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Authors: Fenella J Miller
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to hear you apologise.’ He raised both hands in a gesture of supplication. ‘Please, can we start again? We have been at loggerheads most of the day and that is the last thing I want.’
He was quite irresistible when he wasn’t scowling at her. ‘We have both behaved badly, although I sincerely believe that I am more culpable than you.’ He was waiting, not exactly smiling, but his eyes had a definite twinkle. Her reservations about him vanished and she returned his smile. ‘Yes, please let us begin again. I shall go into the drawing room and from that moment we are strangers.’
Not waiting for him to comment, she almost skipped through the French doors and was obliged to take several steadying breaths before she was ready to step out onto the terrace again. She was beginning to enjoy this play-acting – it had been far too long since she had been able to have fun on her own account.
He was half sitting on the stone balustrade and immediately jumped to his feet on her appearance. He bowed deeply and she curtsied. They were at an impasse – if this was to be done correctly there should be a person to introduce them. Then he strolled towards her.
‘Good evening, I believe I have the pleasure of speaking to Miss Stanton. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Gideon Frederick William Bishop, Lord Ilchester. I am your cousin.’
She curtsied again. ‘I am delighted to make your acquaintance, my lord. I am Miss Sapphire Stanton, and Mr Bishop, with whom I am residing at present, is my great-uncle.’
He grinned, his teeth white in the darkness. ‘Do you care to promenade, Miss Stanton? There is much I must tell you about my family – for you and your brothers are part of it now.’
As they strolled, a discreet distance apart, he told her about his sisters, mother and brother and she returned the favour. She was puzzled that he did not appear to be overly fond of his siblings as he had so obviously enjoyed being with her brothers.
‘I must go in, my lord, I heard the village clock striking midnight a moment ago. I believe that you have promised to teach my brothers to ride and you can be very sure they will be up and waiting in the stable yard at first light.’
He chuckled, a rich dark sound. ‘In which case, we had better say goodnight. I have had the most enjoyable day, I cannot remember when I have had so much fun before. I shall see you in the stable yard first thing tomorrow morning.’
He half-bowed and she dipped in a small curtsy. He had the courtesy to allow her to go in alone and not prowl along behind her as he had done previously. When she reached the safety of the gallery she risked a glance back and to her astonishment she saw he was extinguishing the candles – doing a servant’s job without a second thought.
As he had dismissed the staff she supposed it was his responsibility to make sure the house was safe before he retired. However, he was a guest and if anyone should be doing this, it was her. Too late to repine, she would thank him tomorrow.
*
Gideon watched Sapphire almost run away from him and wished they hadn’t got off to such a poor start. Mind you, they had spent a pleasant hour conversing before she dashed away.
He had told her categorically that he was now her legal guardian, but he wasn’t entirely sure this was the case. In fact, the more he thought about it, the less likely it seemed that he had inherited three wards along with his father’s estates and gambling debts. He paused as he was extinguishing the final candelabra. He recalled an incident much talked about in Town a year or so ago when Sir Giles somebody or other died intestate and a reprobate uncle stepped in to claim the position as guardian and control of the considerable fortunes of the orphaned children.
He seemed to remember that the young lady and gentleman in question were below their majority, but no longer children, and they applied to the Courts of Chancery to appoint their own guardian, and this
He was quite irresistible when he wasn’t scowling at her. ‘We have both behaved badly, although I sincerely believe that I am more culpable than you.’ He was waiting, not exactly smiling, but his eyes had a definite twinkle. Her reservations about him vanished and she returned his smile. ‘Yes, please let us begin again. I shall go into the drawing room and from that moment we are strangers.’
Not waiting for him to comment, she almost skipped through the French doors and was obliged to take several steadying breaths before she was ready to step out onto the terrace again. She was beginning to enjoy this play-acting – it had been far too long since she had been able to have fun on her own account.
He was half sitting on the stone balustrade and immediately jumped to his feet on her appearance. He bowed deeply and she curtsied. They were at an impasse – if this was to be done correctly there should be a person to introduce them. Then he strolled towards her.
‘Good evening, I believe I have the pleasure of speaking to Miss Stanton. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Gideon Frederick William Bishop, Lord Ilchester. I am your cousin.’
She curtsied again. ‘I am delighted to make your acquaintance, my lord. I am Miss Sapphire Stanton, and Mr Bishop, with whom I am residing at present, is my great-uncle.’
He grinned, his teeth white in the darkness. ‘Do you care to promenade, Miss Stanton? There is much I must tell you about my family – for you and your brothers are part of it now.’
As they strolled, a discreet distance apart, he told her about his sisters, mother and brother and she returned the favour. She was puzzled that he did not appear to be overly fond of his siblings as he had so obviously enjoyed being with her brothers.
‘I must go in, my lord, I heard the village clock striking midnight a moment ago. I believe that you have promised to teach my brothers to ride and you can be very sure they will be up and waiting in the stable yard at first light.’
He chuckled, a rich dark sound. ‘In which case, we had better say goodnight. I have had the most enjoyable day, I cannot remember when I have had so much fun before. I shall see you in the stable yard first thing tomorrow morning.’
He half-bowed and she dipped in a small curtsy. He had the courtesy to allow her to go in alone and not prowl along behind her as he had done previously. When she reached the safety of the gallery she risked a glance back and to her astonishment she saw he was extinguishing the candles – doing a servant’s job without a second thought.
As he had dismissed the staff she supposed it was his responsibility to make sure the house was safe before he retired. However, he was a guest and if anyone should be doing this, it was her. Too late to repine, she would thank him tomorrow.
*
Gideon watched Sapphire almost run away from him and wished they hadn’t got off to such a poor start. Mind you, they had spent a pleasant hour conversing before she dashed away.
He had told her categorically that he was now her legal guardian, but he wasn’t entirely sure this was the case. In fact, the more he thought about it, the less likely it seemed that he had inherited three wards along with his father’s estates and gambling debts. He paused as he was extinguishing the final candelabra. He recalled an incident much talked about in Town a year or so ago when Sir Giles somebody or other died intestate and a reprobate uncle stepped in to claim the position as guardian and control of the considerable fortunes of the orphaned children.
He seemed to remember that the young lady and gentleman in question were below their majority, but no longer children, and they applied to the Courts of Chancery to appoint their own guardian, and this
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