Page 88 of Ironvine

“My father only punished me for being wilful and disobedient. They didn’t even ask me how I got out.” He cleared his throat at the knot that had formed there. “My grandfather was still alive then. He’d said I was the first in a very, very long time to have gone inside the tower. ‘Well done, boy,’ he’d told me, much to Hugh’s annoyance. I tried to feel proud of myself, but I could never quite muster it. I only felt a fool.”

“You’re no fool, Ryvves.” She raised her hand to shield her eyes from the sun as she took in their surroundings, the hills, the woodlands on the other side of the ruins. “How different this aspect is from the manor’s park. It’s positively wild in comparison.”

“It is, isn’t it? My great-grandmother had this profusion of trees and these masses of azaleas and wisteria planted so that this ‘unattractive mess would be more pleasing’, and I quote.”

“She did well. It’s beautiful. What a blaze of colour, such lush abandon.”

He laughed. “I’m glad you like it. This is the perfect time of year for it all. You’re quite fortunate that your first seeing it now, like this.”

“I like it very much,” she breathed.

Seeing the ruins with Georgina now, Charles felt the wild dance of colour and form surrounding them rise up and fill him with a kind of music. Joyful, untroubled.

Charles pointed up the hill. “From the morning room at the house, there is a view across the valley to down here.”

“Is there? Oh…”

“I thought you might like that morning room for your personal drawing room?”

“A personal drawing room? For me?” Her eyes widened.

“Ironvine has over five drawing rooms and three parlours. But that one is the most pleasing of all. My study is down that same hall.”

Surging on her toes, she hugged him. “I’d like that very much. It’s a dream come true.”

“It’s very true now, Countess.” He released her.

“Would you mind if I sketched…”

“Of course not. Go on, do what it is you do.”

She took her new sketchbook from her new satchel. “This is a paradise.”

He let out a laugh. “Paradise, you say? If only my father were alive to hear this described as a paradise. He wanted to mow the whole thing down and let the moat flood from the river, which is further up, in order to create a lake so he could fish properly.”

“Oh no, no. Never do that.”

He bowed his head to her, bringing a hand to his chest with a flourish. “So speaks the Countess of Ryvves, so it shall be done.”

ChapterThirty-Eight

Georgina

Jerrold had shownher the bed linens, the table linens, the extensive Montclare glass collection. And the entire time, all she could think of was getting back to her sketching. She had an inspiration for a new series of drawings this morning and had begun, but once her maid had arrived, she had to attend to her duties as the lady of the house.

And attend she did.

“And that is the last of the sherry glasses, ma’am.”

“That was a great number of sherry glasses, Jerrold. I am in awe.” Georgina smoothed back her hair from her face as the two of them walked down the hallway together.

“Yes, ma’am. Tomorrow morning, do you wish us to continue?”

“Certainly. What do you have on the menu for me?” She gave the woman a relaxed smile.

“I thought the silver, my lady.”

“Very good. The silver, it is. I look forward to it.”

---