Oh dear. Lady Eckelston is leaping to unfortunate conclusions.Margaret feared a scandal was brewing.
“I’ve pored over planning until my eyes crossed. I need a walk. Lady Margaret was about to join me,” the duke said before Margaret could think of a diversion.
His sister cast a suspicious glance at Margaret. “In the snow?”
He gazed at her, brows raised in challenge.
“Don’t be silly, Lady Eckelston. You won’t want me near that glasshouse of yours. He meant to give me a tour of this great pile of a house.”
*
The sight ofLady Margaret Ansel, shoeless and curled up like a puppy, asleep in his grandfather’s library poleaxed Henry. He couldn’t breathe; he gaped at the sight like a foolish schoolboy who’d never seen a woman before. Henry knew he had never seen one quite like this one: tall and lithe, strong and confident, clever and aware. To that list, he added alluring. Enthralling. Beautiful.
When she’d woken and he had been caught intruding on her privacy, he had frozen in place, too mortified to speak yet too fascinated to turn his back as a gentleman ought. He stuttered some monosyllables without knowing what he meant to say.
Now he found himself swept along with Lady Margaret on his arm, delighted if a bit uncertain how he had managed it.
“You’ve already seen the great treasure of Roseleigh, the library,” he said.
Her amused lift of a brow shot through him. “Not the glasshouse?” It was a challenge.
“That is a treasure of a different sort,” he replied.
“One you don’t plan to show me,” she teased.
“Why, Lady Margaret, it is a good distance from the house. I wouldn’t risk your slippers on the walk.” He returned her teasing grin.
She opened her mouth to retort to that bit of nonsense but obviously thought better of it. She fell back on history instead. “I gather this was originally a Norman keep,” she said.
“It still is, at least in part,” he laughed. “You saw the entrance.” He led her back there. “This great block of stone walls is the center core of the house. I think it is meant to remind all and sundry what great medieval warriors we were,” he said.
“Were or are?” she asked.
“Bradley men do their service to king and country in every generation. I did,” he said, pushing memories away.
“Harry didn’t,” she said, using his cousin’s given name.
What sort of relationship did she have with Harry if she made free with his given name?An unexpected rush of jealousy lent bitterness to his voice. “The heir couldn’t possibly be sent into danger. Ironic, isn’t it?” he replied.
“Lady Mary told me what happened. Irony is him killing himself in some damned fool attempt to jump a fallen tree without making sure what was on the other side.” She shook her head. “Typical of him. Too arrogant, too impulsive, too impervious to advice.”
“Ah. You knew him well.”Not fond of him, then.Relief brought a smile. Henry had been fond of his cousin but knew his faults all too well. He didn’t like to think that Lady Margaret might be blind to Harry’s character.
She gave him a peculiar glance under her lashes. “Well enough. We both served on the York Rose Council. He tried to have me removed.”
“Why would he do that?” Henry asked.
“He said that a woman didn’t belong on the council. The truth is I challenged his opinions too many times. He didn’t succeed.” She spoke while peering around at the weapons adorning the walls of the medieval entrance. “Is that halberd as old as it looks?” She touched one finger to the particularly nasty weapon. Less decorative than later examples of the type, it had a sharp ax on one side, a viciously jagged hook on the other, and a sharp point for jabbing on the end.
“If you think it looks five hundred years old, then yes, it is. Grandfather told me it is the pride of the collection. Some early Bradley carried it into battle.”
“Richard III was cut down by a halberd,” she murmured.
As well read as she is intelligent. “Only if they knocked him off his horse first!” he retorted.
“Grim era. As interesting as the ancient stones are, I don’t think I would have cared to live in the keep.” She shuddered. “When were the changes made?”
“The set of drawing rooms on one side and the wing on the other that houses guest rooms now were added under the first George. Building continued through the last century, culminating in the massive construction across the back. Family suites parallel the guest wing, and major public rooms were added. You’ve already seen the library and dining room.”
