He raised a speculative eyebrow.
“I don’t expect you to understand our friendship. Society doesn’t. It is much easier for them to believe we are lovers.”
“Are you?”
“What do you think?” she asked, her emerald eyes looking directly into his.
He didn’t answer; instead, he reached under the seat and pulled out two blankets, handing one to her. “We should get some sleep. It’s late, and we will be arriving at Whittington around dawn.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Jillian’s first glimpse of Whittington nearly took her breath away. She had just awakened when she became aware of the carriage stopping. She raised her head, surveying the dimly lit interior of the carriage. Justin was nowhere to be seen. Where were they and why had they stopped?
She stepped out into the cold morning, looking around for Justin. Faint light filtered through the slightly foggy mist, as dawn threatened to break over the horizon. She could just barely make out Justin’s outline ahead. His back was to her, and he stood gazing down into the valley. When she came upon him, she looked down and caught sight of his estate.
As they stood watching, the sun broke over the hilltop and bathed the valley with soft morning light. She felt as if she had been transported back in time. A proud stone castle stood nestled against the backdrop of a hill. It was shrouded in a veil of fog, lending it a medieval air of mystery.
A long winding road snaked through the valley and up to the large gateway that marked the entry to an open courtyard. Two turrets were mounted on either end of the front face of the manor, each bearing a flag with the Whittington coat of arms. Boldly emblazoned in wrought iron, just above the arched entryway, was the family crest.
As if sensing her presence, Justin turned around. “My apologies, I didn’t intend to wake you. I always stop on my way home. The view from here is magnificent.”
“I can see why you love it so much,” she said in awe.
“Shall we continue on then?” he asked, turning back to the carriage.
They rode into the courtyard and pulled to a stop in front of the large stone steps leading up to the main entrance. The huge oak doors swung open as they mounted the steps, and Edward was there to greet them. Justin didn’t look surprised to see him, though she wondered how Edward had arrived ahead of them.
As they walked into the foyer, Jillian’s gaze was immediately drawn to the identical staircases on either side of the huge room. They curved from the bottom, then hugged the sides of the wall on their way up to the upstairs region. The floor was beautiful Italian marble and the room stretched out the length of the house. In the back of the foyer (if you could call such a huge entryway a foyer) were large cut-glass French windows leading out onto the terrace. A small breakfast table was positioned just outside the doors on the terrace with two chairs pulled away, facing outward to the gardens.
“It was my parents’ favorite place to eat,” Justin said, following her gaze. He gestured towards the stairs. “I’ll show you to your chambers.”
They mounted the beautifully polished stairs and stepped into the hallway marking the left side of the house. There was a walkway across the foyer, connecting the two sides of the house together. Beyond the walkway on either side were two long hallways.
Justin ushered her to the end of the corridor where he threw open a heavy door, and they entered a small sitting room. There was a fireplace with a couch and armchair in front of the hearth. A large rug covered the marble floor, lending the room warmth. To the left of the room was a doorway leading to the water closet. To the right they walked through another door into the actual bedroom.
“Was this your mother’s room?” Jillian asked, surveying the feminine look of the large room. The walls were light lavender, reminding her of lilacs in the spring. The floors were bare, except for a thick, sheepskin rug that lay in front of yet another fireplace. A large painting of a meadow in spring hung above the bed. It looked very much like the grounds of Whittington from what she had seen. The bed covers were a lacy arrangement of white material, giving the bed the appearance of a fluffy cloud. The crowning achievement of the room, however, was a huge window across the room from the bed.
She walked over and gazed out. From her vantage point, she could see the gardens and beyond to the lush forest that topped the hill behind the house.
“It was,” Justin said, confirming her suspicion. “For all the time she spent in it.”
Her lips formed a silent O as she gathered his meaning.
“My lady, I’m to be your lady’s maid while you are here.”
Jillian turned to see a young woman standing in the doorway. The maid dropped a curtsy in Justin’s direction.
“Pardon me, your grace. I did not mean to interrupt.”
“You’ve thought of everything,” Jillian said, looking to Justin.
“I cannot take credit. Edward must be responsible. It is not something that would have occurred to me,” he admitted.
“What is your name?” Jillian asked, walking over to the girl.
“Greta, my lady.”
“Well then, Greta, I certainly appreciate your willingness to assist me during my stay. I am sure we will get along famously.”
