court should be restored because it’s historic, and also because it would be a good entertainment on cold winter afternoons. That’s how I liked to spend my long hot December afternoons.”
There was another silence as they all remembered his exile, during which Julianne got the distinct impression that Christian was even more amused. If, she reminded herself, he was indeed Christian. The eyes were blue enough, and though his hair had been light all those years ago, hair often darkened with age.
But he was more than handsome—he was startlingly attractive in a disturbingly masculine way. When she’d last seen him he either hadn’t been, or she’d been too young to see it. It had been his patience and kindness that had enthralled her then. Still, how could she have forgotten those astonishing eyes? Eyes that were looking back at her with the same interest and curiosity she was showing toward him.
She blinked and dropped her gaze. She’d been staring, gawking like the girl she’d been when she’d lastseen him—if she’d ever seen him. Confused, Julianne looked away. When their eyes met, it had been palpable as a touch, and just as exciting and disturbing as she imagined a touch from a fellow like that would have been. It wasn’t only that he was so striking-looking, he was so aware , as though he lived on tiptoe.
But how was she supposed to identify him if she couldn’t look at him? If she couldn’t ignore the warmer feelings he caused in her, she’d have to confess her ignorance and leave for home.
She definitely didn’t want to go now.
“A shame we haven’t had a chance to talk, Cousin,” Christian told Hammond. He smiled, but the smile was wary. “So,” he said, “are we going to go on with this dagger’s drawn stuff? Mind, I don’t blame you for doubting me, or being reluctant to cede the place. My God, when I first saw it I was knocked sideways! It’s not just a manor, it’s a kingdom.”
Hammond laughed, unexpectedly. “Almost exactly what I said when I arrived. I was bowled over. I never came here as a boy, myself. Oh, once or twice, of course, for important family affairs, but I never paid it much mind. It wasn’t in my future and so not in my plans. When I heard I’d inherited, I was staggered. So was the rest of the family.”
“Oh?” Christian said, raising a thin brow. “There are many others?”
“Not many, but some.” Hammond nodded. “Old Cousin Maurice, up north, Second Cousin Ferris in Scotland, and a raft of third cousins down in Sussex. We… I have a distant, but numerous family, at least, those who are a few times removed.”
“I’d heard of Sir Maurice and Ferris,” Christian said thoughtfully, “and the others. They were disappointed to hear of your inheriting? They should be thrilled to hear about me. But still, they’re too distantly related to care that much, or at least, they should be…although they become less distant from the title every year, don’t they?”
“You’re thinking of saying one of them might have had a hand in shortening the succession?” Hammond asked. “Bow Street was far ahead of you. Sir Maurice hired them to investigate years ago when the last earl died. He could afford to, he’s almost as rich as the earl was. Although he doesn’t leave his own estate for more than a walk in his gardens these days—at least not since his son died in an accident three years ago—he’s always taken the family seriously. Did you ever meet him, by the way?”
They all went silent, watching the man who called himself Christian Sauvage, waiting for his answer.
He seemed amused by their sudden attention. “No, as I said, we weren’t considered part of the family then.”
“In any case,” Hammond said glumly, “Sir Maurice didn’t discover a thing. And none of the family had the ways or means to commit mischief.”
“Whereas,” Christian said, favoring Sophie with a tilted smile, “I had both?”
“I never said that,” Sophie
There was another silence as they all remembered his exile, during which Julianne got the distinct impression that Christian was even more amused. If, she reminded herself, he was indeed Christian. The eyes were blue enough, and though his hair had been light all those years ago, hair often darkened with age.
But he was more than handsome—he was startlingly attractive in a disturbingly masculine way. When she’d last seen him he either hadn’t been, or she’d been too young to see it. It had been his patience and kindness that had enthralled her then. Still, how could she have forgotten those astonishing eyes? Eyes that were looking back at her with the same interest and curiosity she was showing toward him.
She blinked and dropped her gaze. She’d been staring, gawking like the girl she’d been when she’d lastseen him—if she’d ever seen him. Confused, Julianne looked away. When their eyes met, it had been palpable as a touch, and just as exciting and disturbing as she imagined a touch from a fellow like that would have been. It wasn’t only that he was so striking-looking, he was so aware , as though he lived on tiptoe.
But how was she supposed to identify him if she couldn’t look at him? If she couldn’t ignore the warmer feelings he caused in her, she’d have to confess her ignorance and leave for home.
She definitely didn’t want to go now.
“A shame we haven’t had a chance to talk, Cousin,” Christian told Hammond. He smiled, but the smile was wary. “So,” he said, “are we going to go on with this dagger’s drawn stuff? Mind, I don’t blame you for doubting me, or being reluctant to cede the place. My God, when I first saw it I was knocked sideways! It’s not just a manor, it’s a kingdom.”
Hammond laughed, unexpectedly. “Almost exactly what I said when I arrived. I was bowled over. I never came here as a boy, myself. Oh, once or twice, of course, for important family affairs, but I never paid it much mind. It wasn’t in my future and so not in my plans. When I heard I’d inherited, I was staggered. So was the rest of the family.”
“Oh?” Christian said, raising a thin brow. “There are many others?”
“Not many, but some.” Hammond nodded. “Old Cousin Maurice, up north, Second Cousin Ferris in Scotland, and a raft of third cousins down in Sussex. We… I have a distant, but numerous family, at least, those who are a few times removed.”
“I’d heard of Sir Maurice and Ferris,” Christian said thoughtfully, “and the others. They were disappointed to hear of your inheriting? They should be thrilled to hear about me. But still, they’re too distantly related to care that much, or at least, they should be…although they become less distant from the title every year, don’t they?”
“You’re thinking of saying one of them might have had a hand in shortening the succession?” Hammond asked. “Bow Street was far ahead of you. Sir Maurice hired them to investigate years ago when the last earl died. He could afford to, he’s almost as rich as the earl was. Although he doesn’t leave his own estate for more than a walk in his gardens these days—at least not since his son died in an accident three years ago—he’s always taken the family seriously. Did you ever meet him, by the way?”
They all went silent, watching the man who called himself Christian Sauvage, waiting for his answer.
He seemed amused by their sudden attention. “No, as I said, we weren’t considered part of the family then.”
“In any case,” Hammond said glumly, “Sir Maurice didn’t discover a thing. And none of the family had the ways or means to commit mischief.”
“Whereas,” Christian said, favoring Sophie with a tilted smile, “I had both?”
“I never said that,” Sophie
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