Secondly, Hunt was gracious enough to allow her to join them for dinner and speak about the orphans. He'd become a sponsor himself, and his wife and the other brothers' wives intended to help as well. That would teach her to pre-judge people.

  "Shall we get started?" Keniel asked as she stood woolgathering.

  "Yes." Laura shook her head. "Of course." She turned toward the staircase. "Just follow me. Most of the items to be moved are on the first and second floor."

  The men trooped behind her and Christine. Three of the babies were crying, and Mrs. Johnson was attempting to quiet them by singing a song, which got louder as the babies’ screams rose.

  "It's not always this noisy," Laura said, attempting to be heard over the din. She struggled to smile, but the effort got lost when she saw the expression on Keniel's face as he looked around the large room in horror.

  Boxes were piled haphazardly, two little ones were crawling on the small carpet, and the smell of a recently changed nappy filled the air.

  The babies might have been making noise, but the committee members and the caretakers all stood gaping at Keniel and his two helpers. It said a lot about his character that instead of running down the stairs and back to the sanity of his life, Keniel merely shrugged. "Let's get started, then."

  The women seemed to take a collective deep breath.

  * * *

  Four hours after Keniel, James, and Arthur had first stepped into the madness of the orphans' prior home, the babies, committee members, caretakers, and all their belongings were settled in his townhouse.

  As much as he did not regret offering to house the children until they could find permanent quarters, it would take some time for him to get used to having other people around. He and his mother had lived a quiet life in Jamaica and he'd been alone since her death, both in Jamaica and London.

  He poured himself a snifter of brandy and looked out the window of his library. Because he'd had no time to do much with the townhouse after he moved in, he was grateful that the books in the library had come with the house. He loved to read and relaxing in his library, book in hand, with a glass of brandy or cup of tea on his days off was the better part of his week.

  "I don't mean to disturb you, Keniel, but I have a question." Laura entered the library, her appearance somewhat disheveled. He had to smile at the mien of the always perfectly put together woman. Strands of hair hung down both sides of her face. A face which held a smudge of what looked like dust or food, or perhaps something he really didn't want to identify. Her shirtwaist was wrinkled and there were a few spots scattered on her skirt.

  She grinned back and fussed with her hair—to no avail. "I know I must look a mess."

  "You look just fine to me, Laura." He turned to the sideboard. "Would you care for a drink? Or I can send for tea."

  Laura shook her head. "No but thank you. We are trying to get settled as quickly as possible to allow you some time to relax before you go to the club."

  "I have the night off. I didn't think it would be a good idea to dump all of you here and then hie off for the evening."

  "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disrupt your life."

  They both looked at each other and burst into laughter since his life would be quite disrupted for a while.

  "I believe you had a question?" He couldn't stop staring at her. Even though she looked like she'd been dragged backwards through the bushes, he still found her beautiful. It was not just her pretty face and soft, shiny hair, but her entire being. She was cheerful, lively, and more honorable than most men he knew.

  "Yes. We've put the babies on the nursery floor, which we're hoping will keep the noise down. One of the caretakers always sleeps in the nursery with the babies, while the other one sleeps elsewhere. They take turns. Is it all right with you if we use the bedroom next to the nursery for the other caretaker?"

  "Of course. You may use whatever you need. Also, I suggest either you or one of the other committee members meet with my staff. I've already told them to expect the invasion," he grinned, "but a direct meeting with my housekeeper, Mrs. Evans, would be a good idea. For all concerned."

  "Yes, of course. How many employees do you have?"

  "Right now just my housekeeper, two maids, one footman, and my driver. As I am seldom at home for meals, we decided a full-time cook was not necessary. The few times I require food, Mrs. Evans fixes a meal for me."

  "You had all of those employees in your former flat?"

  "No. Diana and Lydia Rose were good enough to find the staff members for me. I would have been at a complete loss were it left up to me."

