“Of course not. I was only explaining to Lady Stanhope so she would understand.”
“I do not see a reason why she would need to know or even why she should care,” the dowager commented. “Although, neither of you seem surprised to see each other and Bentley has never seen this woman at your house, Jack. I find that extremely interesting.”
“We met at other locations,” Tessa said quickly to protect him from his grandmother’s scrutiny and then cringed.
“Of course you have, my dear. Far better to meet at your home where you have everything you need to kill him should he annoy you.”
“Grandmamma! That is enough. Lady Stanhope is a guest in my home and you are being completely rude.”
Tessa had had enough. She rose from her chair and glared at them both. “Might I have a moment in private, Mr. Raynerson? It shan’t take more than a moment to tell you what I came to say and then I will leave you to the comfort of your ever-loving grandmother.”
The dowager actually laughed. “Have a care, my dear. With such sarcastic wit, I might start to like you.”
“Good day, ma’am,” Tessa said as she walked to the door. She glanced back to see Raynerson give his grandmother a cold look and then he followed behind her. “Where can we speak in private?”
“Come into the study,” he said, pointing down the corridor.
“Thank you.”
Once inside the warm room, he closed the door behind them both. “Now, exactly why are you in my home?”
“Your brother’s home,” she said and then regretted the words.
His lips formed a thin line. “Thank you for reminding me of my financial position.”
“What were you doing in my study after you left my bed this morning?”
His eyes widened slightly as if registering shock from the question. Good, she thought. For once, she had caught him off guard.
“If you remember, that is how I entered your home in the first place. I told you I would leave the way I came in. Pray, why would you ask such a question?”
Tessa crossed her arms over her chest. “Because someone walking around my study at four in the morning awakened my maid. She thought I had trouble sleeping.”
“Indeed? I must apologize to your maid for awaking her. She must be a very light sleeper if my few minutes of fumbling with the window was enough to stir her.”
She tilted her head. “She told me the footsteps lasted close to an hour.”
“Then perhaps someone else heard me and came to check on the noise after I left.”
“And who else might it have been? I returned to sleep almost as quickly as you departed.”
He smirked. “A footman, perhaps?”
Tessa inhaled deeply to calm her nerves. “I will ask you again, what were you doing in my study at four in the morning?”
“I will pay a call on you later and we can discuss this then. Presently, I have a very impatient grandmother to soothe.”
Her frustration r
ose to the brink. This man could not be trusted. “Do not bother, I won’t be at home.”
He reached for her but she evaded his move and walked out of the room to the front door.
“Tessa, wait.”
Bentley looked over at her as if unsure whether to open the door or not. She nodded at him and he opened the door.
“Good day, sir.”