A smile crinkled his eyes. “Then you will address me as Charles from now on, my dear.”
“And you will please address me as Jane.” The lady extended a hand, which Louisa took. “I’m delighted to meet you at last, Louisa.”
Jane’s voice possessed a genuine warmth and her cornflower-blue eyes shone with unmistakable forthrightness. She was indeed pretty, with ringlets of wheat-gold hair framing a pale, heart-shaped face. The lady was also less robust than Louisa had originally perceived. Slender to the point of dainty, in fact, though the firm grip of her hand and the upward set of her chin implied strength of character. Louisa liked her immediately.
“Thank you, Jane,” she replied. “I’m delighted to meet you also. You have such a charming home. The gardens are truly splendid!”
Jane’s eyes brightened further. “They’re at their peak right now. Would you care to take a stroll around them? It might be pleasant to walk a little after your carriage ride. We can have some lemonade on the terrace as well, if you like, since luncheon isn’t going to be ready for about an hour. Our menfolk can put the world to rights while we get to know each other a little better.”
Louisa smiled. “That sounds lovely.”
“Excellent.” Jane turned to her husband. “Dearest, would you ask Emmeline to take some lemonade out to the terrace?”
Charles nodded. “Of course.”
Maxwell gave the small of Louisa’s waist a gentle squeeze. “Enjoy, sweetheart,” he said, and kissed her on the cheek.
Louisa drew in a soft breath as her heart sped up. Never had Maxwell used that term of endearment before. Nor had he ever shown such open affection while in the company of others.
“Come.” Jane looped her arm through Louisa’s and steered her into the gardens. “I grow all kinds of flowers, but roses are my favorite.”
“Mine too,” Louisa replied, her heart still skipping along. “Rose is my middle name, so I’m naturally drawn to them. Maxwell told me you were something of an expert.”
Jane wrinkled her nose. “A bit of an exaggeration, perhaps. Like anything worthwhile they require some effort, but the results are so rewarding. I make my own rosewater from the petals. You must take a bottle of it back to Northcott with you.”
“That’s very kind. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. But I shall speak no more of your departure. Our day together has just begun!”
Jane continued to chat animatedly, pointing out the different blooms and plants. She would have got along well with Reuben, Louisa thought. She listened to Jane with genuine interest, though a desire to don a pair of gardening-gloves and wield some pruning-shears never materialized.
“We have a good-sized vegetable plot across the road as well,” Jane said, gesturing as they followed the gravel path through the garden. “A couple of local men tend to that. We only take what we require. The rest is distributed to local families. And back here…”
They turned the corner of the house, where a wooden gate nestled in a tall hedgerow of neatly trimmed yew, forming an intriguing barrier to whatever lay beyond. Smiling, Jane lifted the gate latch. “Back here is our private terrace and stable-yard.”
The gate creaked as Jane pushed it open, and Louisa stepped onto a broad section of clipped grass that edged a large, cobbled courtyard. Here, the floral scent of the garden acquiesced to the less-delicate smells of horse and compost. A series of buildings, one of them obviously a stable, stood along the back wall of the courtyard, which was accessed by a large double gate.
A couple of Greylag geese, nibbling at the grass nearby, lifted their orange bills and honked.
Louisa chuckled. “Is that a welcome or a warning?”
“One can never be sure with Malcolm and Maud,” Jane replied, with a smile. “They keep the lawn trim and would certainly alert us to any intruders. The stable and washhouse is over there, and here is the terrace, complete with refreshments as requested. Sit, Louisa, please, and have some lemonade.”
The flagstone terrace ran the full length of the rear of the house. Potted ferns and shrubs, combined with a set of white, cast-iron furniture, made it a welcoming outdoor space. Shady, too. Louisa, feeling a little warm, sat in one of the cast-iron chairs and lowered her parasol.
“It really is quite lovely,” she said, glancing about.
“It is.” Jane poured a glass of lemonade and handed it to her. “We’re very fortunate. Charles was based in York when we first met. We moved here after we married and much prefer it.”
Louisa took a sip, allowing the bittersweetness of the drink to linger on her tongue a moment. “I’m glad you found some happiness. Maxwell told me a little of how he came to know you.”
Jane also took a sip and appeared to ponder for a moment. “At the risk of being bold, I have to say that I’m delighted to see Maxwell so happy. He’s obviously quite enamored of you.”
He is?Louisa felt a rise of color in her cheeks. “We’re well-suited, I think.”
Jane set her glass down. “There. I’ve embarrassed you. Please forgive me, Louisa. I’m afraid I’m far too outspoken. It’s just that I’ve known Maxwell for several years, and he’s always been so…”
“Sedate?” Louisa offered.
