"You're welcome to call me Elisabet, or Lisa if you prefer," I invited, already growing weary of the formal address.
Graham looked at me, a slight frown on his face. But he didn't say a thing.
During our conversation we'd made our way up a lavish staircase and down a long hallway, to a large double wood door which Graham opened and gestured for me to precede him into the most lovely bedroom I'd seen in my entire lifetime.
The room was vast, high-ceilinged, and softened by the glow of oil lamps. The focus of the space was a four-poster bed, draped in embroidered silk and crowned with a carved mahogany canopy. Its counterpane gleamed ivory in the lamplight, edged with delicate lace, while a cascade of pillows invited my weary bones to just... sink into the luxury.
Beneath my feet, the floor was covered by a carpet that looked so lush I was loath to step on it, its deep reds and indigos adding warmth against all the other cool tones in the room.
Against one wall stood a massive armoire of dark polished wood, its doors inlaid with gilt scrolling. Beside it a dressing table gleamed, cluttered with cut-glass perfume bottles, a silver-backed brush set, and a crystal dish that looked like the perfect place to store some hairpins. A large oval looking glass, framed in more gilt, caught the light and reflected my travel-worn face.
There was so much more to the room, all of it impossible to take in at that moment as I was already dangerously close to overwhelmed.
"Miss Kruger," Graham said, answering the question of whether or not he'd be using my Christian name. "Your luggage will be up shortly, and if it pleases you, a maid will attend to you after she prepares a hot bath. After so long a journey, it may offer you some relief."
Still holding my gloves in one dust-stained hand, I blinked at the opulence before me, trying to get my ducks in a row.
"That would be most welcome, Mr. Sinclair," I murmured, not daring to change from his formal address. This estate was obviously way more than I'd prepared for.
The butler inclined his head. "Very good, Miss. Should you require anything further, simply ring the bell beside your bed." With that, he withdrew, the soft click of the door leaving me alone with my tumultuous thoughts.
Could I really go through with this? This wasn't meant for me. I knew how to milk a cow, patch a hem, and drive a wagon through rutted roads. I had no idea how to sit in a room where the curtains alone must cost more than my father's whole farm. I was a country girl, and country girls did not belong amidst velvet and lace.
Chapter Two
The bath had worked wonders to soothe the aches in my body, even if my thoughts were still a mess. Having a maid come in, help me undress, bathe and then select a new outfit while another unpacked my meager belongings, didn't help much either.
By the time I was dressed and refreshed, I was very close to repacking my trunks and ordering a carriage to take me back to Cape Town proper. If it wasn't for the fact that I had no home to return to and not much money to my name, I might have already been out the door.
"Dinner will be in the main dining hall at nine, Miss," the maid who had been unpacking my bags said as she headed to the door. "I'll be returning to show you the way when it's time."
I sent a tentative smile her way. "Thank you—" I realized, once again, I'd failed to introduce myself. Ma would have tanned my hide if she had borne witness to my deplorable manners. "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name or the name of the lovely woman who helped me with the bath."
The young blonde-haired girl smiled at me. "It's Chloe, miss. And my friend is Rebekha."
I nodded in response. "Well, it's lovely to meet you both, and again, thank you for your help. I'll see you later then."
She bowed ever so slightly before disappearing out the door, leaving me alone in the lap of luxury, with no idea what to do with myself.
I wasn't even sure if I should be touching anything!
For a while, I merely wandered through the room, looking at everything, marveling at the fine details on it all. It was all rather fantastical, and if I had anyone to write to about it, I might have filled pages and pages with everything I found fascinating.
Pretty soon though, I grew bored and more than a bit curious about the rest of the magnificent estate. I had no idea what time it was, but it was still light out, so surely it was still a while before dinner?
And no one had told me I had to stay in my rooms, so surely it wouldn't hurt to explore a bit before then?
I walked through the halls of the house on quiet footsteps, trying my best to take note of all the twists and turns I took so I could find my way back to my room when the time came. I soon found a door that led outside and right to the most magnificent garden I've ever seen.
Soon, I'd grow weary of thinking that same darn sentence.
In the center of the lush green oasis sat a large pond. I sat down on the side, and my fingers trailed through the cool water, watching the heavy-lidded fish glide lazily beneath the surface, their scales catching the afternoon light in flashes of silver, gold and orange.
There were no other sounds, save for the rustle of leaves in the cool autumn breeze. For the first time since arriving, I felt the nerves settle and the tightness in my chest loosen.
A sound... the faint crunch of boots on gravel, had my gaze jumping up. I stiffened, my hand stilling in the pond.
As much as I'd like to say I wasn't to be a prisoner, confined to my room, I didn'tknowthat to be the truth. Not yet. Not until I'd met and grown to know my new fiancé a bit better.
