“I am.” Julian winced. “And what’s worse, I enjoy it.”
Annie chuckled. “I’ve noticed.”
A short while later, following Annie’s directions, Molesworth halted the landau in a sheltered spot by the woods. From there, Annie led the way to the stile and then the path skirting the woods, wherethe crows provided their usual welcome. Having been warned away from the stream, the twins went a little way ahead, their chatter audible but unclear. Annie, meanwhile, had come to understand what “walking on air” actually felt like. Simply being close to Julian, her hand tucked into his, was euphoric. As if reading her mind, he spoke.
“Happy, Annie?”
“Exceedingly,” she replied. “You?”
“Inordinately.” He lifted her hand and kissed it. “I’m already thinking about when I can return to Myddleton to spend more time with you. If you would be amenable to that, of course.”
“I believe I would be, sir.”
“Good. Then maybe in a fortnight or so. Perhaps a little longer. In the meantime, there are letters.”
“In the meantime, there is the rest of this day.” Annie gazed at the slope which lay ahead. “And a hill to climb.”
“Stay away from the edge,” Julian called to the twins, who had already begun to climb.
“We will,” they replied in unison and then laughed as they muttered something to each other.
“I mean it,” Julian went on. “To disobey will result in depriving a poor puppy of a rather splendid home.”
A couple of shrieks followed.
Annie laughed. “You’re really going to allow them to have a puppy?”
“Oh, probably, assuming they don’t do anything foolish in the meantime.” He released her hand as they approached the narrow path. “After you, my lady.”
They reached the top to find the twins waiting, both of them standing well back from the ledge. “This view is incredible,” Clara said. “We didn’t go anywhere near the edge and we’re going to name him Mr. Darcy.”
“Who?” Julian moved past them. “Good Lord, yes, this is incredible.”
“The puppy,” Evie replied.
“What if he’s a she?” Annie asked.
“Mrs. Darcy?” Julian offered and Annie bit back a laugh.
“Georgie, if it’s a girl, short for Georgiana,” Clara said, “but we’d rather have a boy.”
“Just look at this view! You can see for miles.” Julian stepped onto the ledge. “And there’s Myddleton House. Magnificent.”
“Isn’t it splendid?” Annie went to stand beside him. “I was drawn to it immediately. I had no idea you were connected to it, of course. If I’m not mistaken, I think the room I stayed in would be the second window from the right.”
“Third window, actually,” Julian said. “It has the best view of this place, I’m told.”
Annie gasped. “Are you saying you arranged it?”
The hint of a smile came to his lips, though his gaze remained fixed on Myddleton. “I like making you happy, Annie,” he said, softly, and then turned to her and took her hand. “Come. Sit with me a while.”
He led her to a nearby outcrop of rock, where they sat side-by-side on a flat-topped boulder.
“You told me about Highfield, but what’s the history of Myddleton House?” Annie asked, untying her bonnet and lifting her face to the breeze. “Your uncle mentioned that Ferndale was once part of the old medieval estate, but Myddleton isn’t medieval, is it?”
“No, it isn’t,” Julian replied. “It was built in the seventeenth century by the fourth earl, I believe. The ruins of Myddleton Castle are about a mile to the east of the house, though not much is left. It was torn down centuries ago. Castles were originally built for defense, of course, and were big, drafty places. When society became more peaceful, castles were often abandoned and replaced with the homes you see today.”
“Fascinating,” Annie said. “To have all that history runningthrough your veins is an honor.”
