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the
matter of the old woman downstairs.
    Undoubtedly she was Gussie, and nearly deaf
to boot. And certainly she was not receptive to Amanda’s being at
Wicklow. She resented it most emphatically.
    Deep in thought and wondering how she would
ever be able to get along with Gussie, Amanda came slowly down the
stairs. Gussie wouldn’t be capable of much work, either. She could
probably handle cooking duties, but considering her age and
inability to move quickly, she wouldn’t be of much help in
maintaining the house. At least that explained the layer of dust.
It would take someone of Gussie’s age a year simply to sweep the
floors at Wicklow. Still, she’d have to keep her on. Aunt Elise had
stipulated that Gussie stay at Wicklow as long as she wished.
    Amanda had reached the midpoint of the
stairs when she saw that a man had joined Gussie in the great hall
below. He was tall and quite nicely turned-out, she judged by the
breadth of his shoulders and the trimness of his waist. The snug
breeches he wore were fawn-colored and his coat, expertly cut of
the darkest brown velvet, was trimmed with gold braid and
buttons.
    He removed the cocked hat he wore,
uncovering a headful of coppery hair that, though it was cut fairly
short, curled delightfully. So Gardner had come, she thought,
seeing his tanned face and recognizing the handsome profile of his
features.
    He had his face close to Gussie’s and she
was saying something to him. Whatever it was seemed to have angered
him. He scowled and swore and looked quickly toward the stairs,
spotting her there. She thought his scowl deepened for a moment, as
if he were having difficulty restraining some fierce emotion. But
then he smiled and the dark look vanished.
    “Amanda,” he said eagerly. Gardner shoved
the hat and his cane into Gussie’s unwilling hands. Like a
springing cat, he bounded up the steps until he reached the point
where Amanda stood spellbound. Gardner O’Reilly’s clear blue eyes
had lit up with an excitement that must be genuine. He didn’t give
Amanda a chance to speak before he wrapped her in a welcoming hug.
“How good to see you again,” he said in a voice as smooth and
soothing as velvet.
    She met his warm smile with one of her own.
“Gardner, how nice to see you too.” Catching a note of his
excitement in her own voice, Amanda threw her arms around him as
well.
    He pushed back slowly to arm’s length, his
hands still resting affectionately on her shoulders. “I suppose it
would be trite of me to say how beautifully you’ve grown up.” He
laughed. “But I must. It’s true.”
    She felt a pleasantly warm glow flowing
through her. The smooth tone of his voice made her feel as if she
were wrapped in something soft and plush.
    “Gardner, you’re delightful.” Amanda smiled
as he took both her small hands in his and raised them to his lips,
kissing each one in turn.
    A moment later, he wrapped one arm around
Amanda’s shoulders, and walking step in step, led her down the
stairs. As they neared the bottom, he nodded toward Gussie, his
eyes openly amused.
    He laughed lightly. “You’ve met Gussie, I
gather. She said some young woman had run up the stairs like a wild
thing.”
    Amanda stopped abruptly, remembering why she
had rushed to the bedroom.
    “Gardner,” she asked, her eyes questioning
his, “did anyone else come with you?”
    His brows raised quickly. “No. Only
Gussie.”
    Amanda frowned. Could she have been so
wrong? “I was certain I saw a woman upstairs as I came up the
steps. Would anyone else have come to the house? Or have a
key?”
    He had clear, sober blue eyes that were
assessing her as he spoke. “I have a key . . . so do Ryne and
Gussie . . . and of course Cecil Baldwin. No one else.”
    “You weren’t upstairs earlier?”
    “No, I was in the stable talking to old Jed
Long—Groom we call him. You remember him, don’t you? He was here
when you came before.”
    Whatever was the matter with her, seeing
things, hearing