Stalking from his sitting room, she stopped short as she took in her surroundings, looking for anyone who might be about. It was quite late. Even the servants would be abed, wouldn’t they?

Fiona went to her room and, removing her dressing gown, slid between the covers, shivering for a few minutes until the bed began to grow warm from her heat. Or was it his lingering heat?

What a blissful interlude that had been. Totally unexpected.

Totally?

After their kiss last night, a small part of her hoped it would happen again, but she hadn’t expected the combustion that had flared between them. She’d dreamed it perhaps…

Now, she must accept that it would never happen again. Not after she took his house. They would go their separate ways, and she would hold on to tonight as a cherished memory.

Except they wouldn’t go their separate ways. How could she when she owned his beloved Horethorne? They would be linked together, through the estate, forever.

She forced herself to think of the assembly the following evening, or more accurately, tonight, given the lateness of the hour. Since working so hard to be able to attend, she should be filled with anticipation. Instead, her emotions were bittersweet. It was likely to be her first and last Phoenix Club ball.

She would just have to ensure it was memorable.

What a wretched night of sleep.

Tobias yearned to lay his head down on his desk, but he needed to go to Westminster before coming home to dress for the assembly. Before he could stand, Carrin came into his study. The butler looked…harassed.

“My lord, the dowager countess has arrived. Did I, ah, somehow miss the fact that she was coming to town?”

Jumping to his feet, Tobias smoothed his hair back with his hands. “If you did, I did as well. I suspect this is an intentional surprise.” His grandmother had done this to his father at least twice that Tobias knew of.

Carrin sagged with relief. “Very good, sir. She’s waiting for you in the drawing room.”

“I’d best not keep her waiting.” Tobias hurried past the butler, then stopped and swung back around. “Where are we to put her? The best rooms are all occupied by our guests.”

“It’s probably easiest to move Mrs. Tucket to a smaller chamber upstairs,” Carrin suggested.

“Yes, do that at once. With my apologies to Mrs. Tucket. Hopefully, she will understand.” Tobias felt bad she would have to climb an additional flight of stairs with her mobility issues. Perhaps there was another option. He’d think on it.

Carrin nodded in response, and Tobias turned on his heel to dash up to the drawing room. His grandmother was a diminutive woman with an immense personality. Or at least she was intensely intimidating. Perhaps those were not the same thing.

Affixing a smile on his face, he swept into the drawing room to find her seated near the hearth. “Welcome, Grandmother. I wish I’d known you were coming. I would have ensured we had a room prepared.”