been in a few—mostly at night and generally uninvited. But what this house lacked in size, it more than made up for in mouthwatering aromas. Through a narrow doorway, a bright fire crackled above a stone hearth, and from her left she heard children giggling together.
“Shall I send Brady to fetch your trunks, my lord?”
“That won’t be necessary,” he said, ushering Megan up the bare wooden steps. “My driver will bring them after he sees to the horses.”
“He’ll be needing a place to sleep then?”
“No. That won’t be necessary.”
“Very well then, my lord,” she agreed uncertainly.
“We don’t mean to be a bother, Mistress.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said, and, glancing up at him, blushed lightly and giggled like a schoolgirl. Megan watched with sheer pleasure. By the looks of things, she might be the one to distract the viscount. Or at least she might hope to be. Megan almost giggled herself. A full sentron, a few hearty meals, and the viscount occupied elsewhere. “Lord Landow hasn’t been here since his wife and baby died. Poor things.” She shook her head and clucked. “It’ll be good for us to have someone to look after. Keeps us in our slippers so to speak,” she said, and swung open a heavy-paneled door. The room was tidy, but it was more. It was cozy and snug and inviting. “This is to be your bedchamber, my lord, if it suits.”
He barely glanced inside. “It suits very well,” he assured her.
Her blush deepened, and she scurried away, as if too flustered to stay in one place for long. “And your ladyship…” she began, then stopped before the next door. “My apologies,” she said, glancing at Megan. “Lord Landow didn’t give me your name.”
Megan opened her mouth, but Nicol spoke first. “Elizabeth,” he said.
“Lady Elizabeth.” She bobbed agreement, then swung the door open. Megan scanned the room. Two long, narrow windows graced the chamber, but neither of them could be opened. “If you need anything, you’ve but to ring the bell near your bed. We’ll hear it in our quarters downstairs and come up straightaway. The same with you of course, my lord.”
“Thank you, Mistress.”
“Might you have any questions or requests before I go about my business?”
“Is there a bathing room, Mistress?” he asked.
“Silly me. Of course,” she said, and ambled quickly down the hall, pointing to rooms farther down as she went. “My lord’s sitting room. The nursery. His lady’s study. She was a scientist of sorts.”
“Yes,” Nicol said. “I know.”
“Sad.” Mrs. Barnes shook her head again. “The world’s a poorer place without her. But here you are.” She swung a door open.
It was a pretty chamber, small but homey, graced with a marble floor, and linen wall fabric. A brass tub stood off to the right. But it was the heavy-paned windows that intrigued Megan the most. Iron latches kept them closed. And iron latches would open them. It would not be a difficult climb to the ground.
“It adjoins the lady’s quarters through there. Shall I have Deirdre draw a bath before dinner?” Mistress Barnes asked.
“Yes,” Nicol said, and wrapped his arm around Megan’s shoulders. She started and glanced up only to find his gaze burning into hers. “I believe my bride would enjoy that.”
Chapter 5
N icol ushered the girl back down the hall to her bedroom. Once there, he hurried her inside and closed the door.
She turned and raised one brow at him. “Bride?”
Her voice was low, too soft to be heard above the water that already ran in the adjoining room.
He watched her. Now that the brown woolen gown was gone, and she was dressed decently, he could almost believe she was the woman he had met some months before. Could almost believe she was the one who had sparked his imagination—so long as she didn’t speak.
“We’ll be spending a great deal of time together,” he said. “I thought it best for the good widow to believe we are
“Shall I send Brady to fetch your trunks, my lord?”
“That won’t be necessary,” he said, ushering Megan up the bare wooden steps. “My driver will bring them after he sees to the horses.”
“He’ll be needing a place to sleep then?”
“No. That won’t be necessary.”
“Very well then, my lord,” she agreed uncertainly.
“We don’t mean to be a bother, Mistress.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said, and, glancing up at him, blushed lightly and giggled like a schoolgirl. Megan watched with sheer pleasure. By the looks of things, she might be the one to distract the viscount. Or at least she might hope to be. Megan almost giggled herself. A full sentron, a few hearty meals, and the viscount occupied elsewhere. “Lord Landow hasn’t been here since his wife and baby died. Poor things.” She shook her head and clucked. “It’ll be good for us to have someone to look after. Keeps us in our slippers so to speak,” she said, and swung open a heavy-paneled door. The room was tidy, but it was more. It was cozy and snug and inviting. “This is to be your bedchamber, my lord, if it suits.”
He barely glanced inside. “It suits very well,” he assured her.
Her blush deepened, and she scurried away, as if too flustered to stay in one place for long. “And your ladyship…” she began, then stopped before the next door. “My apologies,” she said, glancing at Megan. “Lord Landow didn’t give me your name.”
Megan opened her mouth, but Nicol spoke first. “Elizabeth,” he said.
“Lady Elizabeth.” She bobbed agreement, then swung the door open. Megan scanned the room. Two long, narrow windows graced the chamber, but neither of them could be opened. “If you need anything, you’ve but to ring the bell near your bed. We’ll hear it in our quarters downstairs and come up straightaway. The same with you of course, my lord.”
“Thank you, Mistress.”
“Might you have any questions or requests before I go about my business?”
“Is there a bathing room, Mistress?” he asked.
“Silly me. Of course,” she said, and ambled quickly down the hall, pointing to rooms farther down as she went. “My lord’s sitting room. The nursery. His lady’s study. She was a scientist of sorts.”
“Yes,” Nicol said. “I know.”
“Sad.” Mrs. Barnes shook her head again. “The world’s a poorer place without her. But here you are.” She swung a door open.
It was a pretty chamber, small but homey, graced with a marble floor, and linen wall fabric. A brass tub stood off to the right. But it was the heavy-paned windows that intrigued Megan the most. Iron latches kept them closed. And iron latches would open them. It would not be a difficult climb to the ground.
“It adjoins the lady’s quarters through there. Shall I have Deirdre draw a bath before dinner?” Mistress Barnes asked.
“Yes,” Nicol said, and wrapped his arm around Megan’s shoulders. She started and glanced up only to find his gaze burning into hers. “I believe my bride would enjoy that.”
Chapter 5
N icol ushered the girl back down the hall to her bedroom. Once there, he hurried her inside and closed the door.
She turned and raised one brow at him. “Bride?”
Her voice was low, too soft to be heard above the water that already ran in the adjoining room.
He watched her. Now that the brown woolen gown was gone, and she was dressed decently, he could almost believe she was the woman he had met some months before. Could almost believe she was the one who had sparked his imagination—so long as she didn’t speak.
“We’ll be spending a great deal of time together,” he said. “I thought it best for the good widow to believe we are
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