Chapter 24
From the carriage window, Anne waved goodbye to Honoria and Burwood. The morning had been one of turmoil and activity. She regretted not being able to bid Bea farewell and express her sadness at Lord Easton’s passing.
The house party had ended on such a sour note, and as the other guests prepared to depart, Anne couldn’t help but wonder if her marriage, too, had been one of the unfortunate events. However, per usual, she preferred not to dwell on it.
After Colin had explained the news to Cassie and Ellie about their grandfather and poor Lord Easton, he excused himself to speak once again with his father, and Anne spent time with her stepdaughters while the servants packed their trunks.
During the first hour of their journey to Blackthorne Manor, Colin remained unnervingly silent, his black mood transferring to the girls, who stared blankly out the carriage windows.
She slipped her hand into Colin’s. “Will you tell me what’s on your mind?
” Part of her didn’t want to ask; something guarded and heavy had replaced the warmth in his expression.
She clung to the memory of the smiling, teasing man who had made love to her with such unrestrained passion as the darker version of him reasserted itself. Had it only been one day?
Although his mouth curved upward in the semblance of a smile, the bright sparkle in his lovely green eyes was absent. “Father and I drew up the request for a writ of acceleration. We should receive word in a few weeks if it’s issued.”
“If you didn’t want to do it, why did you?”
He pulled his hand from hers and turned toward the window. “Because it’s expected of me. I must be the man my father wants me to be.”
“But what about the man you want to be?”
A chill raced down her spine when he turned back to her.
“I don’t even know who that man is.”
She recoiled from the ice in his statement.
How could one not know who they were? Eager to dispel the foreboding inching across her mind, she searched his face for telltale signs he’d meant it as a jest. But no mischievous glint lit his eyes, no crinkling around the corners, no slight upturn of lips.
What she’d learned of him thus far could barely fill a thimble, but one thing she did know for certain was that Colin Bell, Viscount Manning, strove to be the person everyone else expected him to be.
He promised to be a good husband to her.
He clearly wished to be a devoted father to his children.
A loving brother to Honoria. A dutiful son to his father.
Nothing about what he wanted for himself. What a burden that must be.
Did her own perception of him as a grump lead him to fulfill that image as well?
The idea was too awful to bear. Her feelings regarding her new husband shifted, and she viewed him through a new lens.
Her heart ached for him and his struggle to be everything for everyone but himself.
Not to know the freedom of just being yourself. Oh, her poor Colin.
Resolved to let the matter rest for the time being, Anne left him to his dark thoughts and engaged the girls in conversation about her new home.
“You will love it, Anne,” Cassie said.
“I understand there is a secret passageway.” Anne cast a sideways glance at Colin, but he remained unresponsive.
Ellie’s lips pursed in an adorable pout. “Yes, but Father doesn’t allow us to go in there. He says it’s not safe.”
“It’s not.” Colin snapped the words.
For a brief moment, Anne expected Colin’s stern expression to falter and break into one of teasing as he had when she witnessed him ‘reprimanding’ Cassie for her part in their entrapment within the service closet. But instead, both girls jumped at his tone, their eyes widening in true fear.
However, she refused to let the matter rest. “What’s not safe about it?”
He turned toward her, his glare frosting her even in the warm carriage compartment. “Many things. And I would advise you not to allow your curiosity to get the better of you and discover for yourself. I can’t always be around to save your life.”
“You’re exaggerating.” Anne huffed.
A dark auburn eyebrow lifted. “Am I?”
“Don’t worry, Anne,” Cassie said. “There are a lot of other fun places to go. We’ll show you.”
And although Anne did her best to listen while the girls told her about the gardens, the stables, and the music room, all she could think of was exploring that secret passageway.
Unlike the journey from London to Hartridge House, the trip to Blackthorne Manor was blessedly brief, and they arrived mid-afternoon.
At the end of a long pathway, the carriage came to a halt.
Anne peered out the window at her new home.
Ivy crawled up one side of the three-storied building and nearly covered one of the windows, providing a perfect place for someone to peer out and remain unseen.
Mullioned windows and an arched entry drew her gaze skyward, where she imagined ravens perched atop the pointed roof peaks and watched with unblinking eyes.
