“Naturally, I am concerned, but I must admit that it looks rather benign. Why is it you have chosen this project upon which to bestow your free time?”

Her emphasis on the last two words evidently did not register with Dare. He cocked an eyebrow at the grip she maintained on the back of Wills’s jacket. “Is there something you want the lad to do, Charlotte?”

Her chin went up and her eyes narrowed. “On the contrary, my lord, there is something I want him not to do.”

Dare rubbed his nose, leaving a slight smear of grease on his face. Charlotte stared at it, her fingers itching to wipe it off, to stroke the long planes of his face.

“What’s that?”

“Hmmm? You have something just there…no, I’ll get it.” She brushed aside his hand and ran her finger down the long length of his nose. He stilled under her touch. Her breath quickened in response.

“Charlotte?” His eyes, she couldn’t help noticing, had darkened to the color of the ocean on a summer’s day. He took her hand in his, his thumb making gentle circles on her wrist. Her heart leaped at his touch.

“Yes, Alasdair?”

“Wills?”

She blinked, withdrawing from the fantasy of just what part of him she’d like to be stroking at that moment. “Wills?”

Dare nodded at the lad. “You said you wanted him not to do something? What exactly would that be?”

“Oh. Wills. Yes, of course. Quite simply, my lord, I do not wish for him to be my maid.”

Dare looked at her, disbelief rife in his mind-meltingly handsome eyes. “Your maid?”

Charlotte nodded. She’d decided to stand firm on this issue. If she started giving in to every one of Dare’s eccentric habits, who knows where she would end up. “That’s correct. I do not wish him to be my maid. He’s too young, he knows nothing about dressing hair, and frankly, I doubt if he can care for my clothing in a manner suited to my position.” Char leaned closer until her breath brushed his cheek. “The boy wipes his nose on his sleeve!”

“He does?” Dare asked, his breath mingling with hers as he turned his head to her.

“Yes,” she said, immediately losing the train of the conversation. God’s toenails, the man was so handsome it made her feel positively dowdy in comparison. Char took control of all her parts that were clamoring to be cast into Dare’s arms and stepped back. She had to be firm, that was all, firm and resolute in the face of the most tempting man on the face of the earth.

Dare raised his eyebrows at her, and asked mildly, “Why would you even think of Wills as a maid… Batsfoam, come back here! You have drafting to do!”

“What do you mean, why would I think of Wills as my maid?” Charlotte was outraged by the implication behind his words. Clearly he didn’t feel she needed a maid at all and was regretting the loss of Wills at his regular tasks. Well, if that were the case, he could think twice! “The boy was assigned to me, that’s why. I’m sure you have other things for him to do. From what Batsfoam has told me, every member of your staff seems to be doing the jobs of three people, but nonetheless, I simply must have a maid. It is impossible to undo the tapes at the back of my gown without assistance.”