Lady Kirkwood’s expression lit up with genuine love. “I am. They were a warm light in what was occasionally a very chilly world. My aunt is the kindest woman I know, my uncle has more heart under that gruff exterior than perhaps he’s given credit for. And my cousin is like a brother to me. I could not adore George more.”
“High praise, indeed,” Lily said softly.
“Have you explored the gardens yet?”
“No,” Lily admitted. “I wasn’t sure the best exit to use to get there.”
Lady Kirkwood offered her arm. “Then let me take you. It will be beautiful this time of day.”
Lily smiled as she took the woman’s elbow. It was impossible not to like her, for she was so kind. “Thank you, Lady Kirkwood.”
“Oh, please call me Clarissa,” she insisted. “I know it isn’t entirely proper, but we’re to be family very soon. It seems silly to worry too much about that. Besides, I know you’re already such good friends with dearest Esme that I cannot imagine we won’t be drawn together a good deal after the wedding.”
Lily swallowed at that thought. It was wonderful to think she could be good friends with this woman, that had been the attraction of this meeting, after all. But the idea that they would see each other a great deal was based on the fact that Lily would be part of Alice’s new family. With Lockhart. And that was a situation too fraught to be borne at present.
They walked through a few more twisting turns of the big home and finally into a quiet, dim ballroom. Clarissa gave her a little smile. “I take us through the ballroom because it has the best view of the garden from its terrace.”
She pushed open a set of double glass doors and sunshine hit Lily in the face, warming her skin immediately. The terrace behind the ballroom was an enormous, stone parapet with a wrought iron balcony wall. They stepped up to it together and Lily caught her breath. The garden below was as beautiful as Clarissa had described. It was a neatly trimmed mass of bright green hedges mixed with a rainbow cacophony of beautiful flowers of all kinds.
“Oh my!” she breathed and all her tangled thoughts seemed to ease for just a moment.
“Isn’t it something?” Clarissa asked with a wide smile. “Oh, I could get lost here. I certainly did as a child, often on purpose. I will say that Kirkwood’s garden in London and his country estate is equally beautiful. I’ve taken a keen interest in the maintenance of both since our marriage. I want them each to feel as lush and wonderful as this place and he supports that fully.”
Lily gave her a side glance as they walked to a spot in the terrace that allowed one to come down a set of stone stairs to the garden itself. “Forgive my saying so, but one only has to look at you two together to guess that Kirkwood would support you if you said you wished to join the circus.”
Clarissa laughed long and hard. “What a concept! He would be mightily shocked by such a thing, especially given our beginnings, but yes. The man would support anything I wished to do. He is remarkable.”
Lily smiled. They were one more couple deeply in love, it seemed. And it was both wonderful to see and painful, both because her own marriage had been so far from that truth and she feared Alice’s would be no better.
“Oh my, look at these begonias!” Clarissa said as she released Lily and moved forward to the plants just off the crushed stone path. “They must have just bloomed.”
Pushing her thoughts away, Lily joined Clarissa and for a little while simply allowed herself to enjoy the countess’s deep knowledge of flowers and plants. It was a subject the other woman was clearly deeply passionate about and it was impossible not to be swept up in her enthusiasm. Lily was beginning to relax for the first time since Lockhart had revealed himself the day before when Clarissa turned away from the plant they were examining and let out a little gasp.
Lily turned to look at what had caught her attention only to find Lockhart, himself, walking down the path toward them. His head was down and he didn’t seem to have noticed them yet.
Lily’s first instinct was to run. Or to hide behind the nearest obliging tree trunk. But Clarissa obviously knew none of those impulses and she stepped forward and called out to him.
“George, that cannot be you,” she said, her voice heavy with playful teasing. “I must be dreaming.”
He lifted his gaze and grinned as he noticed his cousin. Lily caught her breath at that smile, which seemed to light up the garden just as much as the sun. It put her to mind of his wicked grin when he touched her at the hell. She shook away those thoughts and all the reactions her traitorous body experienced with them.
His eyes moved to her and the smile dimmed a little. “Why, if it isn’t my favorite cousin. Good morning, Clarissa. Mrs. Manning.”
Lily couldn’t quite manage to speak, but inclined her head in a faint attempt to be polite.
“You must forgive my shock,” Clarissa said, this time to her. “But my cousin isneveran early riser. He thinks it is as unforgivable as my own husband does.” She winked at George playfully before she added, “You know the reputation of rakes: layabout scoundrels, all of them.”
Lily pursed her lips, her mind floating to Alice again. To her future. Lockhart glanced at her and chuckled, but it seemed forced. “Come now, Clarissa, Mrs. Manning will believe you.”
“Lilyshouldbelieve me,” Clarissa insisted, her tone still laced with teasing. “The stories I could tell you about this man and his ways. I’m certain my husband could tell even worse ones.”
“I’m sure,” Lily said, dropping her eyes away from Lockhart. When he looked at her, her mind wanted to wander to inappropriate places.
“I will pay you ten pounds to keep your secrets, cousin,” Lockhart said.
Clarissa laughed. “A hearty sum. You must fear what I would reveal. I’ll consider your offer, George, and be back to negotiate later.”
“Very good.” Lockhart shifted. “Er, so you’re enjoying the garden this morning, I see.”
