Page 49 of The Earl's Secret
“That should help somewhat,” his mother said, contemplating the idea. “Especially if the women visiting bring their own ladies’ maids. We would need the most help in the kitchens and preparing the bedrooms. How many shall there be?”
“Hope and Faith, as well as Madeline and Persephone. I expect they will each bring a chaperone as well.”
“Oh, that is quite a few,” her mother said, tapping her finger on her chin as her lips dipped at the corners.
“It will just be for a couple of nights,” Cassandra said. “Hope and Faith live so close that it will be but a half day’s journey for them. The others may need slightly longer if they are coming from farther away.”
“Well,” her mother said, though she seemed somewhat chagrined. “I suppose they have seen the state of Castleton before.”
“It truly is a lovely home, Your Grace, with plenty of character,” Devon chimed in, his voice low and comforting, and Cassandra felt heat in her face simply at the fact that him speaking affected her so. Goodness, what was becoming of her? “I find it holds a great deal of charm and I always feel welcome here, which is what is most important, is it not?”
Her mother smiled at him. “I suppose so. You are too kind, Lord Covington.”
“I speak only the truth.”
And he did, didn’t he? That was one thing that could be said for Devon.
“As it happens, I might have a few guests myself, Mother,” Gideon said, clearing his throat, and at that their mother began shaking her head.
“I do not know about that, Gideon. The gentlemen will have estates that are much grander and when they see Castleton, what might they think of—”
Cassandra cleared her throat and mouthed to Gideon, “head of household.” He rolled his eyes at her, but seemed to be slightly more encouraged to stand his ground.
“It will be fine, Mother,” he said firmly, and Cassandra nodded her approval at him. She understood why he looked to their mother for guidance, having been quite young when he had to take over the household responsibilities once they had realized their father was no longer competent. But Gideon was now more than capable, and a grown man at that. He should not need his mother’s approval for every action he took.
“Very well,” her mother said with a sigh, although there were worry lines between her eyes now, lines that made Cassandra feel slightly guilty for having pushed this all forward. But if they were going to find this treasure, they might as well do so together, and it was obvious that Gideon was not going to include her in the search unless she took some control over the situation herself. “How soon will it be?”
“We shall send the invitations today,” Cassandra said. “And invite everyone to arrive in a week’s time.”
“A week? That is hardly enough time to prepare the house, and your father—”
“Both the house and Father will be fine,” Gideon said, cutting her off. “Besides, it will be good for both you and Father to have plenty of people around again. As it was in the old days.”
“Yes,” their mother said, her eyes taking on that far away, reminiscent look. “Yes, I suppose it just might be.”
After their breakfast concluded, Cassandra retreated to the sitting room to write her invitations, doing so for Gideon as well. It was where Devon found her a short time later. He took a seat on the sofa next to her, lounging upon it.
“Sometimes you scare me,” he said in a low voice, and she looked up to see him watching her, although there was humour in his eyes.
“How so?” she asked.
“By how you so easily manage to get your way.”
She stopped then, slightly hurt as she looked up at him. “Are you calling me manipulative?”
She knew she sometimes had to go about things indirectly, but it was not easy as a woman – especially when her brother had other ideas entirely and wouldn’t listen to her opinions.
“Not at all,” Devon said, shaking his head. “I believe you have a great deal of ingenuity, as it were. I’m just not sure that your brother and your mother realize how well you know them and are aware of what to say to convince them to see things your way.”
Cassandra nodded slowly. “I only want what is best – for all of us.” She paused, uncertain about how to ask Devon what had been bothering her since their conversation with Gideon. “Do you agree with Gideon? That I find trouble wherever I go? For I do not mean to. Not at all.” She lifted her arms by her side. “When the gentlemen approach with their comments and propositions, I do not ask for their attention, nor did I think they knew that there had been an… indiscretion in the past. Yet sometimes I feel as if someone has written on my back, ‘open for attention.’”
Devon paused for a moment, his dark eyes hard and assessing as he stared at her. “You are a beautiful woman, that much is for certain.”
Cassandra waited, for she knew there was more. She was aware that she was decent enough looking, but she was not an incredible beauty such as Hope, who suffered none of the same issues as Cassandra did.
“You have a quality about you,” he said slowly. “An attractiveness that is hard to deny. A charm, perhaps, might be the best way to phrase it, with an impishness that suggests you just might be open to not care about what is expected of you.”
“I see,” Cassandra said, uncertain of how she felt that he would think such of her. When she spoke again, she was chagrined to find that her voice was just above a whisper, but she almost didn’t want to ask the question for fear of what his answer might be. “Did you believe that of me, especially the night we were together? Is that why you wanted me?”
