“The Romany.”
“We have none in the colonies that I know of.”
“This band—the Ruthvens and Lindseys—make camp at those two auld towers on Buchanan lands. They’re granted leases and pay a small sum yearly. A quitrent of sorts. But the younger of the Romany tend to roam.”
Like his wife. What had he said?A Romany princess, if there is such a thing.
“Many work as tinkers. A few are horse traders, even thieves. One tells fortunes for the nobility and bonnet lairds in these parts. They’re not to trespass near Ardraigh Hall.”
“But what of Isabella and Cole’s kin? Should they not see the twins?”
“Bella, I call her. As for kin, they’ve since dispersed. Where to, I ken not.” His terse tone told her to delve no further.
She closed the curtain, only to open it again when he said they were nearing Ardraigh Hall. A Palladian bridge took them over the River Clyde, and then the drive wended uphill through towering trees before reaching level ground. She’d expected his country house to be no grander than the Virginia Street residence. She’d woefully misjudged. Three-storied, the mansion was infinitely sprawling and grand, a front garden at the foot of a wide double staircase leading to double front doors. Countless chimneys sat atop the main roof and the wings flanking it. Brushed with snow, the magnificent house looked austere, though gardens and parks on all sides promised a lush spring.
“Welcome to Ardraigh Hall,” Leith said, helping her alight from the coach.
“’Tis ... wondrous” came her awed reply.
Before they had trod the first stairstep, a liveried mancame out the front doors. Hand on her elbow, Leith tried to shield her from a bullying wind as her cape blew sideways.
“I nearly forgot—” She paused as another gust yanked her hood back and threatened to tumble her carefully coiffed hair. “The toys.”
Leith turned and reminded the postillion to fetch them and bring them inside before the coachman drove on to the stables.
Once in the gleaming entrance hall with its herringbone parquet floor, Juliet noted a frightful number of clocks, so many she lost count. Was Leith obsessed with timekeeping? Bewildered, she faced a housekeeper, several maids, and footmen. Leith made quiet introductions, but overwhelmed as she was, the servants’ names turned to mush in her mind.
Was her thudding heart loud enough for all to hear?
Next came a labyrinth of lamplit, wainscoted corridors that became an impossible maze, far more complex than Virginia Street. The twins were in a separate wing entirely.
Leith stopped just shy of the nursery door. “Are you well?”
“Nay.” The unfamiliarity of everything flooded her. Juliet missed Royal Vale and the cupola and the smallness and sameness of Virginia like never before.
Concern tightened his brow. “Mayhap you need something to drink—and smelling salts.”
“Both.” She smiled, but it took all her composure to do so. “But first, the children.”
Hearing the postillion and a footman following with the toys, she took hold of the knob before he did. With a desperate prayer, Juliet pushed open the nursery door.
43
Hush ye, hush ye, dinna fret ye,
The black Tinkler winna get ye.
Scottish nursery rhyme
Leith let Juliet lead. The door opened on the white-haired nursemaid, Mrs. Davies, who had been expecting them. She bobbed her capped head in deference, then excused herself as he’d hoped. The unusually tidy nursery lay before them—just the four of them—and despite Juliet’s obvious skittishness, she stepped into it as if she was coming home. There was no other way to describe what left him feeling an outsider. A spectator. His twins had grown tall as milk thistle in his lengthy absence.
With admirable grace, Juliet sank down onto the carpet in the middle of the room, her skirts billowing about her. At once, Bella stopped her babbling and Cole dropped his wooden soldier as if to say,Who is this colorful creature?
Both children regarded her openly without a hint ofshyness. Bella trundled straight toward her, stepping onto her cape, plump arms outstretched. Juliet opened her arms in turn, gathering her up and kissing her disheveled wisps of hair.
“Mam,” Bella said with a little sigh.
Mam.Leith turned to stone in the doorway. Havilah had long been buried. He thought his daughter would have forgotten the word if not her. Was it Juliet’s dark hair? Her same height?
