to keep him up there for now. There’s so much shine and polish in this house, poor creature’s been sliding into walls all day.” He held out a chair for Lily, then turned to his sister and held one out for her. “Meggie, you and I can take him for a walk later.”
The poor girl looked as though she were going to burst into tears again. She cast Ewan a look that clearly revealed her desire to return to Scotland now and never come back.
Ewan had the same expression on his face.
If they hated being here, then why had they come? Lily glanced at Eloise, who was engaged in conversation with the duke. She recalled the little bits of information Eloise had revealed in the carriage on their way over, something about a family bitterness that had lasted thirty years. She’d have to pry more details out of her companion as soon as they were on their way back to Chipping Way. She couldn’t understand such feuds. Her family always talked through their differences, compromised, put love above all else. That’s what the duke and his grandchildren ought to have done years ago.
For the remainder of the afternoon, the duke spoke mostly to Eloise about plans for his birthday party.
He ignored Lily.
Endured Meggie.
Surprisingly, Lily caught him glancing at Ewan in admiration. Not once, but twice, and only when Ewan had turned away.
Near the end of the afternoon, the duke surprised Lily by offering her a tour of the house. “Might as well show it to you and my granddaughter, since she hasn’t let go of your arm since you arrived.”
Eloise remained behind in the conservatory, shooing Ewan away when he offered to remain with her. “Nonsense, join the ladies,” she insisted. “You’ll be grinding your teeth and fretting until they return. Quite an annoying habit. Can’t abide it.”
The duke led them through his summer salon and winter salon, the summer dining room and winter dining room, the ballroom, music room, a smaller conservatory, portrait gallery, and finally his library.
Lily gasped as she entered. “I’ve never seen anything so fine!” She walked from bookshelf to bookshelf, trailing her hand along the spines of the assorted volumes. There were so many! “I could spend years in here,” she said, more to herself.
“Spend as long as you wish,” the duke replied. “Come over whenever you wish.”
Meggie broke into a smile for the first time since they’d met. “Oh, Lily! Please do.”
Lily glanced at Ewan, but he had his gaze fixed on the duke, eyeing him warily. Lily was wary, too. “Very kind of you,” she answered cautiously, wondering at his sudden generosity and how she fit into his schemes.
The old man was plotting something beyond a mere request to provide companionship for Meggie. Lily knew he detested her, though after their first encounter had alarmed Meggie, he’d strained to be more civil to her. Hadn’t actually spoken to her, for that was too much to ask. But he hadn’t shot daggers at her either.
They returned to the conservatory. The remnants of the tea had been cleared from the table, which was set anew with a tablecloth of embroidered linen, delicate china, and brilliant sterling silver. “A fortnight ago, I was roasting rabbit over a campfire,” Ewan muttered. “Right now, I feel like the rabbit roasting on a spit.”
Lily nodded sympathetically.
Ewan had reason not to trust his grandfather.
He was a mean old man.
Had anyone else given her an open invitation to use a magnificent library, she would have considered the gesture quite charitable.
But to use Lotheil Court’s library?
The duke was a cold, proud man.
He did nothing out of charity.
“Will you be holding a ball in honor of your grandchildren?” Eloise asked.
Ewan regarded her with horror. “I’d sooner invite wolves to chew off m’leg! I told ye, Eloise. I’m not one for society. His Grace may do as he pleases, just leave me and Meggie out of it.”
Lily glanced at Meggie.
“Margaret,” the duke
The poor girl looked as though she were going to burst into tears again. She cast Ewan a look that clearly revealed her desire to return to Scotland now and never come back.
Ewan had the same expression on his face.
If they hated being here, then why had they come? Lily glanced at Eloise, who was engaged in conversation with the duke. She recalled the little bits of information Eloise had revealed in the carriage on their way over, something about a family bitterness that had lasted thirty years. She’d have to pry more details out of her companion as soon as they were on their way back to Chipping Way. She couldn’t understand such feuds. Her family always talked through their differences, compromised, put love above all else. That’s what the duke and his grandchildren ought to have done years ago.
For the remainder of the afternoon, the duke spoke mostly to Eloise about plans for his birthday party.
He ignored Lily.
Endured Meggie.
Surprisingly, Lily caught him glancing at Ewan in admiration. Not once, but twice, and only when Ewan had turned away.
Near the end of the afternoon, the duke surprised Lily by offering her a tour of the house. “Might as well show it to you and my granddaughter, since she hasn’t let go of your arm since you arrived.”
Eloise remained behind in the conservatory, shooing Ewan away when he offered to remain with her. “Nonsense, join the ladies,” she insisted. “You’ll be grinding your teeth and fretting until they return. Quite an annoying habit. Can’t abide it.”
The duke led them through his summer salon and winter salon, the summer dining room and winter dining room, the ballroom, music room, a smaller conservatory, portrait gallery, and finally his library.
Lily gasped as she entered. “I’ve never seen anything so fine!” She walked from bookshelf to bookshelf, trailing her hand along the spines of the assorted volumes. There were so many! “I could spend years in here,” she said, more to herself.
“Spend as long as you wish,” the duke replied. “Come over whenever you wish.”
Meggie broke into a smile for the first time since they’d met. “Oh, Lily! Please do.”
Lily glanced at Ewan, but he had his gaze fixed on the duke, eyeing him warily. Lily was wary, too. “Very kind of you,” she answered cautiously, wondering at his sudden generosity and how she fit into his schemes.
The old man was plotting something beyond a mere request to provide companionship for Meggie. Lily knew he detested her, though after their first encounter had alarmed Meggie, he’d strained to be more civil to her. Hadn’t actually spoken to her, for that was too much to ask. But he hadn’t shot daggers at her either.
They returned to the conservatory. The remnants of the tea had been cleared from the table, which was set anew with a tablecloth of embroidered linen, delicate china, and brilliant sterling silver. “A fortnight ago, I was roasting rabbit over a campfire,” Ewan muttered. “Right now, I feel like the rabbit roasting on a spit.”
Lily nodded sympathetically.
Ewan had reason not to trust his grandfather.
He was a mean old man.
Had anyone else given her an open invitation to use a magnificent library, she would have considered the gesture quite charitable.
But to use Lotheil Court’s library?
The duke was a cold, proud man.
He did nothing out of charity.
“Will you be holding a ball in honor of your grandchildren?” Eloise asked.
Ewan regarded her with horror. “I’d sooner invite wolves to chew off m’leg! I told ye, Eloise. I’m not one for society. His Grace may do as he pleases, just leave me and Meggie out of it.”
Lily glanced at Meggie.
“Margaret,” the duke
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