“Holly,” he paused for a moment. “We have to avoid Blackstone. It is important he not know that we are getting together. It will rouse his suspicions, and I have no idea what he might do…”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.” She squared her shoulders. “He is a guest here, after all, and it’s unlikely that he’d be creeping through corridors or listening at doors without a damn good reason.”
“Good point, but one never knows…”
“I think Ferguson is quite up to the task of keeping an eye on him,” she said confidently. “But we’ll ask Papa to ensure our privacy.”
He took a deep breath. “Thank you.” He raised her hand to his lips and dropped a light kiss on the back of it, pleased to see colour rise to her cheeks. “After this business is settled, I think you and I…well, perhaps we should…umm…”
She laughed. “Yes, I think I’d like that.”
The sound of footsteps made Richard release her hand, and a footman appeared at the end of the gallery.
“Pardon me, Miss, but Lady Hazel is asking for your presence in her study.”
Holly nodded. “I’ll be right along.” She glanced at Richard. “You come too.”
He sighed at the obvious order,replied “Yes, Ma’am,” and obediently followed her and the footman back out of the gallery and down more passages until they reached the familiar territory of Lady Hazel’s private domain.
“Come in, both of you.” The soft invitation came from Holly’s mother, who rose as they walked into the room.
“Thank you, Mama. You simply cannot keep me out of this.”
Lady Hazel sighed. “I know.”
“That’s my girl,” said a laughing voice behind them, and Richard turned to see Lord Trease stroll in. “Can’t keep her down, Hazel, no matter what.”
“Just like her father.”
The muttered comment made Richard grin, but he said nothing, correctly assuming it was safer that way.
“Papa,” Holly turned to him. “Is Sir Duncan well enough to join us, do you think?”
Lord Hawthorn turned to Richard, his face serious. “He needs to be here for this?”
“Yes, my Lord,” he replied. “Very much so.”
He didn’t miss the glance exchanged by Lady Trease and her husband. She gave a tiny nod. “I’ll fetch him.”
“Mama,” Holly interrupted, “this must be private. Very private.”
“It will be.” Lady Hazel moved to the door, then closed it. “Holly, I am relying on you to never reveal this to anyone. Not your brother or your sisters.”
Richard watched, fascinated, as Holly’s eyebrows rose in puzzled surprise.
“Er, well, yes, Mama. Of course. If you insist.”
“I do.”
With that stern response, she crossed the room to the wall next to the fireplace, and turned a bell pull in a rather odd way.
Both Richard and Holly gasped as a panel swung open and revealed a passageway.
“Mama,” murmured Holly, her eyes wide in surprise. “I always knew there were secret passages in this house. Do you haveanyidea how long Willow and I spent hunting for them?”
“Of course, darling. But some things must remain secret. And this is one of them.” She stood before the dark opening. “I shall fetch Sir Duncan.”
And she vanished, leaving Lord Hawthorn, his daughter, and a rather confused Richard, staring after her.