  She strolled the library, looking at the shelves of books. "You have settled in quite nicely." She turned to him. "I really am sorry to have dumped all of this on you."

  Keniel put his glass down on the newly arrived desk and moved to where Laura stood near the window. He reached out and touched her chin with his knuckle, raising her head. "Do not be sorry. I offered to do this, and I am not having second thoughts. Yes, my life will be somewhat, shall we say, different for a while from what it has been. But do not distress yourself over it."

  He moved his hand from her face and placed it on her hand resting on the window ledge. Soft, pale, warm. He should snatch it back before she chastised him for taking liberties.

  But then there was that kiss that she'd seemed to enjoy.

  "Oh, Laura, there you are." One of the committee members, he couldn't remember who since the ladies who'd arrived were all jumbled in his mind, hurried into the library.

  Laura jumped at the woman's voice. Were her thoughts where his were just now? He walked away and picked up his glass, almost—but not quite—happy to have the interruption.

  "What is it?"

  "I think we are finished. Mrs. Johnson wanted you to approve the set-up before we all left."

  With a snap of his fingers, he followed them, but turned the other direction in search of his housekeeper. He found her sitting at her desk, going over numbers in a ledger. She looked up with a smile. "Good afternoon, Mr. Singh. What can I do for you?"

  "Even though I am not at the club this evening, I won't be requiring dinner. I plan to eat out."

  She dipped her head. "Thank you for letting me know."

  "Also, I expect one of the committee women involved in this move will meet with you and possibly the two caretakers who will be staying here with the children." He paused for a moment, then continued, "I hope this does not disrupt your routine too much."

  Mrs. Evans laughed. "I don’t expect things to go smoothly, if that is what you mean. However, it might be fun having little ones around."

  "As I told you earlier, if you feel you need to hire another maid, go ahead and do it. I do not wish to have my regular staff overburdened by this stay."

  "You are most kind, Mr. Singh."

  Another hour passed, with Keniel being called upon to help move a few things around up in the nursery. Eventually, they seemed quite settled. The two other committee women had already left, with only Laura and the two caretakers remaining.

  "I know you must all be weary from your day, but if you could meet with my housekeeper, Mrs. Evans, just to let her know what your needs will be in the coming days, that would be quite helpful."

  "Yes, of course, Mr. Singh," Mrs. Baker said. "Just let me tidy myself up."

  "Take your time. I will await you all in the library."

  In less than a half hour Laura, Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Baker arrived in the library. "The little ones are quiet, so this is a good time," Laura said.

  "It does grow quite late. Let us get this over with, then." He led the three women back down to Mrs. Evans's office. "I shall leave you to your business." He glanced over at Laura. "If you will join me in the library when you are finished, Miss Benson."

  "Yes, Mr. Singh."

  As he waited for Laura to arrive he pondered how he was going to get her to agree to have dinner with him. His initial idea when he told Mrs. Evans he would be eating out was to invite Laura to dinner at one of his favorite restaurants. However, the look of weariness on her face had him convinced she would decline his invitation. And rightly so. It had been a long day, but he was not going to give up.

  Thankfully, Laura arrived in the library by herself, the caretakers most likely having returned to the nursery. Laura smiled at him. "I think we have all settled with Mrs. Evans. She is truly a lovely woman."

  "Indeed she is. I am blessed to have such a wonderful woman working for me. May I offer you a drink?"

  "I would love a sherry. But I'm afraid I look a fright and really must hie myself off."

  He poured a glass of sherry anyway and moved to where she stood and handed it to her. "You do not look a fright. In fact, you've even removed the smudge of dirt on your face from earlier this afternoon."

  Laura blushed and covered her cheek with her hand. "Heavens, now I really must take my leave."

  He cleared his throat. "I was going to ask you to stay for a light supper and a bit of conversation." He took her hand in his. "I could lie and say there are things we need to discuss regarding this arrangement, but I would prefer to just leave the invitation stand as it is since I would like you to stay merely because I enjoy your company."

