Richard remained where he stood, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.
~~~
It took some finesse, but Violet managed to deflect Emma’s questions about Carlisle. The last thing she wanted was to cause her sister worry, not only for her sister’s sake but for her own. If Em found out that Vi had pushed the viscount into a fountain, she wouldn’t leave Vi alone for a single minute during the house party. Vi’s freedom would be utterly curtailed.
Worse yet, there’d be more sermons. Exasperated glances exchanged amongst her siblings that said plainer than words,There goes the idiot sister again, making a mull of things…
Vi would rather eat rotten cheese than witness those looks.
I’ll just have to handle Carlisle on my own, she decided.
She couldn’t believe that he thought she wastriflingwith Wick. That he’d tried to warn her away from his brother—because, according to him, she was “no good.” Her heart thudding furiously, she told herself she didn’t give a whit about the cad’s opinion of her.
About what ViscountKilljoythought.
Was it childish to call him names? Perhaps. Did it make her feel better?Absolutely.
As she went along with an animated Gabby, who was giving her and Polly a tour of the house, she amused herself by thinking of other choice sobriquets for Carlisle.Lord High and Mighty, Lord High Horse, Pompous Prig…
They entered the main atrium, and awe interrupted her musings, dissipating any remaining ire. Eyes wide, she gazed upward at the fluted marble columns that rose two stories high to support a frescoed ceiling. Checkered marble gleamed dully underfoot.
“Thunder and turf, Gabby,” she said, her words echoing in the vast space, “I can’t believe you’re the mistress of this place. It’s grander than a palace.”
“I’m not the Paper Princess for naught,” Gabby said with a rueful grin.
As much as Vi disliked the unkind moniker, she admired her friend’s pluck for taking ownership of it, for turning meanness into humor. She slid one arm through Gabby’s, another through Polly’s, and said, “Well, don’t just stand there. Give us a tour, Your Highness!”
Her grin turning into a true smile, Gabby obliged.
From the atrium, their hostess took them through a set of public rooms. The main salon was an elegant chamber with yellow silk-covered walls, rosewood furnishings, and three multi-tiered chandeliers. In the dining room, five tables had been impressively laid out to accommodate the many guests. The cameo blue music room boasted a gleaming pianoforte that Vi knew her sister Thea, the family musician, would adore.
The girls arrived at the library, a long, cavernous room which occupied the back of the building. Unlike the spaces they’d seen thus far, this one was more old-fashioned, with dark paneled walls and a massive, ancient-looking stone hearth carved with flora and fauna. A labyrinth of bookshelves took up half the room.
Gabby led the way to the mullioned windows, which gave an expansive view of the courtyard. The garden was beautifully designed with statues, manicured hedges, and graveled walking paths.
“The west wing houses the family quarters and guest chambers.” Gabby gestured to the building on the left side. “Over to the right is the east wing, which has a few galleries as well as all the servants’ rooms.”
“Is that the amphitheatre?” Violet asked excitedly, pointing to the small domed structure just beyond the west wing.
“Yes. Its construction just wrapped up and has put all the renovations behind schedule,” Gabby confided. “The architects couldn’t get to this room and Papa’s study around the corner.”
“Oh, but the library is lovely just as it is.” Polly’s aquamarine eyes were dreamy as her fingers brushed one of the green velvet drapes. “One can practically feel the history that’s taken place here.”
“As a matter of fact, Traverstoke has averyinteresting history. For instance, a Catholic family once owned the estate and built a secret worship room in the house.”
Secret room? Brilliant!“Can we see it?” Vi said eagerly.
“It’s just a plain old gallery now. But back then the owners had the chamber’s dome concealed under a fake roof, and there’s still a Priest Hole in there.”
“What’s a Priest Hole?” Vi wanted to know.
“A place where the Catholic priest would hide if the soldiers came knocking. In fact, there might be other hidden passageways in the house, although we’ve only found the Priest Hole—”
Loud voices sounded in the corridor, followed by a loud crash.
“Oh dear,” Gabby said in flustered tones. “I’d better go check on that. I’ll be right back.”
When their friend hurried off, Violet said to Polly, “We must see this Priest Hole first thing!”
