“That is a pity,” Ranulf agreed mildly.
“But you can actually see a couple of his works in The National Gallery, the Victoria and Albert, and the Tate Modern, and several other galleries around the world,” Sephie told him.“I haven’t been able to see any of the ones out of England yet, but I live in hope that I will one day,” she added wistfully as she continued to stare at the carved panels on the roughly hewn walls.“These are absolutely magnificent!”She turned to look at him.“They must have cost you a fortune to buy.”
Ranulf had carved each panel, inch by precious inch.A labor of love, each panel carefully depicting a period in the Drake brothers’ history.It was his way of honoring and remembering the many centuries they had all been alive and together.
“I can’t stop looking at them,” Sephie continued to admire as she moved on to the next panel.
She sounded as awed as Zoey had when she had first seen the carvings and then realized that Ranulf was the one who had carved them.
Zoey had also told him about the vast number of books published over the years on his carvings.Of the mystery surrounding just who the carver could be.
Sephie had just admitted to studying those same books.Had told him that she had becomeobsessedwith the carvings after seeing the first one.That despite it not being a direct part of her studies, she had continued to study and love them.
Could Sephie possibly have seen and recognized something in the carvings that appealed to her because they had originated from the man who was destined to be her future mate?
Ranulf sincerely hoped that was the case.“Sephie?—”
“Is everything all right down there?”
A step out into the huge entrance hall showed Ranulf that Sephie’s father was now standing at the top of the stone staircase.
The man’s hair was tousled, and he was wearing a different pair of striped pajamas that Ranulf was pretty sure had never belonged to him or any of his brothers.God knows where Belle and Zoey had found them.
“My wife said she thought she heard Sephie call out,” he said.
Sephie joined Ranulf in the doorway.Close enough that he could smell her unique strawberry scent.“I saw a spider.”
The frown cleared from her father’s brow.“That would do it.You’ve always hated the little buggers,” he murmured affectionately.“No doubt Ranulf dealt with it for you,” he added with a warm glance in his direction.
“He did,” Sephie said as she linked her arm through Ranulf’s.“Go back to bed, Dad, and you and Mum try to get a good night’s sleep, hm?”
He nodded.“We will.It was…an ordeal, but we both feel safe here.”
“I feel safe here too,” Sephie told Ranulf softly once her father had returned to the guest bedroom.
Ranulf turned to look at her.Emotion swelled in his chest at how her steady blue gaze met his unflinchingly, her pink hair perfectly framing the beauty of her face.“You do?”He still answered her cautiously.
“I do,” she confirmed huskily.“But I’m still going to need you to give me answers to a lot of questions.”
“I will,” he promised.
“When?”
“Now, if you want me to.”
She arched her brows.“I noticed there was no comment made earlier about a bedroom having been prepared for me?”
Ranulf had noticed that too.“I think Belle and Zoey assumed you would be sharing my suite with me.”
Her eyes widened.“Considering we only really met today, that’s a big assumption for them to have made.”
Perhaps to Sephie, but Ranulf had been aware of and sought her out at every opportunity after first catching the scent of strawberries on the breeze some weeks ago.
“We may only have just met officially,” Ranulf conceded.“But you admitted to knowing my routine of going to the shop each day.”It was a new habit that had only begun since Sephie came to stay at the inn with her parents.One that Sephie admitted being aware of, as well as looking out for him.“That sounds as if you’ve been as aware of my presence this past couple of weeks as I have yours.”
Her cheeks colored with a becoming blush.“You have?”
“Yes.”
