’s.
He turned to find George standing in the doorway eyeing the ragged figure before him. “Everything is fine, George,” he assured him.
“Do I need to get another bed ready?” George persisted, still looking at Claudia as if she were a thief or a beggar.
“No, I was about to give her. . .er. . . him a ride home.”
He put his hand on Claudia’s back to move her toward the door. But when they got closer, one long dark strand of her hair fell out from underneath the cap. Her eyes wide, she deftly pushed it back and hurried out the door.
“Is that a—”
“Yes, it’s a girl.”
“Is it the same—”
“Yes. Same girl.”
George cleared his throat and lifted his head to look straight ahead. “Very peculiar, my lord.”
Cameron clapped his butler on the shoulder. “You have no idea, George.” He started to leave and then turned back. “You won’t tell anyone—”
“Not an utterance, my lord.”
“Excellent,” Cameron murmured, feeling awkward, and stepped out into the hallway.
When he didn’t see Claudia right away he hurried into the main area, only to find her standing there observing what was happening in the room.
The ladies had finished eating, and some were sewing garments and hats while several children were singing a song. Still another group was sitting at a table being shown how to put a menu together. They were learning ways to make a living once they left the shelter.
“Shall we go?” Cameron asked, coming alongside of her.
For once she had nothing to say; she only nodded and made her way to the door.
When they were inside the buggy she spoke. “You’re running a charity for women and children.”
It wasn’t a question, but Cameron answered anyway. “Yes. I told you after the ball that I echoed your sentiments about finding God’s will for my life and doing something to benefit others.”
Another strand of hair fell out from under her cap, but she tucked it behind her ear. “I thought you were only trying to impress me.”
“Hmm. That seems a near impossible task where you are
Cameron reached up and felt the dirt dusted on the side of his face and wiped it away. He’d kissed a few women in his life, but this was the strangest conversation he’d ever had after the kiss was over.
He almost laughed aloud but noticed that Claudia seemed ill at ease, so he held it in and motioned toward her chair again. “Why don’t you sit down and tell me whom you’ve gone to so much trouble to find?”
She did as he asked but seemed reluctant to talk. “It’s not important. You never did tell me what you are doing here, though, and what this place is.”
Cameron pulled a chair over and sat in front of her. He was determined to get the information out of her. “You tell me your story first.”
Claudia let out a breath. “I came because someone told me I might find my grandfather down here.”
“The marquis?” Cameron asked.
She shook her head. “No. My mother’s father. No one will tell me where he lives, especially my grandfather Moreland. But I did hear that he or someone who may know him might be down here by the river.”
Cameron suddenly understood why she’d gone to so much trouble. He might have done the same thing had he been in her shoes. “Tell me his name, and I might be able to help you find him.”
“Well, his name is—” She stopped and looked at him. “Wait one minute. That’s why you kissed me, isn’t it? You knew it would make me”—she waved her hand about in the air—“befuddled, and I would pour out my story to you.”
Cameron was taken aback by the sudden change in her mood as she sprang from her chair. He watched her grab the dirty cap off the desk, jam it on her head, and begin stuffing her russet locks under it.
He stood quickly and took hold of her hands. “That’s not why I kissed you. I—”
“Excuse me, my lord. Is everything all right?” Cameron recognized the voice as his butler’s.
He turned to find George standing in the doorway eyeing the ragged figure before him. “Everything is fine, George,” he assured him.
“Do I need to get another bed ready?” George persisted, still looking at Claudia as if she were a thief or a beggar.
“No, I was about to give her. . .er. . . him a ride home.”
He put his hand on Claudia’s back to move her toward the door. But when they got closer, one long dark strand of her hair fell out from underneath the cap. Her eyes wide, she deftly pushed it back and hurried out the door.
“Is that a—”
“Yes, it’s a girl.”
“Is it the same—”
“Yes. Same girl.”
George cleared his throat and lifted his head to look straight ahead. “Very peculiar, my lord.”
Cameron clapped his butler on the shoulder. “You have no idea, George.” He started to leave and then turned back. “You won’t tell anyone—”
“Not an utterance, my lord.”
“Excellent,” Cameron murmured, feeling awkward, and stepped out into the hallway.
When he didn’t see Claudia right away he hurried into the main area, only to find her standing there observing what was happening in the room.
The ladies had finished eating, and some were sewing garments and hats while several children were singing a song. Still another group was sitting at a table being shown how to put a menu together. They were learning ways to make a living once they left the shelter.
“Shall we go?” Cameron asked, coming alongside of her.
For once she had nothing to say; she only nodded and made her way to the door.
When they were inside the buggy she spoke. “You’re running a charity for women and children.”
It wasn’t a question, but Cameron answered anyway. “Yes. I told you after the ball that I echoed your sentiments about finding God’s will for my life and doing something to benefit others.”
Another strand of hair fell out from under her cap, but she tucked it behind her ear. “I thought you were only trying to impress me.”
“Hmm. That seems a near impossible task where you are
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