Page 34 of Managing the Major

Genevieve regaled her with amusing stories of the ton this season and announced with great excitement that Lord Hope had promised her a trip to Paris in June. The two hours passed quickly, and soon they reached the center of town and proceeded north to Alastair’s property.

The gabled manor house sat on a rolling property with many majestic oaks and tall beech trees, while white blossom hawthorns flanked the stone structure. Alastair emerged to greet them as the carriage drove up the wide gravel road, accompanied by a servant who held the horses as the driver dismounted.

Her heart leaped strangely at the sight of his tall figure, broad-shouldered in a dark-gray coat and buckskin breeches. His lips curved in a broad smile as he walked up to the carriage and opened the door, lowering the stairs and giving Octavia a hand to steady her descent. A breeze ruffled his dark blond hair, and she caught the familiar scent of sandalwood and spice. Freya jumped out after her, shaking herself and yawning.

“Welcome to Fairfax, Miss Merrick. I trust your journey was pleasant.” He helped Genevieve to the ground as the coachman untied their luggage.

“Lady Hope, how good to see you again. And I see we have an additional guest.” He reached down to scratch Freya under the chin. “My housekeeper has prepared a light luncheon, and your chambers are ready if needed. Thomas will show your man to the stables, and my groom is there to help with the horses. This must be the gelding you mentioned.” He walked around the horse as Thomas untied it from the carriage.

“Your eye is impeccable, Miss Merrick. I like him very much. Shall we go inside? Later, I’ll take you on a tour of the stables and the immediate property. The rest you can explore at your leisure.”

Fairfax was as handsome inside as it looked outside. Octavia walked through the entry, Freya trotting at her side, to a well-appointed drawing room. Windows filled the spacious house, and sunlight gleamed across polished wood floors. The furniture was mahogany and shades of claret with gold accents, giving everything a warm, vibrant glow. Alastair led them to a large dining room set with a fire, and Freya immediately settled on a nearby rug to sleep again. Really, she might be the laziest terrier in existence!

“Thomas will take your bags upstairs when he returns. Meanwhile, my housekeeper, Mrs. Carter, has laid out some of her excellent croissants with preserved fruit and cheese. And tea, of course. Will that suffice?”

“Major Fairfax, did Octavia tell you of my weakness for pastry? That was really too bad of you,” Genevieve said to her. “Now I will certainly have to ride.”

Alastair responded with a laugh. “No, she did not, Lady Hope, but I confess to the same frailty. Should we take away the butter and jam?”

“Absolutely not. Since we are away from prying ears, might we call each other by our names and not our titles? It becomes so tiresome. And though you two are bent on equestrian activities, I intend to spend my holiday relaxing and reading in this delightful setting.”

Octavia caught a meaningful look from Genevieve, and her breath quickened. She meant to give them time alone—was there ever a better friend?

“I’m relieved to discard such cumbersome titles,” Octavia said, “and wish we could do it more often. Thank goodness customs have eased a bit and there is very little bowing and curtsying these days.”

They sat down to luncheon, and Alastair joined them to share a bit of Fairfax’s history and a childhood spent at the manor. He and Nerissa were only a few years apart, and there were several families in the area with children the same age. They received schooling at home until his entrance to Sandhurst, so Fairfax was the setting for many adventures shared with friends.

Octavia wondered if Lady Crawford was one of his companions. “Were you close to your father, Major Alastair?”

“Yes, we were very close, although he never understood my desire to enter the regiment. He was content as a country squire, despite the influence of a long line of relatives with illustrious military careers, including his own father. My mother passed away when I was young, but I enjoyed a marvelous life here. More tea, Miss Genevieve? As a bachelor, I keep few servants, so please forgive our lack of formality.”

“Of course. Lord Hope and I are quite casual in the country as well.”

“Unfortunately, while stationed in Burma, I learned my father had contracted influenza after a trip to London. He died shortly after. It’s ironic because the risk for that sort of thing is far greater in the Middle East than over there. May I offer you more tea, Miss Octavia?”

“Yes, thank you.” She added milk to the cup and buttered one of the warm croissants. “The other evening at the ball, I met someone who claimed to be a friend of your family.”

Alastair froze, but recovered quickly and sliced some cheese, setting it on his plate. “Oh, yes?”

“Lady Crawford. She was with her husband, the Viscount of Hurley, and introduced herself, mentioning your fathers were close.”

“Indeed, they were.” He sliced the fruit and offered them each a piece. “I knew her as Lucy Danbridge. Her brother was my closest friend growing up, but until Wednesday night, I hadn’t seen her in many years.” She was sure there was something more to it than that, but he offered no more information.

“How odd for her to approach you, Octavia,” Genevieve commented, biting into the apple slice.

Octavia added some jam to her pastry. “I suppose she noticed I spoke to the major and felt comfortable doing so. Lady Crawford mentioned they had just moved back to London, and she didn’t know many people yet.” Alastair made no further comment, and she did not pursue the subject.

“You know, I lost my father before birth. It’s always sad to lose a parent, no matter what the circumstances. But I was fortunate because Mama and Richard always made sure my life was full, despite their grief.

The preserved apples were wonderful, with a touch of cinnamon and clove just the way Octavia liked. “Your house is so welcoming, and the furnishings are comfortable yet elegant. I’m not much for decorating, but if I owned a house in the country, this is how I would like everything to look.”

“I am gratified to think so, but I have heard Seldon is a magnificent estate.”

Octavia rolled her eyes. “If you care for an enormous castle of a house filled with endless portraits of countless ancestors and precious antiques you shouldn’t touch, then it would be to your taste. The gardens are magnificent, though, and so are the stables.”

He chuckled. “Even as a child, I’m sure you preferred the outdoors. So did I.”

She saw Alastair as a youth, tall and sun-burnished, roaming Fairfax with his friends, moving freely and doing all the things boys enjoyed. Octavia was silent for a moment. It was easy to forget his injuries, but today he was without gloves, and the scars on his hand were red and puckered, the last two fingers bent and misshapen.