The girl opened the door wider. “You’ve come to call on the Countess, Lady Miriam?”
“I guess I’ve come to live here—for a while, at least. But I suppose I can start with seeing Lady Miriam.”
“Gor! You’ve come to live here? Are you sure you want to?”
This was said with such patent surprise that Reggie laughed. “Why? Are there dragons and goblins here?”
“There’s one I could speak of. Two if you count Mrs. Oates.” The girl gasped, then went vivid red. “I didn’t mean…oh, forgive me, my lady.”
“No harm done. What’s your name?”
“Hallie, mum.”
“Then, Hallie, do you think you could inform Lady Miriam that I have arrived? I am the new Countess of Montieth.”
“Gor!” Hallie squealed.
“Precisely. Now, will you show me where I can await Lady Miriam?”
The maid let Reggie in. “I’ll just tell Mrs. Oates you’re here, and she’ll go up and tell the Countess.”
The entry hall was marble-floored and narrow, with only a single long refectory table up against a wall. An ornate silver platter was positioned in the center of the table for calling cards, and a lovely tapestry hung behind. A large Venetian mirror dressed the opposite wall with a brace of wall candles on each side, and a pair of double doors directly facing the front door.
Hallie opened the double doors, and a much larger hall was revealed, two stories high, with a magnificent domed ceiling way above. The main staircase was in the center of the right wall. And at the end of the hallway were opened doors that led into an antechamber, and Reggie caught a glimpse of stained-glass windows nearly covering the outside wall. The impression was of an extremely large house.
At the far end of the hall on the left was the library, and this was where Hallie led her. Forty feet long and twenty wide, the library had tall windows along the far wall, giving ample light in the daytime. The other three walls were covered with books, and huge portraits hung high up above the bookcases.
There was a fireplace, and sofas to either side of it. Beautifully crafted chairs, lounges, and tables were spaced near the windows for reading. There was an ancient reading stand in gold lacquer. A carpet in rich browns, blues, and gold covered the floor. A pedestal desk occupied the far end of the room, with chairs around it, and there was a painted leather screen which would turn that far corner into a cozy study set off from the rest of the room.
“It shouldn’t be long, mum,” Hallie said. “The Countess…oh, dear, the Dowager Countess now, isn’t she? Just like the old one, his lordship’s grandmother. But Lady Miriam will be eager to welcome you, I’m sure,” she said politely, not sounding at all convinced. “Can I get you something? There’s brandy there on the table, and mulberry wine, too, that the Countess likes.”
“No, I’ll just make myself comfortable, thank you,” Reggie replied with a smile.
“Very good, mum. And can I be the first to say I’m glad you’ve come? I hope you like it here.”
“I do too, Hallie,” Reggie sighed. “I do too.”
Chapter 21
REGGIE looked at the morning sun that was just barely peeking into the corner of her bedroom. Directly below her south windows was the round dome of the conservatory. Beyond was the servants’ court, and beyond that, hidden behind a clump of trees, the stables and carriage house.
She was in the master bedroom in the rear right corner of the central block of the house. That allowed her two walls of windows, all draped in bloodred velvet with gold fringe and tassels. All the colors in the room were dark except for the powder blue wallpaper. Still, when it got later and all the windows let in light, the room would be cheery.
Her other wall of windows looked out over a vast parkland. The view was stunning—trees dotting the lawns, a forest to the left full of orange-and-gold autumn leaves. A small lake to the right was a riot of color, too, with a carpet of late-blooming wildflowers lining its banks and the blue lake sparkling in the sunshine. What a peaceful, tranquil scene, undisturbed at this early hour. It might almost have made Reggie forget her troubles. But not quite.
She rang for a maid, hoping she wouldnotget Mrs. Oates, the housekeeper, who was just as Hallie had described her, a dragon. What a crass, pretentious, annoying creature she was. Imagine, insisting on showing Reggie to a guest room, and a small one at that. Reggie had set her straight quickly. Conceding that the rooms meant for the lady of the house were occupied by Miriam Eden, who couldn’t be expected to vacate them overnight, she pointed out that the master’s rooms were empty and would do very well.
This had appalled the housekeeper. Only a sitting room separated the two large bedrooms, each of which had a door into the sitting room. Lady Miriam had one of the bedrooms.
Reggie won her way after subtly reminding Mrs. Oates that she was the new mistress of the house. Miriam Eden might have continued to run Silverley after her husband’s death, but Silverley actually belonged to Nicholas, and Reggie was Nicholas’ wife.
Mrs. Oates cautioned her to be quiet when they passed through the sitting room next to Miriam’s room. Reggie was told that Miriam wasn’t feeling well and had retired early, which was why Reggie hadn’t been properly greeted.
Truth to tell, Reggie was relieved. She was exhausted, embarrassed by the absence of her husband of only a few hours, and so full of bitterness that she was unfit to meet anyone.
She settled into Nicholas’ room, and found it was utterly devoid of personal items. Somehow, that made everything worse.
The servant who answered Reggie’s call was dark-haired and dark-skinned and just the opposite of talkative Hallie. She said hardly a word as she helped Reggie dress and arrange her hair, then showed her to the breakfast room.
