In Search of the Past (Stacey and Shane Mcleod, #2) by Rikki Dyson Page B

course, I’ll be more than happy to show you the papers. Allow me to attend to my guests and I’ll send someone for you.”
    Stacey thanked lord Wakefield, then she and Shane had a glass of champagne which seemed to put Shane in a better mood. 
    “Do you dance?” Stacey asked.
    “Do ducks swim?” he answered.
    Stacey rolled her eyes. “Yes, but what do ducks have to do with, do you dance?” 
    “Young lady, I’ll have you know my mother sent me to dance school, where I excelled.  I was a bit shy and clumsy as a young lad. My introduction to dancing gave me confidence and put me in great demand as a teenager.”
    “Sorry I asked,” Stacey said, laughing.
    She danced with Shane and found him to be a very smooth dancer.  She was sure he was experienced at many other things as well as dancing. Stacey danced with Sir John as well as three or four other gentlemen she didn’t know. Shane watched as Stacey danced with some of the other guest. He thought, to himself; She may think of herself as a country girl, but she is the most beautiful woman here tonight.
    Stacey and Shane were looking around the manor. “My, my, the privileged do live well,” Shane said.
    “I wouldn’t want it if I couldn’t have happiness too,” Stacey said. “Actually, I prefer a cozy house. Our ranch house is cozy; every room is lived in from the basement to the upstairs. My mom and dad lived in the basement of our ranch house while it was being built. They were very happy and that’s where I was born,” Stacey said with a sly smile.
    Shane laughed at her and said, “I have never before met anyone quite like you.” 
    He marveled at the wonder of that as he held her in his arms dancing. He took notice that their bodies fit so well. He had a great urge to kiss her, however, he knew she was too young to get involved with and his common sense told him to steer clear of this alluring young woman.
    Around eleven-thirty the butler approached Stacey. “His lordship will see you now, Miss Scott.” Stacey took Shane’s hand and they followed the butler to the library where Lord Wakefield offered them refreshments. Both she and Shane declined. After Stacey told Lord Wakefield a little about her quest, he was intrigued and wanted to help all he could.  He took an old box from his wall safe and showed them the papers the monk had written so long ago.
    The paper was very old and yellowed.  They told of the death of the tenth earl of Dun- Raven and his son in June of fourteen sixty-nine. They fought for the house of York. The Duke of York was his liege lord. The war of the roses was a bloody, civil war. King Edward IV went into exile, but returned in fourteen seven-one.  He landed in Yorkshire with one thousand five hundred men. They landed on the feudal domain of Wakefield.  The people of Yorkshire joined him there. The Neville and Warwick families swung over to the Lancastrian side.
    “Was this Wakefield an ancestor of yours, sir?” Shane asked
    “Yes, I believe he was,” Lord Wakefield said. “Actually the domain of Wakefield belonged to King Edward IV, but we were related to him in a remote way.”
    The papers stated: There was no one the countess could count on after the earl and his son were killed in the year fourteen-sixty-nine. She was very fearful for the lives of her three daughters. Brother Ian, who was the castle priest helped them to escape and smuggled them into Scotland. He took them to his brother’s farm.  The  countess was still a comely woman in her late thirties.  The twin daughters were fourteen and the youngest daughter was twelve.
    “Does it tell their names or where in Scotland was their destination?” Stacey asked.
    “No my dear, but I believe that was for their own safety. Those were bloody times and the nobility were meat for the ax, if on the wrong side. Also it says here, There was Plantagenet blood in the Fitz-Morgan line.  That alone made it dangerous for them. If I’m understanding these