the foyer and pulled the heavy solid oak doors open. A young man sitting on the stoop looked up at him with an expectant expression.
"Are you Mr. Mallory?" the youth asked, jumping to his
"I am. You may tell Miss Albright to expect me this afternoon." Without waiting for a reply, he shut the door and headed upstairs. The journey to Kent would probably take about three hours. There was much to do before he left, including finding a plausible excuse for canceling his dinner plans with his wife.
He stopped in midstride.
Just what the hell sort of clothing did tutors wear?
* * *
Justin stood outside Albright Cottage, his curious gaze taking stock of his surroundings. The large home sat in a clearing in the middle of the verdant countryside, surrounded by acres of beech trees. It was a rambling, ivy-covered structure that appeared to have been added on to over the years by several owners who possessed divergent tastes. The cumulative effect was surprisingly pleasing to the eye in a hodgepodge sort of way.
The house itself possessed a well-worn appearance that hovered about one step from shabby. Bare patches dotted the roof where shingles needed replacing, and several shutters hung at drunken angles. In contrast, an obviously well-tended flower garden bloomed with a profusion of colorful flowers, their heady fragrance saturating the summer air. A sparkling stream ran along the edge of the trees before curving into the forest and disappearing from view.
Justin knocked on the door. It was opened almost immediately by a giant of a man wearing workmen's garb. The huge man glared at Justin through narrowed, clearly suspicious eyes.
"Stitch me to the mainsail and flap me in the breeze!" the giant said in a rough, gravelly voice, thrusting his face closer to Justin. "I've got work to do around 'ere. Can't be spendin' all me time answerin' the bloody door. Who the hell are ya and wot do ya want?"
Justin took two steps back and cleared his throat. "My name is Justin Mallory. I believe I am expected."
"Who's at the door, Winston?" asked a feminine voice behind the giant. The door was pulled open wide, and a woman came into view.
"Some bloke from the Dustbin Gallery. Says we're expectin' 'im, but we've got all the dustbins we need." The giant glared at Justin as if deciding whether to eat him for a snack or just pulverize him into the ground.
Not caring for either scenario, Justin sidestepped around the glaring "butler," giving him a wide berth, and held out his hand to the young woman. "The name is Justin Mallory."
"Hayley Albright," she said with a friendly smile. She took Justin's hand and gave it a firm shake. Justin noted with relief that Miss Albright appeared far happier to see him than the giant who answered the door. After grumbling something unintelligible, the behemoth stomped from the house, heading toward the gardens.
Justin took measure of the woman in front of him. She was unfashionably tall, but very attractive. He noted that she regarded him with lively curiosity as well.
"Please come in, Mr. Mallory," she said, leading him inside the small foyer. "We've been expecting you." Her voice dropped to an undertone. "I hope you'll forgive Winston," she said, indicating the departing man with a nod of her head. "He tends to be a bit overprotective."
Justin raised his brows. "Indeed? I hadn't noticed."
Miss Albright cast him a sidelong glance and laughed. "Winston means well, and I assure you his bark is worse than his bite."
"My relief knows no bounds, Miss Albright."
She laughed again, a warm, delightful sound, and led him through several spacious yet sparsely furnished rooms, them out a set of French windows to a small terrace. Following behind her, Justin couldn't help but admire the attractive curve of her hips that even her plain brown gown could not hide. He wondered what role the lovely Miss Albright played in Stephen's change of plans.
"Mr. Barrettson is over there, in the garden," she said, pointing to a
"Are you Mr. Mallory?" the youth asked, jumping to his
"I am. You may tell Miss Albright to expect me this afternoon." Without waiting for a reply, he shut the door and headed upstairs. The journey to Kent would probably take about three hours. There was much to do before he left, including finding a plausible excuse for canceling his dinner plans with his wife.
He stopped in midstride.
Just what the hell sort of clothing did tutors wear?
* * *
Justin stood outside Albright Cottage, his curious gaze taking stock of his surroundings. The large home sat in a clearing in the middle of the verdant countryside, surrounded by acres of beech trees. It was a rambling, ivy-covered structure that appeared to have been added on to over the years by several owners who possessed divergent tastes. The cumulative effect was surprisingly pleasing to the eye in a hodgepodge sort of way.
The house itself possessed a well-worn appearance that hovered about one step from shabby. Bare patches dotted the roof where shingles needed replacing, and several shutters hung at drunken angles. In contrast, an obviously well-tended flower garden bloomed with a profusion of colorful flowers, their heady fragrance saturating the summer air. A sparkling stream ran along the edge of the trees before curving into the forest and disappearing from view.
Justin knocked on the door. It was opened almost immediately by a giant of a man wearing workmen's garb. The huge man glared at Justin through narrowed, clearly suspicious eyes.
"Stitch me to the mainsail and flap me in the breeze!" the giant said in a rough, gravelly voice, thrusting his face closer to Justin. "I've got work to do around 'ere. Can't be spendin' all me time answerin' the bloody door. Who the hell are ya and wot do ya want?"
Justin took two steps back and cleared his throat. "My name is Justin Mallory. I believe I am expected."
"Who's at the door, Winston?" asked a feminine voice behind the giant. The door was pulled open wide, and a woman came into view.
"Some bloke from the Dustbin Gallery. Says we're expectin' 'im, but we've got all the dustbins we need." The giant glared at Justin as if deciding whether to eat him for a snack or just pulverize him into the ground.
Not caring for either scenario, Justin sidestepped around the glaring "butler," giving him a wide berth, and held out his hand to the young woman. "The name is Justin Mallory."
"Hayley Albright," she said with a friendly smile. She took Justin's hand and gave it a firm shake. Justin noted with relief that Miss Albright appeared far happier to see him than the giant who answered the door. After grumbling something unintelligible, the behemoth stomped from the house, heading toward the gardens.
Justin took measure of the woman in front of him. She was unfashionably tall, but very attractive. He noted that she regarded him with lively curiosity as well.
"Please come in, Mr. Mallory," she said, leading him inside the small foyer. "We've been expecting you." Her voice dropped to an undertone. "I hope you'll forgive Winston," she said, indicating the departing man with a nod of her head. "He tends to be a bit overprotective."
Justin raised his brows. "Indeed? I hadn't noticed."
Miss Albright cast him a sidelong glance and laughed. "Winston means well, and I assure you his bark is worse than his bite."
"My relief knows no bounds, Miss Albright."
She laughed again, a warm, delightful sound, and led him through several spacious yet sparsely furnished rooms, them out a set of French windows to a small terrace. Following behind her, Justin couldn't help but admire the attractive curve of her hips that even her plain brown gown could not hide. He wondered what role the lovely Miss Albright played in Stephen's change of plans.
"Mr. Barrettson is over there, in the garden," she said, pointing to a
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