“Not at all.” He led her into what turned out to be a large conservatory that held many plants along with orange trees and lemon trees. “To me, refined and elegant suggests fakery. People pretending to be something they are not. It is all surface. No inner depth.”
“Is this not being overly harsh on the young ladies visiting you? They are probably scared to make a wrong step and ruin their chances with you.”
“Are you going to lecture me again on being kinder to them and getting to know them better?”
She blushed. “No, Your Grace. It is merely a suggestion because I understand how they must feel. But I would never presume…well, I apologize if I offended you. Truly, I did not mean to chide you. Would you mind if I remained in the conservatory a while longer? What you have done here is incredible. I fully understand if you no longer have the patience for me.”
He arched an eyebrow. “What makes you think I wish to leave you?”
Her blush deepened as she stared up at him. “I thought I had irritated you.”
“You must think I am a very delicate creature who easily takes offense. Believe me, I am not. My hide is quite thick. You have not said anything wrong, Harry. Let me show you around, and then I shall give you a taste of my oranges. Have you ever tried one?”
“No, never.” She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at him with heartfelt gratitude.
Nor could she stop smiling as he led her from plant to plant, explaining what each one was and why Herbert and Alfred were assisting him in growing them. She walked among herbs, spices, cabbages, and cucumbers, to name a few, never once uttering a complaint that it was too hot or humid in here.
Indeed, the conservatory had heated considerably as the sun beat down on the glass. Alfred and his son must have been in here first thing this morning to water all the plants because the floors were wet in spots and moisture filled the air.
By the end of the duke’s tour, both of them were perspiring.
Harriet also found it a little uncomfortable to breathe, but there was plenty of air once the duke opened a few windows to allow the morning breeze to filter in.
Even if he had not opened them, she would have said nothing because she did not want to cut short her time with him.
He was so knowledgeable and she enjoyed listening to him.
“And here is my pride and joy,” he said as they came upon the orange trees that lined the south wall of the glass enclosure. “Took us a while to get them right. But my gardeners know what they are doing.”
“You needn’t convince me. You came upon us just as Alfred Blunt was about to explain the value of orange peels and how he applied them to the soil. I’ll ask him about this tomorrow.”
“Why wait? I can tell you.”
She inhaled lightly. “You?”
He tweaked her chin. “Yes, me. Why do you think I would not know the answer?”
“You have a lot to occupy your time and could not possibly keep a house this well maintained unless you delegated duties to your excellent staff. An efficient housekeeper to keep the house clean and well stocked. A talented cook to prepare your meals. Do you know how to cook and clean?”
He laughed. “No.”
“See? So why should you know all there is to know about gardening?”
“Because it is of scientific interest to me. Why would I not? I am an attentive owner and want my farms and the cattle I raise to be productive.”
“That is most important, obviously. And you are not only attentive, but caring and appreciative. This was the first thing I noticed when arriving here, how proud everyone is of their role in making this estate function, and their pride in service to you. The fact that you know what your gardeners do with the orange peels says a lot about you, and I do mean that as a compliment. So, what do they do with the orange peels?”
“Grind them up lightly and mix them in with the soil.”
“And this is how they get their lush growths? Yes, it makes sense. The peels must absorb the rainwater and release it as the soil dries. There must be other properties to these peels that encourage healthy blossoms. Quite fascinating, really.”
“I think so,” he said, and she noted his chest puff up a little with pride. “I doubt any of the other ladies would think so, however.”
She regarded him with exasperation. “You are doing it again, making assumptions about these ladies without giving them the chance to prove you wrong.”
He once again arched an eyebrow, an appealing quirk that he did whenever challenged. “Do you truly believe any of them will care about orange peels as you do?”
She laughed, knowing the notion was absurd when put that way.
