Simon came forward as soon as I arrived to lead me into the drawing room and introduce me to his guests. ‘May I present Lord Devere…’ He began with the earl, who was tall, dark, slender and handsome, and from all appearances an appealing fellow. His smile was dazzling, as were his eyes of deep blue.
‘Miss Granville.’ He bowed his head in greeting. ‘It is a great pleasure to finally meet the ladies we have constantly heard our dear friend speak of with such high regard.’
‘The pleasure is all mine, Lord Devere.’ I curtseyed politely.
Next, Simon introduced me to his bride-to-be, who was stunningly fair in comparison to her eldest brother, but the lovely blue eyes and slender, tall form were the same.
‘And last, but by no means least, I present to you Mr Devere.’ Simon led me in the gentleman’s direction.
The man in question had been at the window admiring the view when I entered, but upon closer inspection I realised that this was the gentleman I had shamed myself in front of this morning. I caught my gasp of surprise in my throat andcurtseyed to him, praying that he did not expose my earlier indiscretion.
‘A delight it is to meet you, Miss Granville.’ His smile disclosed his knowledge to me only.
Like his sister, Mr Devere was very fair and his hair was combed neatly back from his face, where it sat in tight natural curls at the nape of his neck. His eyes were of a paler shade of blue than his relatives’, but they sparkled just as brightly.
‘Mr Devere rode down on horseback,’ Simon informed me, ‘and has just been telling us how beautiful he found the wilds beyond the manor on approach.’
‘Indeed.’ I tried not to blush as panic rose from my heart into my throat. ‘Hartsford Manor is truly blessed by its breathtaking surrounds.’
‘Yes,’ the fellow agreed, ‘breathtaking is just the word to describe the scenery, despite the chill I detected in the air this morning. Still, I trust that with the spring the atmosphere will be far more accommodating.’
I understood his implication well enough.
‘The hunting is very fine too,’ Simon said, thankfully sparing me from having to respond. ‘Miss Granville is quite a fine shot herself, although she refuses to aim at anything living.’
The gentlemen had a laugh at my expense.
‘It is a woman’s nature to create and not destroy, is it not?’ I piped up in my own defence.
‘Then why learn to shoot at all?’ Lord Devere inquired, curious as to my motive.
‘One never knows when one might be faced with an animal that can shoot back,’ I replied winningly. ‘Better to have some skill with a gun or a bow andarrow than to leave oneself defenceless and in need of saving.’
‘What an extraordinary viewpoint you have, Miss Granville,’ Lord Devere commented.
‘Well,’ Lord Derby intervened on my behalf, ‘I dare say that our Miss Granville is a rather extraordinary lady.’
‘I believe that she is,’ Mr Devere commented, his pleasant smile showing some cheek, as I could see this morning’s encounter playing on his mind.
‘What woman could pride herself on being ordinary?’ I asked.
‘Far too many, unfortunately,’ Mr Devere said with glee, as the steward entered to inform us that breakfast was served. ‘Miss Granville?’ The fair young lord offered me his arm to escort me to the dining room.
As Simon was escorting his bride-to-be, Lord Derby was escorting Lady Cavandish, and Lord Devere had offered Susan his arm, I had little choice but to smile and graciously accept.
After breakfast the men decided upon a little game shooting and although I was invited to join them I declined, seeing this as the perfect opportunity to escape into the gardens and try out my summons. Miss Devere was exhausted from her journey and had gone to her quarters to rest for a while.
‘So…tell me all.’ Susan trailed me through the garden. ‘What did you see? Is Lord Devere not very fine indeed?’
‘Yes. The entire family
‘Miss Granville.’ He bowed his head in greeting. ‘It is a great pleasure to finally meet the ladies we have constantly heard our dear friend speak of with such high regard.’
‘The pleasure is all mine, Lord Devere.’ I curtseyed politely.
Next, Simon introduced me to his bride-to-be, who was stunningly fair in comparison to her eldest brother, but the lovely blue eyes and slender, tall form were the same.
‘And last, but by no means least, I present to you Mr Devere.’ Simon led me in the gentleman’s direction.
The man in question had been at the window admiring the view when I entered, but upon closer inspection I realised that this was the gentleman I had shamed myself in front of this morning. I caught my gasp of surprise in my throat andcurtseyed to him, praying that he did not expose my earlier indiscretion.
‘A delight it is to meet you, Miss Granville.’ His smile disclosed his knowledge to me only.
Like his sister, Mr Devere was very fair and his hair was combed neatly back from his face, where it sat in tight natural curls at the nape of his neck. His eyes were of a paler shade of blue than his relatives’, but they sparkled just as brightly.
‘Mr Devere rode down on horseback,’ Simon informed me, ‘and has just been telling us how beautiful he found the wilds beyond the manor on approach.’
‘Indeed.’ I tried not to blush as panic rose from my heart into my throat. ‘Hartsford Manor is truly blessed by its breathtaking surrounds.’
‘Yes,’ the fellow agreed, ‘breathtaking is just the word to describe the scenery, despite the chill I detected in the air this morning. Still, I trust that with the spring the atmosphere will be far more accommodating.’
I understood his implication well enough.
‘The hunting is very fine too,’ Simon said, thankfully sparing me from having to respond. ‘Miss Granville is quite a fine shot herself, although she refuses to aim at anything living.’
The gentlemen had a laugh at my expense.
‘It is a woman’s nature to create and not destroy, is it not?’ I piped up in my own defence.
‘Then why learn to shoot at all?’ Lord Devere inquired, curious as to my motive.
‘One never knows when one might be faced with an animal that can shoot back,’ I replied winningly. ‘Better to have some skill with a gun or a bow andarrow than to leave oneself defenceless and in need of saving.’
‘What an extraordinary viewpoint you have, Miss Granville,’ Lord Devere commented.
‘Well,’ Lord Derby intervened on my behalf, ‘I dare say that our Miss Granville is a rather extraordinary lady.’
‘I believe that she is,’ Mr Devere commented, his pleasant smile showing some cheek, as I could see this morning’s encounter playing on his mind.
‘What woman could pride herself on being ordinary?’ I asked.
‘Far too many, unfortunately,’ Mr Devere said with glee, as the steward entered to inform us that breakfast was served. ‘Miss Granville?’ The fair young lord offered me his arm to escort me to the dining room.
As Simon was escorting his bride-to-be, Lord Derby was escorting Lady Cavandish, and Lord Devere had offered Susan his arm, I had little choice but to smile and graciously accept.
After breakfast the men decided upon a little game shooting and although I was invited to join them I declined, seeing this as the perfect opportunity to escape into the gardens and try out my summons. Miss Devere was exhausted from her journey and had gone to her quarters to rest for a while.
‘So…tell me all.’ Susan trailed me through the garden. ‘What did you see? Is Lord Devere not very fine indeed?’
‘Yes. The entire family
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