“Very well,” she replied in a clear voice. “It is better than allowing you the chance to be alone with Grace, I suppose.”
Tristan chuckled. “I see that I have my work cut out, Lady Diana. Now, shall we begin the hunt?”
CHAPTER 14
Diana followed the Earl down the hall, with Lord Banbury trailing behind them.
She could not deny to herself that her heart had skipped a beat when he had said that he would be joining her team, although she felt almost ashamed to admit it.
And yet, that simple statement had caused such a flutter of emotions in her, which had become all the more torrid when he had told her that he wanted her approval.
It was all about Grace, of course it was. The recognition made her stomach twist, but even through she knew she was being ridiculous. What else had she been expecting?
They stood in the hallway together and Diana prepared to open the first envelope.
“Let us hope that Lord Banbury remains upright long enough to contribute,” Tristan whispered to her and she felt a tiny thrill at the conspiratorial note in his voice.
She scanned the first clue, her mind racing. “We must head to the rose garden,” she declared, her voice steady. “The clue speaks of petals and thorns. It must be referring to the prized roses that have been cultivated there, over generations. Your grandmother was telling me all about them last night.”
“I will lead the way,” Tristan said, and together, with Lord Banbury still following in their wake, they made their way toward the garden.
As they walked, the chatter of the other teams faded into the background, replaced by the sound of their footsteps and the gentle rustle of leaves.
“I was intrigued to note how well you got on with my grandmother last night,” Tristan remarked as they traversed the lawn, heading towards the rose garden. “She can be something of a tough nut to crack, but you managed it admirably.”
Diana could not help but smile. “At the beginning of the game, I thought that the cards were not going to be the only challenge facing me, and I confess that I was right. But in the end I think I won her over.”
“Indeed you did,” Tristan agreed. “This morning after breakfast she told me at great length what a remarkable young woman she thought you were. You did well.”
“I am sure I do not deserve such praise,” she replied.
Tristan shook his head. “I do not agree with you on that.”
She could see what he was trying to do, and she was determined not to fall for it. “I have told you before, My Lord,” she said, trying to muster a sense of firmness in her voice. “Flattery will get you nowhere with me.”
Upon arriving at the rose garden, they were greeted by a riot of color and fragrance. The blooms were in full glory, each one a testament to the horticultural prowess of generations of the earl’s family. “This is a very impressive garden,” Diana observed.
The earl shrugged. “I suppose it is,” he replied. “My grandmother takes much more of an interest in it than I ever have, I must confess. I am not good at keeping plants alive.”
Diana thought for a moment, then seized the opportunity. “My sister is very interested in gardening,” she remarked. Perhaps if she demonstrated the Tristan that he and Grace had very few interests in common, then he would realize that a marriage between them would never work.
“And is she good at keeping things alive?” Tristan said, with a wry smile.
Diana paused for a moment, then chuckled. “I confess that in fact, she has tried many times to encourage her houseplants to thrive, but eventually, they all die. I have suggested to her thatshe might have more luck with another hobby, but she will not listen to me.”
“But you are a gifted gardener?” Tristan asked.
“I would not go so far as to say gifted,” Diana replied. “But I have had more success than my sister in keeping things alive.”
Tristan looked around the garden. “We must find the next clue. See if you can spot anything unusual,” he said.
Lord Banbury ambled over to them, swaying slightly. “I am sure there was some story about a rose that bloomed only once every hundred years,” he said, then wandered off again and went to sit down on a nearby bench.
Tristan raised an eyebrow. “That was a surprising moment of clarity that I was not expecting,” he observed. “But perhaps he is right. I do believe that my grandmother has told that same story, more than once, and the rose is said to bring fortune to whoever sees its first flower in the springtime.”
“How poetic,” Diana said dryly. “Perhaps the clue is near to that particular bush. Would you recognize it?”
“Well, I would hazard a guess that it might be that bush over there, the only one that does not have any blooms?”
