Page 78 of The Miracle of Love
“I knew she had talent and I could trust her judgment. She hasn’t seen the house either. She resides in London with Ronan and was not about to come all the way down here. Finn provided her with a set of detailed plans and asked her to formulate ideas. Dahlia then engaged a local designer to take measurements and supervise the actual installations. But the ideas were all hers.”
There were no servants about.
The door, when he tried it, was locked. “Wait here, Grace. I’m going to find a way in.”
“What if the house is completely sealed up?”
He shrugged. “There’s always a way in.”
It took him little time to find an entry used by delivery men. It had a weak lock, easily pried open without damaging the lock or the door. He then made his way through the house to the entrance and let Grace in. “Welcome to my humble abode, Miss Montford.”
He took a moment to light the sconces affixed to the entry foyer walls, and then looked on with pride as Grace’s expression turned to one of marvel.
He watched her as she peeked in the nearby rooms.
From what he could see in soft candlelight, everything was tastefully done. The furniture and furnishings were of the highest quality. The entry hall had an exquisite Italian marble floor and the dining room floor and furniture, visible from where he stood, was of finest dark wood.
A large, crystal chandelier dominated the entry hall. The dining room also had a chandelier centered over the large table.
“Look, Deklan. There’s a visitors’ parlor and a larger formal parlor. Light the sconces in there, too. I’d like a better look in there.”
Deklan did so, then looked around the room and groaned. “Floral drapes.”
“They’re beautiful.” She walked toward the two glass doors framed by these drapes. “Do these doors lead out onto a terrace? And is that the sea beyond?”
“Yes, you’ll have a better view of it come daytime. Gad, what did she do to this room? There are flowers on everything.”
Grace turned to him, her eyes glittering with amusement. “Don’t you like it? Makes me feel as though I am walking through a garden. I’m sure this is the effect she wanted to create. It must be lovely in the summer when the doors are open and a light sea breeze blows into the room.”
“But she put them everywhere. On the walls. The chairs. And drapes. What if she’s done the entire house this way?”
Grace laughed. “Whose fault is that? You could have worked with her to get exactly what you wanted. But I suppose leopards don’t do this. Well, I love it.”
“I’m glad you do.” This house was as much for her as it was for him. He found wood neatly stacked beside the hearth and took a moment to light a fire. “Finn hired a local couple to live in and maintain the house in my absence,” he said as he stoked the flames. “Not sure where they are just now.”
“Well, they did not know we were arriving. It is likely they are at a church service or dining with family.”
“Perhaps. I hope they’ve left some food around. I’ll see what I can scrounge for us in the larder. You must be famished. We haven’t eaten since early morning.”
She joined him by the hearth, holding her hands by the fire to warm them. “I am a little hungry. But what about you, one of Miranda’s wildebeests? You must be ready to chew the furniture.”
“I’ll settle for anything that does not eat me first,” he said with a grin. “Do you mind if we hunt for food before I show you the rest of the house? The bedrooms are upstairs. I have no idea what Dahlia has done with them or whether those have been furnished beyond my own bedchamber.”
“Dear heaven, do you involve yourself in nothing but your work? Never mind, I suppose we’ll find out soon enough whether those bedrooms have been left empty.”
He nodded. “Grace, about our sleeping arrangements…we need to discuss this before the couple returns. Will you be sharing my bedchamber?”
“I will have to if the others have not yet been furnished. But are you giving me the choice?”
“Yes. However, I would still insist on keeping you in the room closest to mine. We are in my home and no one knows to look for you in Brighton. The danger ought to be minimal, but on the chance something happens, I need to be within easy reach of you. As I said, the choice is yours. As for the hired couple, I don’t think they will find it odd for us to sleep apart. It is not unusual for husbands and wives to maintain separate bedchambers.”
“Then we are to keep up the ruse of being a married couple?”
“Yes, and I am still Adam Driscoll, captain in the Royal Navy. You are my wife. We are newlyweds. Same story how we met in Bath. Nothing changes until the crown is back where it belongs and no one is asking you to be shipped out of England as their hostage.”
“Wait, are you telling me the people you employ do not even know who you are?”
“Why should they care who pays them? Their names are Joseph and Letitia Hyde, by the way. I do know this much. But to get back to the topic. If we sleep separately, I will insist on keeping the door between our rooms open. I need to hear your breaths and listen for the light swish of your sheets as you toss and turn.”