  He waited for her answer, his heart thumping in his chest. You are a fool, Keniel. She is far above you.

  9

  Laura's heart skipped a few beats as Keniel gazed into her eyes, his own eyes full of anticipation as she considered his offer to stay for a light supper. She was indeed hungry, but she truly looked a mess. As if her mother were still alive, she could hear her voice in her head: Laura, dearest, do not present yourself at anyone's table as a guest without assuring that you look your absolute best.

  But her beloved mama was not alive, and while a tad messy from her work all day, Laura had the desire to stay a little longer with Keniel. Just the two of them, enjoying a relaxing meal and conversation after such a long and busy day. On an impulse she said, "If you don't mind a messy guest at your table, I will be pleased to accept your offer."

  A grin split his face. "I'll be right back. I need to speak with Mrs. Evans. I hope you don't mind a last-minute sort of menu?"

  "Not at all. However, if I may make use of your bathing room, I would like to freshen up."

  "Of course. I believe you know where it is on the bedchamber floor?"

  "I do." She made her way upstairs and, after admiring the lovely room she'd visited earlier after one of the committee members mentioned the smudge of dirt on her face, she quickly washed and re-arranged her hair as best she could.

  As she righted herself, she thought about the day. Still amazed and somewhat uncomfortable moving ten babies into a bachelor's home, she couldn't help but feel grateful for Keniel's generosity.

  She could hear the noise of the little ones and their caretakers getting them settled for the night. It had been a disruptive day for them as well.

  Hunt's offer of sponsorship would allow them to look for a larger place. He'd said he would send for her in a couple of days to go over what he had planned in the way of sponsorship.

  Finding a new place for the babies would be easier if she could increase their budget. She must mention that to Keniel, because he was the one continuing the task of finding suitable quarters. Perhaps even in a better neighborhood.

  They could take in more babies and hire another caretaker. Yes, having Hunt as a sponsor would make things better. Hopefully, one or two of the men she'd met at the dinner who promised to get back to her would also join them.

  Keniel was already back from speaking with Mrs. Evans when she returned to the library.

  "Dinner will be ready in about forty-five minutes."

  "That sounds wonderful." She took a seat and sipped the sherry.

  He settled across from her in another comfortable-looking chair. "Of course, I have no idea how things would ordinarily go in moving a group of orphans, their belongings and caretakers from one residence to another, but it did appear to me that things went smoothly.”

  Laura smiled at his comments. "Ah, that was because you were far, far away from all the arguing, crying, and frustration."

  He held up his glass in a toast. "I commend you all for your work."

  She returned the salute. "And I commend you for allowing us to use your residence as an orphans home."

  They chatted for a while, sipping their drinks. He related stories from his childhood. As he talked, she pictured in her mind a small, lithe, barefooted boy running free over the beach, climbing the sand dunes, exploring what could be found in the soft sand and lush greenery.

  "Your life as a youth sounds idealistic."

  Keniel swirled his drink and looked down at the glass. "It was and it wasn't. Muma was busy with her art, and I ran free, which was good, but I also got into trouble with some of the other boys." He looked up and shrugged. "Eventually, word got back to my mother from the local vicar that I needed some discipline. I was sent off to the best private boys' school on the island, and that was the end of my freedom."

  "I assume that is where you learned to speak the Queen's English?"

  He laughed. "Indeed. No Jamaican slang for the pupils of Potsdam School."

  "Ah. So civilization caught up with you."

  "Precisely. But even though at the time I hated it, I am grateful for the education and yes, the discipline I received at the headmaster's hands. And switch."

  "Ouch," Laura replied.

  He shrugged as if receiving a whipping at school was not an unusual occurrence. But then, she had only attended finishing school once she'd outgrown her governess, and she could imagine parents' outrage if one of their little darlings received a discipline of that sort.

