Chapter Ten
She was rather surprised by the note, and even more surprised by her reaction to it. She felt excited – something she had not felt about the prospect of any man’s correspondence for a very long time.
It’s just the prospect of seeing the castle, she told herself, but she didn’t wholly believe it.
She re-read the note three times before letting her grandmother see it, because she couldn’t really say no.
"See!" her grandmother said with a triumphant grin. "It is not a fairy story that I am proposing – he’s interested!"
"I am sure he is not," Constance said, taking back the note. "He just wants to show me the castle because I didn’t get the chance to last time. He’s simply being gentlemanly."
Since she had not told her grandmother that she had already been inside the castle – and been shouted at by the Earl – she had to be careful what she said. She re-read the note once more before slipping it away between the pages of the book she was currently reading.
I would be honoured if I could give you a proper tour of my house, considering how much you love castles. If you can attend at noon on Tuesday, and stay for tea, I would be delighted.
Your servant,
Ezra, Earl of Gracewood
He surely was just being gentlemanly, she told herself – because she didn’t want to believe anything else, nor acknowledge that there was a part of her that wanted this to mean something more.
And in spite of her grandmother’s excitement, she rather thought that feeling like that would only lead to her being bitterly disappointed.
I would be delighted to see the castle, she wrote back, sending the note with a footman to ride over to Gracewood. And pleased to see you again, she thought to herself – although she did not acknowledge it out loud.
On the day of the visit, she looked at herself in the mirror.
She had asked her maid to make a little more effort than usual, and she rather wanted to scold herself for doing so.
After all, did it suggest that she expected something from this tour of his castle?
And besides, she had been the one lecturing him on not judging somebody by what they looked like.
There was no reason to dress up for a simple tea.
And yet she did. She couldn’t help but think that her grandmother had been right about that trip into Amblewood; she really did need some new dresses if she was going to be mixing in such society.
She had expected to spend her time with her grandmother, perhaps visiting or calling upon some of her older friends – but certainly not attending dinners and balls with dukes and earls.
There was far more society in Northumberland than she would have thought.
"You should take your maid," Grandmamma said, as she bade her goodbye at the foot of the stairs. "You may be in the countryside, but you still need to observe propriety."
"Oh, Grandmamma, you know how Lucy hates to ride. And besides, his mother will be there, so you needn’t worry."
In fact, she had no idea whether his mother would be there – he certainly hadn’t mentioned it – but she did not want to drag her maid along, and she wasn’t sure that she was too worried about propriety.
After all, she had been alone and unchaperoned with the man several times already, and nothing untoward had happened.
Probably because he had no interest in her.
She was well aware that she was taller than a woman should be, and no great beauty, only noted when a maid took particular care over her appearance.
And in truth, she’d rather they were alone. After he had apologised, she had found him rather charming, and she wanted to see more of that side of him – without a maid, and hopefully, without his mother hovering over proceedings and making things awkward.
◆◆◆
He walked around the castle before she came, checking to make sure nothing was out of place.
He didn’t go into the countess’s chambers, or the nursery, for he had no wish to show anybody those.
But the rest of the castle, he thought, was looking good – especially the gardens, which were in full bloom.
Not that she seemed like the sort of woman who was particularly interested in gardens.
It was architecture she liked, and he hoped she would enjoy his castle.
He found himself feeling surprisingly nervous. He was not sure why. After all, he had seen her three times now, and only the first had been a disaster.
He thought it was because he did not normally let anyone into his home.
He wondered if he ought to have invited his mother along for tea too – whether it would be the appropriate thing to do. But perhaps she would bring a maid, and if not, he could always ask one of his own maids to step in if propriety was a concern.
He hadn’t wanted his mother there because she would undoubtedly be critical and negative. He loved his mother dearly, and he was sure she really only had his best interests at heart, but she had her own strong views, and she was not afraid to express them.
And when she had spoken of Lady Constance, she had not been very complimentary. He would not want the lady to be insulted in his home. He very much did not want her insulted at all.
◆◆◆
If she were a properly fine lady, she thought, she would have taken the carriage, so that she would not appear windswept when she arrived.
But she did not like to be stuck in stuffy carriages when it was not necessary, and she much preferred the fresh air.
Besides, these coastal paths were so narrow that many would not allow a carriage to safely pass, and so the driver would have had to take a much longer route, which seemed foolish.
No – she was happy to ride, even if it did make her look slightly less presentable than she might have liked.
He came out to greet her, which she had not been expecting, and he was grinning as he did so. She could not help but grin back, finding her nerves melting away.
It was funny. At their first meeting, he had scared her, and then offended her. But now she found he rather put her at ease…more than any other man had done, anyway.
"I didn’t know if you’d come," he said, reaching up to help her as she dismounted. She allowed him to put his hands around her waist and guide her down, and she felt her pulse flutter as he did so.
"I said I would, in my note," she said, when her feet were safely on the ground and there was a little distance between them.
"I know – but after last time, I worried you might think better of it."
She flashed him a smile. "I think you underestimate my love of castles, Lord Gracewood."
"Would it be terribly improper if I asked you to call me Ezra, when it’s just us? It feels so formal being called ‘Lord Gracewood’, and I have been out of society for so long that I am not used to it," he said with a shrug. "It doesn’t feel like me."
"Ezra…" she said, trying it out. "Ezra. Yes, I suppose I can. My grandmother would be horrified, of course."
"And my mother," Ezra said with a chuckle. "But if no one else is around…" He gave a furtive smile, and she smiled back. It would be their secret – and it sent a thrill of excitement through her.
"Very well, Ezra. Then you should call me Constance. And now – I’ve been desperate to see this castle properly since I arrived in Northumberland."
She looked up at the facade, shielding her eyes from the sun.
"You know, it’s almost a shame you’re getting rid of the vines and the ivy and so on.
I’m sure it blocks a lot of the light, and perhaps it damages the brickwork.
But it gives the place rather an impenetrable, magical quality.
" She smiled to herself. "It’s rather romantic. "