Blackthorne Manor met every criterion of a gothic castle, save one.
Rather than the disrepair one would expect, the building and grounds were neatly maintained.
Clusters of colorful blooms nestled against the brown stone walls of the house.
Windows sparkled. Freshly scythed, the lawn lay like a green carpet before the house.
With no time to write and alert the staff of their premature return, no line of servants waited at the front to greet them. Instead, one man stepped out of the front door. Moments later, more of the staff joined him.
A footman raced up to lower the steps of the carriage.
Colin exited first, then held out his hand to Anne. At least his grumpiness seemed to have lessened upon seeing his home. He led her to the assembled servants as Colin’s valet and Joan climbed off the back of the carriage.
“Sir, we didn’t expect you so soon. May I offer my felicitations on your marriage?” The man turned to Anne, and she could feel his judgmental gaze rake over her.
Colin either didn’t notice or didn’t care—Anne hoped it wasn’t the latter—as he proceeded to make the introductions. “My lady, this is Greene, our butler.”
Anne disliked the man immediately, and although she pasted on a smile, her tone remained cool indifference. “Greene, I trust you’ve kept everything running superbly in my husband’s absence.”
The butler raised a gray eyebrow. “But of course, madam.”
Anne couldn’t help but notice he didn’t address her as my lady.
“And our housekeeper, Mrs. Campbell.”
The woman gave Anne the same icy reception, but at least she had the good manners to curtsy.
A younger woman slipped out the door and joined them. Her gaze traveled to the girls and then to Anne.
“Welcome, Lady Manning.” She executed a deeper curtsy than the housekeeper. With dark-blond hair pulled back severely from her face, the woman had kind eyes and a gentle smile.
Anne smiled in return. At least she could count on one friendly face.
“Miss Hart is the girls’ governess.”
Oh, of course. Naturally Colin had employed a governess for the motherless girls.
A wave of relief washed over Anne that she wouldn’t be responsible for their lessons.
Lessons were so boring! She much preferred engaging with the girls in more amusing pursuits like chasing puppies and playing hide and seek.
Although on second thought, those activities had led to unexpected outcomes.
Ellie shook Anne out of her wandering thoughts. “Miss Hart, Uncle Drake has a new puppy. He’s so adorable. Papa is going to let us have one!”
Colin’s attention jerked toward his daughter. “If memory serves, I said I would consider it. I made no promises.”
Ellie’s bottom lip protruded, and Anne expected her to burst into tears any moment. She would have to do something to secure the girls a puppy.
“Now, no more talk of puppies,” Colin said, his voice softening a touch. “Miss Hart, please take the girls and fetch them something to eat.”
Miss Hart held out her hands and led the girls inside, one on each side of her.
Anne and Colin followed them, as Colin delivered more orders to the staff.
“Why don’t you go with Mrs. Campbell, my dear? Refresh yourself, and I will meet you downstairs for tea.”
“Aren’t you going to show me around?” Anne hated the pleading tone of her question.
Mrs. Campbell stepped forward. “I will do that, my lady. His lordship has more important matters to attend to. Now, if you would follow me.”
As Anne followed the dour-faced woman, she suppressed the urge to stick her tongue out behind the woman’s back.
It helped that she became too busy taking in her new surroundings.
The interior of the home also appeared well-maintained and not the dark, gloomy castle she had imagined when she’d first heard the name Blackthorne Manor.
Lighter colors adorned the parlor walls, and fragrant flowers were artfully arranged in vases on the tables.
Anne found the feminine touch surprising and found little she wished to change.
At least until they entered the library.
Musty books lined the shelves made of dark wood.
Heavy dark-green brocade drapes lined the windows and cast the room in shadows.
A suit of armor stood at attention in the corner.
As Mrs. Campbell droned on about Colin’s ancestor, Anne remembered Colin mentioning the first Marquess of Stratford.
Mrs. Campbell leaned in and whispered, “Legend has it his wife murdered him, and they say at night you can hear him roaming the halls in search of vengeance.”
When Anne shuddered from an unexpected chill, she kept her gaze on the knight and watched for movement. Luckily, he remained stationary as Mrs. Campbell led her from the library to proceed up the staircase to the bedchambers.