The Paradise Will by Elizabeth Hanbury

quite put me to shame.’
    Letty considered this. ‘Well, I don’t know how I understand about love exactly since I have never felt more than the sad crush I had last summer on William Armstrong. It is just what I imagine, and have read, and gleaned from watching others who are in love. As for the rest of human nature, you and I have examples to observe at close quarters,’ she said, with a grin.
    ‘What can you mean—?’ began Alyssa, puzzled until understanding suddenly dawned. ‘Ah, of course – the children! How true. All of human nature is there, only in a more concentrated and uninhibited form.’ She laughed and added, ‘If I can deal with twenty little ones, I can surely manage one Sir Giles Maxton!’
    ‘What sort of man is he?’ asked her companion.
    ‘The most condescending, self-important person I ever met.’
    ‘So you have said. However, I actually meant what does he look like?’
    ‘I suppose he is not handsome in the conventional sense, but he is imposing: tall, with a powerful physique, dark hair and eyes which emit a fierce stare.’
    ‘You managed to take in some details of his appearance then?’ said Letty, giving Alyssa a curious look from under her lashes.
    ‘A few – I was too annoyed to notice everything.’ This was not quite true; in the intervening weeks, Alyssa had realized she could vividly recall every detail of Sir Giles’s face, figure and the sheer force of his presence. She murmured, ‘I expect he will call soon. You can judge for yourself then.’
    ‘I’ll look forward it,’ she replied, with a cryptic little smile.
    In fact, Sir Giles arrived the next morning. Alyssa was in the drawing-room with Charles and, when Rowberry announced her visitor, she felt a tingling anticipation mingled with apprehension. She would have preferred Charles not to be present and stole a glance at him. He looked angry, but quickly schooled his features into indifference and stood with his back to the window.
    When Sir Giles strode in, Alyssa found his presence as equally compelling as it had been in London. He was dressed in buckskin breeches and top boots, his dark-green double-breasted coat cut to fit closely across his broad shoulders. His cravat was tied in a waterfall knot but his hair was not lovingly teased into the longer, fashionably dishevelled style; it was cut slightly shorter and the breeze outside had done the rest. It seemed Sir Giles was no pink of the ton , inclined to spend time and effort on achieving a supposedly natural hairstyle. As he approached, his cool gaze met Alyssa’s as he took her hand.
    ‘Welcome to Dorset, Miss Paradise. I trust you had a good journey?’
    ‘Yes – we arrived yesterday.’ Her small fingers felt lost in his large, shapely hand and she removed them quickly.
    ‘News travels quickly in this small community. Word of your arrival reached me and I decided to drive over this morning.’ He glanced at Charles. ‘I trust this is not an inconvenient time?’
    ‘Oh, forgive me!’ she exclaimed. ‘May I introduce Charles Brook, my….’ Alyssa hesitated; she had been about to say he was her good friend.
    ‘Your betrothed?’ prompted Gil.
    ‘Well, he – that is to say—’ stammered Alyssa. Fortunately for her conscience, Charles chose that moment to intervene.
    ‘Our betrothal is not yet official but soon will be,’ he said, eyeing the other man with suspicion but extending his hand in response to Gil’s outstretched one. ‘I have heard of you from Alyssa, Sir Giles – along with details of your meeting in London.’ His tone indicated he had heard nothing to the good.
    ‘Indeed?’ said Gil, raising his brows at this shrouded hostility. ‘It was a most unusual first meeting. Miss Paradise and I were both hasty in our responses that day, I fear,’ He turned to Alyssa and smiled, ‘May I offer my congratulations on your forthcoming betrothal?’
    ‘Oh! Y-yes, of course!’ she murmured, feeling trapped. ‘Th-Thank