  Keniel interrupted her thoughts. "What of your childhood? You are an only child as well?"

  "I am now. I had a brother who died in infancy, and another brother who died at ten years of pneumonia after nearly drowning."

  "I am sorry."

  "Thank you." She shrugged. "I was quite young when both happened, and I think after that my parents gave up on having another son."

  "And your mother? How old were you when you lost her?"

  She tilted her head and studied him. "How do you know my mother is deceased?"

  "It was easy. I met your father and I know if there were a mother around she would have sought me out by now."

  Laura laughed. "Absolutely. Mothers are notorious for investigating the least amount of attention directed at their daughters." She looked out the window to the left of her. "To answer your question, my mother died when I was already two years into the Beau Monde social whirl. Of course, I went into mourning and managed to escape a full year of the marriage mart."

  "Ah, yes. I have heard of such. It's been mentioned among the men in the club. I also know Hunt was an active part of it, but Driscoll and Dante declined to engage."

  "Hmm." She wagged her finger. "Not quite true. Dante did manage to escape the marriage minded mamas, but he had enough contacts and female friends among the ton to be quite well-known.

  "In fact, I remember when he began to attend events again when he was courting Lydia and how he attracted a number of women on each occasion." She laughed. "To my recollection, Lydia had not seemed too happy with that."

  Mrs. Evans appeared at the door to the library. "Mr. Singh, dinner is ready if you and Miss Benson care to move to the dining room."

  Keniel stood and offered his hand to Laura. "Thank you, Mrs. Evans. I appreciate your flexibility." He turned to Laura. "I told her only a couple of hours ago that I would be eating elsewhere."

  "Oh, dear. I hope I haven't interfered with your plans."

  "Not at all." He patted her hand where it rested in the crook of his arm. "I had hoped to entice you to join me at my favorite restaurant, but when you were concerned with your appearance, I thought a meal at home would suit better."

  Mrs. Evans followed them into the dining room. "I apologize for the simple meal, but I thought you would be too hungry after all your hard work to wait for something more elaborate."

  "Not at all, Mrs. Evans. I appreciate whatever you offer." Laura looked at the table, with a tureen of delicious smelling stew, warm bread with butter and three different plates of cheese and vegetables sitting upon it.

  "You have truly outdone yourself," Keniel said. He pulled out Laura's chair and then joined her. The footman in the room poured them both a glass of wine, then proceeded to ladle stew into their bowls while Keniel passed the plates of cheese and vegetables to her.

  "This is truly an honor for me," Keniel said. "You are the first guest to grace my new table in my new dining room, in my new house."

  Laura dipped her head and laughed. "I am truly flattered."

  * * *

  Keniel wanted to mention that she was also the prettiest guest he'd ever had at his dinner table anywhere before, but he was afraid of embarrassing her. He knew she was still a tad uncomfortable with being unable to change her clothes, but he truly believed she was beautiful just the way she was. Even when she'd had the smudge on her cheek earlier.

  Truth be told, he was still amazed that she had accepted his invitation to dine at all. Was he overstepping himself? She was the daughter of a wealthy businessman. She was an accepted member of the ton and attended all the fancy and glamorous events. He, on the other hand, was an island man, raised so very different from her.

  On second thought, considering what he'd dealt with at school, perhaps not so differently after all. He'd heard some of the men talking in the gaming club and at the gentlemen's clubs where his brother took him, and it seemed years at Eton and Harrow were no more fun than his school had been.

  But there was still the issue of the difference in their heritages and skin color. As a member of the Upper Crust, it was expected that she would marry someone of her class. Certainly not him.

  Not that he was thinking along those lines, but just as a way to remind himself this was friendship at most.

  Laura delicately wiped her mouth with her napkin and took a sip of wine. "Your housekeeper is amazing. So few that I know of can cook well, never mind put together such a delicious meal with such little notice."

 

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