Lawrence studied Esther as she sat on the settee in his office, her brow furrowed and her clothes slightly rumpled as she flipped through his pages of plans for the auction in aid of women’s suffrage. His heart had yet to slow since their lovemaking. His gaze yet to be sated as he watched her.
She had been a virgin and trusted him enough to give him the honour of her first sexual encounter. He would guard the privilege with passion. Stay with her for as long as she wanted him. Whatever happened next, he would let Esther set the pace and lay down her conditions.
He was hers.
Smiling, she met his gaze where he sat in the armchair beside her. ‘These are wonderful, Lawrence. The Society will be absolutely thrilled.’
‘You’re pleased?’
‘Very. In fact, I can’t wait to get started. I wish I could do more to help right away, but with the Coronation looming and tomorrow night’s rally, it will be impossible for me to be involved until the end of the month.’
He slid the papers from her hand and pushed them onto the coffee table in front of them. Taking her hand, he pressed his lips to her knuckles. ‘Don’t worry about that at all. The girls are working on it and loving every minute, as far as I can tell.’ He inched closer and kissed her, relishing the soft warmth of her mouth and how her fingers lightly dug into his thigh. ‘You’re going to make me a changed man, Miss Stanbury.’
‘Am I really, Mr Culford?’ She eased back, her big hazel eyes twinkling. ‘Well, that makes me very happy.’
The knock at the door made Esther jump and Lawrence stood. He smiled in a bid to reassure her. ‘You have every right to be here. Remember that. Always.’ He took a few steps to the door and stopped. ‘Enter.’
William Moorebrook stepped into the room and visibly flinched when he saw Esther sitting on the settee. Lawrence bit back his smile as William’s gaze darted between Lawrence and Esther, two spots of colour appearing high on his cheeks.
Lawrence lifted his eyebrows. ‘What can I do for you, William? I didn’t know you were working today.’
‘I…’ He looked at Esther again before snapping his gaze to Lawrence and lifting his chin. ‘I wasn’t aware you had company, sir. As your secretary isn’t here and others saw you come in here, I assumed you to be alone.’
Lawrence turned to Esther and held out his hand as she slowly rose. ‘This is Miss Esther Stanbury, William. Esther, this is my manager, William Moorebrook. Esther is the head dresser at Pennington’s and a suffragist. If you’ll remember, I told you I have plans to hold an auction in aid of the Cause at the hotel?’
‘I do, sir.’ William nodded at Esther. ‘Miss Stanbury.’
Esther returned his nod, her wide gaze illustrating her nerves. ‘Mr Moorebrooke.’
William faced Lawrence. ‘I think it best I speak with you later, sir. Shall I come to your office around four o’clock?’
‘Perfect. Clear your duties for an hour, if possible. I’ll bring you up to speed with mine and Miss Stanbury’s plans and then I must get back home.’
William’s cheeks darkened, his gaze shadowing with concern. ‘You’ve already decided to definitely go ahead with the auction?’
‘I have. Also, a ball near to Christmastime.’
‘A ball? For the Cause?’ William’s eyes widened, and he flitted another glance at Esther. ‘But, sir—’
‘An auction and a ball, William. These two things will go ahead with or without your help.’ Lawrence raised his eyebrows. Whatever his manager’s reservations about the events or even the Cause, the fundraising would happen. ‘Now, which is it to be?’
‘Well, with, sir. Of course.’
‘Good.’ Lawrence smiled and clamped his hand to his manager’s shoulder, steering him towards the door. ‘I look forward to sitting down with you at four.’
‘Yes, sir.’ William slid another glance at Esther, his eyes ever so slightly narrowed. ‘Four o’clock.’
He left the room and Lawrence firmly swung the door closed behind him. He turned to Esther and laughed. ‘Oh, dear. Did you see the poor man’s face? I wager he might take a little persuading to get on board with our plans, but I’ll bring him around.’
Esther picked up her purse from the settee and slid it beneath her arm as she came closer. Her eyes were filled with doubt. ‘Doesn’t Mr Moorebrook support women’s suffrage?’
‘I’m sure he does. It will be the extra work involved that he’ll be fretting over. Between us and the staff I’m bringing on board, he’ll be enthusiastic soon enough.’ Lawrence placed his hand on her waist, brushed his lips lightly across hers. ‘These events will happen. I’ll make sure of it. I hope you know by now that I’ll do anything for you. Whatever it takes.’
She studied his mouth for a long moment before exhaling a soft breath. ‘I trust you, but now I really should go. Will I see you tomorrow at the rally?’
‘Of course.’
The pleasure in her eyes showed all too clearly how she had been worried their intimacy might have changed his interest in her. Didn’t she realise it was her in the driving seat, not him?
‘The things we do together, the things we say to one another, have only become more important to me, Esther. Side by side, remember? I’m looking forward to seeing the work you do and meeting some of your associates. The more suffragists I know, the more I can use their opinions and views to make the auction and ball a success. Where shall I meet you? Shall I come to your home?’
She quickly shook her head. ‘No. I’m not ready for you to meet my aunt. She is a formidable woman, but one whiff of your success and she’ll be putty in your hands. I need some time before I can bear witness to her transformation.’
Lawrence laughed. ‘You clearly have her card marked.’
‘Hers and my stepmother’s elitism and snobbery are beyond me.’ She sighed. ‘But at least, in our own way, my aunt and I love one another. I pray she’ll come around to my impulses, as she likes to call everything and anything I do.’ She inhaled a long breath. ‘But now I must go. Why don’t you meet me outside the Abbey and I’ll take you to our meeting place? It would be good for you to get acquainted with a few of the women before we walk to the rally.’
‘I’ll see you there at six o’clock.’
She nodded and then rose on her toes to press a quick kiss to his lips. ‘See you tomorrow.’
She stepped towards the door and Lawrence followed. ‘Don’t you want me to escort you downstairs?’
‘No, you stay here. That way we’ll avoid any tittle-tattle and Mr Moorebrooke might go some way to believing our meeting was purely business.’
Lawrence opened the door and stood on the threshold and as he watched Esther walk along the corridor to the lift, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so genuinely happy.