He gave her a condescending smile, but his eyes showed unmistakeable desire that made her insides curl with horror. “How refreshing it is to encounter a lady with such spirit, my dear Lady Madeley.”
Oh dear, she was not enjoying this walk now. She’d had it all planned out. A gentle stroll during which she could gently coax Lissy into her way of thinking. A quiet meeting with Cousin Henry, and perhaps an engineered walk about the gardens for him and Lissy to get to know one another while she rested her supposedly weary head in the parlor with a cold compress for her forehead. It did not look as though her visit was going to work out to plan.
At last, the house came into view, the gates invitingly wide open, just as they’d always been when Geoffrey was alive. How strange that it should look exactly as it always had and yet feel so different just because it was no longer theirs.
She glanced at Sir Julian. He was going to have to do something with his horse, which might give her a head start with Cousin Henry.
Unfortunately she was foiled in this as well, for young Archie Miller appeared around the corner of the house and, after bowing to her and Melissa, which brought hot color to his cheeks, took Sir Julian’s horse for him.
Drat it.
She was about to knock on the door of what had once been her own house when it swung open to reveal Crawford, looking flustered. Probably because of the company she was in, and also that he was having to welcome her back into what he undoubtedly saw as being still her property. His cheeks were flushed and his hair ruffled, as though he’d recently run his fingers through it. Not at all the unflappable butler she was used to.
He bowed. “Lady Madeley, Miss Madeley, Sir Julian, good day to you. Sir Henry is in the library.” He seemed at a loss as to whether to invite them in or let them do it themselves. Poor Crawford. This must be so difficult for him. He’d already been butler at the Hall nineteen years ago when she’d arrived there as a young bride, and she saw him as a fixture in her life. A longing to call on him and the other servants instead of their new master, preferably in the kitchen, arose, but had to be brushed aside.
Sir Julian had no qualms about inviting himself in, though. Now he was free of his horse, he seized her other arm and swept past Crawford and into the wide hallway, Lissy dragged in their wake on reluctant feet.
This was definitely not going to go to plan.
