Page 24 of Sleepless in Saunton
Barclay bobbed his head. “And her skin was as smooth as fresh cream.”
Tatiana stared intently into the mirror, raising a hand to touch her cheek. “Like mine?”
“Just like you, little one. Just like you.”
“She will always be here with us?”
“Always.” Barclay’s voice was hoarse when he responded, and he accepted the truth. Their mutual grieving must come to an end. He could not live in the past any longer, and he must help his child to find joy once more, as she had during the reading ofAladdinearlier that evening.
Somehow, this visit to Saunton Park had unlocked a door, and Barclay could see clearly that he had been keeping them trapped in the past with his lingering state of mourning. Natalya had instructed him to find a new wife once she was gone. Barclay had failed to pay her heed, and it would disappoint his late wife that her child suffered for his neglect in fulfilling his promise to her.
He must accept that Natalya was gone. Come morning, he needed to make a serious attempt to find a new mother for Tatiana. No more mourning. No more mooning over the beautiful young woman he had met a couple of days ago, but a genuine effort to find a suitable mother.
CHAPTER7
Jane woke up late the following morning, staying awake until dawn before falling asleep as first light appeared on the horizon. This inability to slumber was becoming so frustrating. She had never had trouble in the past, but ever since she had joined the Balfour household in London, and now Saunton Park, she slept fewer and fewer hours.
Before her visit, she could slumber anytime and anywhere. That was now a distant memory. Insomnia had been a fact of life for many weeks.
Jane prepared for the day, eating her breakfast from a tray that a maid had brought in. Fortunately, her strange schedule was not widely known outside of her relations. What kind of country lass kept such late hours? Her twin brothers, Oliver and Max, had teased her relentlessly for the few days they had been in residence for Emma’s wedding the week before.
She left the family wing to read in the library, excited but nervous to encounter Barclay after the intimate words she had shared with him the night before. When she reached the library, she found a tray of coffee waiting for her—the servants had grown accustomed to her unusual habits.
Just as she was reaching over to lift the coffeepot to pour a cup, Mr. Dunsford walked in.
“Miss Davis, there you are. Did you hear me coming?” The young gentleman was dressed in a fine wool coat of burgundy that fitted him to perfection. His waves of curls were at once wild and perfection. Jane envied the man his valet, who made it look so effortless.
She frowned in confusion.
“You were pouring me a cup of coffee?”
Jane pasted a smile on her face. Her head pounded from her lack of sleep, and she had really been looking forward to sipping her coffee as she fully roused herself before seeking any company for the day. Now that Mr. Dunsford had seen her pouringthe gentlemen’s beverage, she would have to forsake her cup. “Of course.” She poured, breathing in the aroma with envy, before putting the pot down. Reluctantly, she picked up the cup and offered it to the young buck.
“One wonders why the servants are providing cream and sugar?” he mused, gesturing at the tray.
Because that is how I prefer to drink it!
Jane shrugged. “Perhaps some guests prefer to add it.”
“Fie! That is something a lady might do. What type of man would drink it in such a feminine manner?”
It was time to change the subject, lest she reach over to grab the cup back out of his hand. She had noticed a propensity to be a little grumpy before she had her first coffee of the day, and she was liable to say something unladylike when she so desperately wanted to take it back and swallow it down herself.
Mr. Dunsford was not to know that he was irritating her, so it was hardly fair to take it out on him. “Were you looking for me, Mr. Dunsford?”
“I was. I was hoping you were available to play lawn bowls? Several guests have gathered on the east lawn. Do you play? I can teach you!”
Jane really needed that cup of coffee. She had grown up in the country, one of six children. They played bowls every Sunday, and Jane was the best player of all of them. Again, it was not Mr. Dunsford’s fault that she found his comments so irritating. She simply loved drinking her coffee as part of her waking-up ritual. Perhaps she should call for some tea in its place?
“I have played it before.” She thought about refusing in order to find a new cup, but then recalled her decision after reading to Tatiana. She was to be seeking a husband, so she might start her life’s next chapter. “I would love to play.”
Mr. Dunsford’s boyish face lit up. “Excellent!” He stood up and put the cup down.
Jane glanced at the untouched coffee with yearning, her mouth watering at the thought of picking it up and downing it. She smiled at the gentleman, before her eyes once more flickered to the coffee. “I shall need to collect my bonnet, Mr. Dunsford. How about I meet you on the lawn?”
“Of course! A lady as fair as you must take care of her complexion. I shall wait for you by the terrace.” He bowed politely, his face hopeful, and Jane realized that if she encouraged it, she could obtain a proposal from Mr. Dunsford. He was quite keen on her. She simply needed to spend some time with him and decide if he was a suitable match—the man at her side whom she could tolerate for the rest of her days.
The moment he left the room, Jane quickly prepared her coffee before anyone else could interrupt her. Lifting the cup to her lips, she breathed deeply before downing it. She dabbed her lips to ensure there was no evidence—it was not the relaxing reprieve she had hoped for, but at least the pounding in her head dissipated.
